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No. 537 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

No. 537 Squadron RAF
Active	8 Sep 1942 – 25 Jan 1943[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Turbinlite nightfighter squadron
Part of	No. 10 Group RAF, Fighter Command[2]

History

No. 537 Squadron was formed at RAF Middle Wallop, Hampshire on 8[1] September 1942, from No. 1458 (Turbinlite) Flight,[3][4] as part of No. 10 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 No. 245 Squadron RAF while still 1458 Flight,[3] the unit now also flew with their own Hawker Hurricanes. It was disbanded at Middle Wallop 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

Aircraft operated by No. 537 Squadron RAF, data from[1][3][5]

From	To	Aircraft	Version
8 September 1942	25 January 1943	Douglas Havoc	Mk.I (Nightfigter)
8 September 1942	25 January 1943	Douglas Havoc	Mk.I (Turbinlite)
8 September 1942	25 January 1943	Douglas Havoc	Mk.II (Nightfigter)
8 September 1942	25 January 1943	Douglas Boston	Mk.III (Turbinlite)
8 September 1942	25 January 1943	Hawker Hurricane	Mk.IIb
8 September 1942	25 January 1943	Hawker Hurricane	Mk.IIc

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by No. 537 Squadron RAF, data from[1][2][3][5]

From	To	Base
8 September 1942	25 January 1943	RAF Middle Wallop, Hampshire

Commanding officers

Officers commanding No. 537 Squadron RAF, data from[3]

From	To	Name
8 September 1942	25 January 1943	S/Ldr. P.L. Burke, AFC

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links

• Squadron.cfm 537 Squadron history on MOD site
• No. 537 Squadron RAF movement and equipment history
• Squadron histories for nos. 521–540 squadron on RafWeb's Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation

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