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No. 531 Squadron RAF

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No. 531 Squadron RAF
Active8 Sep 1942 – 25 Jan 1943[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleTurbinlite nightfighter squadron
Part ofNo. 11 Group RAF, Fighter Command[2]

No. 531 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

History

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No. 531 Squadron was formed at RAF West Malling, Kent on 8[1] September 1942, from No. 1452 (Turbinlite) Flight,[3][4] as part of No. 11 Group RAF in Fighter Command. Instead of operating only Turbinlite and -rudimentary- Airborne Intercept (AI) radar equipped aircraft (Havocs and Bostons) and working together with a normal nightfighter unit, such as in their case with the Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 264 Squadron RAF or later the Hawker Hurricanes of No. 32 Squadron RAF in the Flight,[3] the unit now also flew with their own Hawker Hurricanes. The squadron moved to RAF Debden, Essex on 2 October 1942, but returned to West Malling a week later.[2] It was disbanded at West Malling on 25 January 1943,[1] when Turbinlite squadrons were, due to lack of success on their part and the rapid development of AI radar, thought to be superfluous.[5]

Aircraft operated

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Aircraft operated by No. 531 Squadron RAF, data from[1][3][5]
From To Aircraft Version
8 September 1942 25 January 1943 Douglas Havoc Mk.I (Turbinlite)
8 September 1942 25 January 1943 Douglas Havoc Mk.I (Nightfighter)
8 September 1942 25 January 1943 Douglas Boston Mk.III
8 September 1942 25 January 1943 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc

Squadron bases

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Bases and airfields used by No. 531 Squadron RAF, data from[1][3][5]
From To Base
8 September 1943 2 October 1942 RAF West Malling, Kent
2 October 1942 9 October 1942 RAF Debden, Essex
9 October 1942 25 January 1943 RAF West Malling, Kent

Commanding officers

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Officers commanding No. 531 Squadron RAF, data from[3]
From To Name
September 1942 October 1942 S/Ldr. G.R. Turner
October 1942 January 1943 S/Ldr. N.M. Browning

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e Jefford 2001, p. 97.
  2. ^ a b www.rafcommands.com
  3. ^ a b c d e Rawlings 1978, p. 464.
  4. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 123.
  5. ^ a b c Halley 1988, p. 402.

Bibliography

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  • Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John (1978) [1969]. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (Revised ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
  • Sturtivant, Ray, ISO; Hamlin, John (2007). RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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