No. 1460 (Fighter) Flight was formed at RAF Acklington on 15 December 1941, equipped with TurbinliteDouglas Boston and Douglas Havoc aircraft.[2] The flight became operational in May 1942 and made its first and only contact with the enemy in June of that year.[3] On operations they cooperated first with the Hawker Hurricanes of 43 Squadron and later with those of 1 Squadron.[4] The flight was replaced with 539 Squadron on 2 September 1942[4][5] but officially disbanded as late as 23 January 1943.[4]
539 Squadron, which had taken over the men and machines, carried on flying the Turbinlite Bostons and Havocs until the system was abandoned on 25 January 1943,[6] when Turbinlite squadrons were, due to lack of success on their part and the rapid development of AI radar, thought to be superfluous.[7]
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Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN0-85130-164-9.
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). ISBN1-85310-053-6.
Lake, Alan. Flying Units of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1999. ISBN1-84037-086-6.
Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (2nd edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN0-354-01028-X.
Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN0-85130-365-X.