A night fighter is a largely historical term for a fighter or interceptor aircraft adapted or designed for effective use at night, during periods of adverse meteorological conditions, or in otherwise poor visibility. Such designs were in direct contrast to day fighters: fighters and interceptors designed primarily for use during the day or during good weather. The concept of the night fighter was developed and experimented with during the First World War but would not see widespread use until WWII. The term would be supplanted by “all-weather fighter/interceptor” post-WWII, with advancements in various technologies permitting the use of such aircraft in virtually all conditions.
The Pathfinders were target-marking squadrons in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. They located and marked targets with flares, at which a main bomber force could aim, increasing the accuracy of their bombing. The Pathfinders were normally the first to receive new blind-bombing aids such as Gee, Oboe and the H2S radar.
No. 27 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook from RAF Odiham.
No. 100 Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command. The group was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures in one organisation. The group was responsible for the development, operational trial and use of electronic warfare and countermeasures equipment. It was based at RAF stations in East Anglia, chiefly Norfolk.
No. 47 Squadron is an inactive squadron of the Royal Air Force. Formed in 1916, it saw service during the First World War in the UK and in Greece. Between the wars it served in Egypt and Sudan, and at the outbreak of the Second World war undertook bombing operations against Italian positions in Eritrea. Later it was based in Libya and Tunisia, taking part in anti-shipping operations in the Mediterranean. In 1944 the squadron moved to India, and began operations against the Japanese in Burma and elsewhere.
No. 487 (NZ) Squadron was a light bomber squadron established for service during the Second World War. It was a New Zealand squadron formed under Article XV of the Empire Air Training Plan. Although many of its flying personnel were largely drawn from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, the squadron served in Europe under the operational and administrative command of the Royal Air Force as part of Bomber Command. Formed in mid-1942, it operated the Lockheed Ventura and then the de Havilland Mosquito and took part in over 3,000 operational sorties before being disbanded at the end of the war in late 1945.
John Randall Daniel "Bob" Braham, was a Royal Air Force (RAF) night fighter pilot and fighter ace during the Second World War.
No. 21 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1915 and was disbanded for the last time in 1979.
No. 36 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed in 1916 at Cramlington Aerodrome, just north of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in order to defend a section of the North East coast from German Zeppelin attacks at night. Disbanded shortly after the end of WWI, it was reformed as a torpedo bomber unit and served in Singapore and Burma in the 1930s, seeing action in 1941–42 when Japan entered the war. After re-equipping with Vickers Wellingtons, it served the remainder of the war as an anti-submarine unit, in the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, and later in UK home waters. After WWII the squadron operated intermittently in various roles, including maritime reconnaissance, and later as a transport unit flying C-130 Hercules until it was disbanded for the last time in 1975.
Predannack Airfield is an aerodrome near Mullion on The Lizard peninsula of Cornwall in the United Kingdom. The runways are operated by the Royal Navy and today it is a satellite airfield and relief landing ground for nearby RNAS Culdrose.
No. 464 Squadron RAAF is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) unit responsible for public relations. It was originally formed in the United Kingdom during 1942 as a bomber unit. It comprised personnel from Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the Netherlands, the squadron served in the light bomber role, undertaking operations over France and the Low Countries, from bases in England. It also flew night fighter missions. Later, following the Allied invasion of France, the squadron moved to France where it was used to interdict German transports and infrastructure. It further engaged in several low-level precision raids against Gestapo targets in France and Denmark. The squadron was disbanded in September 1945, following the conclusion of the war. No. 464 Squadron was re-formed in January 2021 when the RAAF's public relations functions were transferred from No. 28 Squadron.
Royal Air Force Fairwood Common, or more simply RAF Fairwood Common, is a former Royal Air Force sector station located on Fairwood Common, on the Gower Peninsula, to the west of Swansea. It is now the location of Swansea Airport.
No. 264 Squadron RAF, also known as No. 264 Squadron, was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
No. 105 Squadron was a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force, active for three periods between 1917 and 1969. It was originally established during the First World War as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and disbanded after the war. Reactivated shortly before the Second World War, it was inactive again after the conflict. During its second existence it was a bomber unit and had the distinction to be the first to operate the de Havilland Mosquito light bomber. During the 1960s it was reactivated again for six years to provide transport support for the British Army in the Aden Protectorate and the Far East.
No. 608 Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. It flew during its existence as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance unit and was the only RAF squadron to be equipped with the unsuccessful Blackburn Botha torpedo bomber.
No. 248 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force, active immediately after World War I, and again during World War II.
The de Havilland Mosquito was a British light bomber that served in many roles during and after the Second World War. Mosquito-equipped squadrons performed medium bomber, reconnaissance, tactical strike, anti-submarine warfare and shipping attack and night fighter duties, both defensive and offensive. Mosquitos were widely used by the RAF Pathfinder Force, which marked targets for night-time strategic bombing. Despite an initially high loss rate due to low-level daylight attack operations, the Mosquito ended the war with the lowest losses of any of the aircraft types in RAF Bomber Command service.
Sint-Truiden / Brustem Airfield is an airfield located in Brustem, 1.5 nautical miles southeast of Sint-Truiden (Limburg) and approximately 37 mi (60 km) east of Brussels. Formerly known as Sint-Truiden Air Base or Brustem Air Base, the aerodrome was deactivated as a Belgian Air Component base in 1996.
No. 114 Squadron was a squadron of the British Royal Air Force. It was first formed in India during the First World War, serving as a light bomber squadron during the Second World War and as a transport squadron post-war. It was last disbanded in 1971.
Michael James Herrick, was a New Zealand flying ace of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He is credited with having shot down at least six enemy aircraft.
