No. 1439 Flight RAF

There is unconfirmed evidence that a No. 1439 (Strategic Reconnaissance) Flight RAF was formed during the Western Desert Campaign ca. June 1942, flying Bristol Blenheim aircraft.[1][2]

No. 1439 Flight RAF
A Westland Whirlwind helicopter, like the ones used in the flight
Active? - June 1942
8 May 1957 – 20 November 1957
RoleStrategic Reconnaissance
Transport
Garrison/HQWestern Desert (Egypt)
RAF Hemswell
RAF Christmas Island
EquipmentBristol Blenheim
Vickers Varsity
Avro Anson>
Westland Whirlwind

The flight was reformed as No. 1439 (Communication Support) Flight at RAF Hemswell on 8 May 1957 to support the Nuclear Weapons Task Force during the Operation Grapple nuclear weapon tests on or near Christmas Island (Kiritimati) in a remote Pacific region.[1] Flying continued for six months until the Flight was dis-banded on 20 November 1957.[1]

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 1439 Flight RAF, data from[1][2]
FromToAircraftVersionExample
June 1942 ?Bristol Blenheim
1 May 195720 November 1957Vickers VarsityT.1WL676
1 May 195720 November 1957Avro AnsonMk.XIXTX196
1 May 195720 November 1957Westland WhirlwindHAR.2XD164

Flight bases
Bases and airfields used by no. 1439 Flight RAF, data from[1][2]
FromToBase
June 1942 ?Western desert
1 May 195722 August 1957RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire
22 August 1957 ?LRWRE Woomera, Australia
 ?20 November 1957RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire

References
Notes
  1. Lake 1999, p. 89.
  2. Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 123.
Bibliography
  • Lake, Alan. Flying Units of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  • 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.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.