After the fall of France in 1940, outstanding contracts for Douglas DB-7 and DB-7A medium bomber aircraft were appropriated by the British Purchasing Commission.

The relatively low availability of aircraft, 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 Airborne Interception Mk.IV (A.I.

[8] 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.

Operations at RAF Stanley were challenging, with makeshift accommodation, few asphalt roads, army discipline, extreme weather, long supply lines, lacklustre 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.