No. 1453 Flight RAF

No. 1453 Flight RAF
No. 1453 Flight RAF
Active	10 July 1941 – 2 September 1942 ; 5 June 1953 – 30 June 1956 ; 20 August 1983 - June 1985 ;
Role	Night Fighter; Airborne Early Warning (ELINT?) ; Ground Attack/Air Defence
Garrison/HQ	RAF Wittering ; RAF Kinloss ; RAF Topcliffe ; RAF Stanley
Equipment	Douglas Havoc Turbinlite; Lockheed Neptune MR Mk 1 ; Hawker-Siddeley Harrier GR3A

1453(Turbinlite)Flight Royal Air Force was first formed in 1941 as a night-fighter unit at RAF Wittering, equipped with Douglas Turbinlite Havoc aircraft.

History

1453 Flight and the Turbinlite Havocs

After the fall of France in 1940, outstanding contracts for Douglas DB-7 & DB-7A medium bomber aircraft were appropriated by the British Purchasing Commission. With relatively few aircraft available and the good performance of the DB-7/A, named Havoc in UK service, made them suitable for use as intruders and night-fighters.

Thirty-one of the DB-7's (Havoc I) were converted to carry the 2,700 million candela (2.7Gcd) Helmore Turbinlite searchlight in the nose, as well as A.I. MkIV radar. These aircraft were to operate in conjunction with Hawker Hurricane nightfighters, illuminating the targets after tracking them with the radar, for the Hurricane fighters to despatch. 1453 (Turbinlite) Flight was one of the flights formed especially to use the Turbinlite Havoc operating in conjunction with No. 151 Squadron RAF and No. 486 Squadron RNZAF, also housed at Wittering^[1]

Thirty-nine DB-7A's (Havoc II) were also converted to use the turbinlite searchlights and these saw service with the turbinlite flights and the squadrons formed from the flights on September 2 1942, with 1453 flight reforming as No. 532 Squadron RAF. [1]

Results of the combined operations were not spectacular, (only one confirmed kill with 31 aircraft lost), but valuable experience in the use of the A.I. (Airborne interception) radar was gained. The Helmore Turbinlite was also evaluated as an anti-submarine attack searchlight but the Leigh Light was found to be superior.

AEW Neptunes at RAF Kinloss

On 1 November 1952, four Lockheed Neptune MR Mk.1 aircraft ( WX547, WX499, WX500 and WX501) formed the complement of Vanguard Flight of Fighter Command at RAF Kinloss, to research and develop tactics for use by Airborne Early Warning aircraft.^[1]

RAF Topcliffe

Disbanded on 5 June 1953 the four Neptune aircraft of Vanguard Flight became the re-formed 1453 (Early Warning) Flight at RAF Topcliffe in Yorkshire.^[1] Despite their innocuous public role the Neptunes of 1453 Flight retained the full armament of the P2V-5 variant, with nose dorsal and tail turrets.

Details of 1453 Flight's operations are few and far between, leading to speculation that they may have been involved in highly classified reconnaissance missions over or near Eastern Bloc countries (more info/evidence required), similar to the US Navy's Martin P4M Mercator ELINT (ELectronic INTelligence) aircraft, and the 'Ghost' North American RB-45 Tornado's that flew with RAF crews and markings from RAF Sculthorpe, over eastern Europe to provide radar images of potential targets for RAF and Strategic Air Command bombers.

Neptune flying at RAF Topcliffe continued till 1453 (Airborne Early Warning) Flight was dis-banded on 30 June 1956.

RAF Stanley Falkland Islands

After the qualified success of RAF Harrier operations in the Falklands conflict, a detachment of six Harrier Gr3A's was established at Stanley airport, which became RAF Stanley, part of BFFI (British Forces Falkland islands). As the rudimentary facilities at RAF Stanley improved HarDet Stanley was made autonomous with the formation of 1453 (Tactical Ground Attack) Flight, operating from a MEXE pad apron by the side of the runway at the extreme Western end. Later, semi-permanent facilities were constructed, with porta-cabin offices and RUBB hangars, during the extension and reinforcement of the runway.^[2]^[1]

The Harriers were tasked initially with mostly air defence of the Falklands Garrison. After the arrival of No. 23 Squadron RAF, with their McDonnell-Douglas/Hawker-Siddeley F-4M Phantom FGR 2's, 1453 flight's mission was focused more on ground attack missions, but supplying a back-up QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) in daylight hours.

Operations at RAF Stanley were challenging to say the least, with make-shift accommodation, few asphalt roads, army discipline, extreme weather, long supply lines, lack-lustre catering supplies (e.g. several weeks with nothing but spinach and beetroot for vegetables), not to mention the close proximity of unclearable minefields, and danger of unexploded ordnance.

The Harriers of 1453 Flight continued flying at Stanley until June 1985 when the new airport/airbase at Mount Pleasant was opened, after which 1453 Flight disbanded and the Harriers were returned to the UK, leaving the air defence of the Falkland Islands to the Phantoms of 23 Squadron.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e *Lake, Alan. "Flying Units od the RAF".Airlife Publishing. Shrewsbury. 1999. ISBN 1 84037 086 6
^ http://www.harrier.org.uk/service/1453.htm

Bibliography

Falklands – The Air War Rodney A Burden, Michael A Draper, et al (Arms & Armour Press)**
Air War South Atlantic Jeffery Ethell & Alfred Price (Sidgwick & Jackson)
Battle for the Falklands [3] Air Forces Roy Braybrook (Osprey – Men-at-arms 135)
Harrier at War Alfred Price (Ian Allan)*
The Harrier Story Peter E Davies & Anthony M Thornborough (Naval Institute Press)*

[Lake-1] *Lake, Alan. "Flying Units od the RAF".Airlife Publishing. Shrewsbury. 1999. ISBN 1 84037 086 6

[2] ttp://www.harrier.org.uk/service/1453.htm

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