| No. 1451 Flight RAF | |
|---|---|
 Turbinlite equipped Douglas Havoc, like the ones used by the flight | |
| Active | 22 May 1941 – 8 Sep 1942 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Role | Night fighter (Turbinlite) |
| Part of | No. 11 Group RAF, Fighter Command |
| Insignia | |
| Badge | No badge authorised |
| Squadron Codes | No known identification code for the flight is known to have been carried |
No. 1451 (Fighter) Flight was formed at RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire on 22 May 1941, equipped with Turbinlite Douglas Boston and Douglas Havoc aircraft. On operations they co-operated at first with Hawker Hurricanes of No. 1422 Flight RAF and later with Hurricanes of 3 Squadron. The flight was replaced with 530 Squadron on 8 September 1942 (not on 2 September due to administrative reasons) but officially disbanded as late as 25 January 1943.
530 Sqn, which had taken over men and machines, carried on flying the Turbinlite Bostons and Havocs till the system was abandoned on 25 January 1943, when Turbinlite squadrons were, due to lack of success on their part and the rapid development of AI radar, thought to be superfluous.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I (Turbinlite) |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.II (Turbinlite) |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.II |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Boston | Mk.II (Turbinlite) |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Boston | Mk.III (Turbinlite) |
Flight bases
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 22 May 1941 | July 1941 | S/Ldr. D.C. Hobbis, DFC |
| July 1941 | November 1941 | S/Ldr. Paul Rabone |
References
- Notes
- Delve 1994, p. 57.
- ^ Lake 1999, p. 89.
- ^ Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 123.
- Jefford 2001, p. 97.
- Halley 1988, p. 402.
- ^ Rawlings 1978, p. 463.
- Bibliography
- Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Lake, Alan. Flying Units of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
- Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (2nd edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
- Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
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