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RAF Limavady
Royal Air Force Limavady, or more simply RAF Limavady, is a former Royal Air Force satellite station, also known as Aghanloo airfield, near the city of Derry, Northern Ireland. History The station was built in 1940 during the Second World War. The airfield was part of RAF Coastal Command and was important in the fight against U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean. ;Units The following units were also here at some point: * No. 7 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (April 1942 - May 1944) * No. 22 Air Crew Holding Unit * No. 2754 Squadron RAF Regiment * Loran Training Unit RAF (April 1945) became Coastal Command Anti U-Boat Devices School RAF (April - August 1945) During the Second World War the airfield was further used by the Fleet Air Arm when it was known as RNAS Limavady until 1958 when it was finally sold off. Current use After it was vacated by the military, the site was partly converted into an industrial estate with the rest returning to agricultural purposes. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ensign Of The Royal Air Force
Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Kansas * Ensign Lake, a lake in Minnesota * Ensign Peak, Utah * Ensign Township, Michigan * Ensign Township, North Dakota (near Glenburn, North Dakota, Glenburn) People Given name *Ensign Cottrell (1888–1947), American baseball player *Ensign Dickinson (1819–1897), American politician *Ensign H. Kellogg (1812–1882), American politician Surname * Ensign (surname) Transportation * Pearson Ensign, a class of full-keel sailboats * , a United States Navy patrol boat in commission from 1917 to 1919 * Armstrong Whitworth Ensign, a class of British airliner, and the name of the first example *Ensignbus, a bus company in England *Ensign Manufacturing Company, a defunct railroad car manufacturing company in West Virginia Music * Ensign (band) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for separating the New World of the Americas (North America and South America) from the Old World of Afro-Eurasia (Africa, Asia, and Europe). Through its separation of Afro-Eurasia from the Americas, the Atlantic Ocean has played a central role in the development of human society, globalization, and the histories of many nations. While the Norse colonization of North America, Norse were the first known humans to cross the Atlantic, it was the expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492 that proved to be the most consequential. Columbus's expedition ushered in an Age of Discovery, age of exploration and colonization of the Americas by European powers, most notably Portuguese Empire, Portugal, Spanish Empire, Sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter (often called the Beau) is a British multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber. The Beaufighter proved to be an effective night fighter, which came into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Battle of Britain, its large size allowing it to carry heavy armament and early aircraft interception radar without major performance penalties. The Beaufighter was used in many roles; receiving the nicknames ''Rockbeau'' for its use as a rocket-armed ground attack aircraft and ''Torbeau'' as a torpedo bomber against Axis shipping, in which it replaced the Beaufort. In later operations, it served mainly as a maritime strike/ground attack aircraft, RAF Coastal Command having operated the largest number of Beaufighters amongst all other commands at one point. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Boulton Paul Defiant
The Boulton Paul Defiant is a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter" to meet the RAF requirement for day and night fighters that could concentrate their firepower on enemy bombers which were not expected to have fighter escorts due to the distance from Germany to the United Kingdom. The Defiant had all its armament in a dorsal turret offering the ability to fire in most directions. The same principle was used in the Royal Navy's Blackburn Roc which was also built by Boulton Paul. In combat, the Defiant was found to be effective at destroying unescorted bombers, the role it was designed for,Verkaik, 2020 p334 but was vulnerable to the ''Luftwaffe''s more manoeuvrable, single-seat Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters operating from bases in Northern France, allowing them to escort bombers to London, although with fuel for only ten minutes of flying time ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Thorney Island
Royal Air Force Thorney Island, or more simply RAF Thorney Island, is a former Royal Air Force station located on Thorney Island, West Sussex, England, west of Chichester and east of Portsmouth, Hampshire. Station history The airfield was built in 1938 for fighter aircraft. The airfield was in the Battle of Britain when it was attacked by the Luftwaffe on Sunday 18 August 1940 ( The Hardest Day) the same date as other stations such as RAF Ford and RAF Poling Radio Direction Finding (RDF) Chain Home station. RAF Thorney Island was transferred to RAF Coastal Command for the protection of shipping and other various roles, and had its concrete runways laid in 1942. The station closed as an RAF airfield on 31 March 1976; however, the Royal Artillery re-opened the site in 1982. Operational history Major units As with many RAF Coastal Command airfields, a great variety of squadrons and aircraft were posted to RAF Thorney Island during World War II; in particular: No. 22 Squ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Aldergrove
Aldergrove Flying Station, also known previously as JHC FS Aldergrove, is a British military base located south of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, Northern Ireland and northwest of Belfast, and adjoins Belfast International Airport. It is sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove, County Antrim, Aldergrove which is the name of a nearby hamlet. The military flying units share Aldergrove's runways with Belfast International Airport, but have their own separate facilities and helipad. The site was formerly RAF Aldergrove, a Royal Air Force List of Royal Air Force stations, station which was in operation between 1918 and 2009. History Interwar period RAF Aldergrove first opened in 1918 but was not designated as an operational RAF station until 1925. Various squadrons were posted here during this time: * A detachment of No. 4 Squadron RAF between 30 April 1920 and 26 September 1922 again with the Bristol F2B. * No. 2 Squadron RAF initially at full strength between 2 June 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until the end of the war. Development began with the ''Type 142'', a civil airliner, after a challenge from the newspaper proprietor Harold Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere, Lord Rothermere to produce the fastest commercial aircraft in Europe. The ''Type 142'' first flew in April 1935, and the Air Ministry, ordered a modified design as the ''Type 142M'' for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a bomber. Deliveries of the new Blenheim to RAF squadrons commenced on 10 March 1937. In service the Type 142M became the Blenheim Mk.I which would be developed into the long-nosed Type 149, the Blenheim Mk.IV, except in Canada where Fairchild Canada built the Type 149 under licence as the Bolingbroke. The Type 160 Bisley was also developed from the Blenheim but was already obsol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF St Eval
Royal Air Force St Eval or RAF St Eval is a former Royal Air Force station for the RAF Coastal Command, southwest of Padstow in Cornwall, England, UK. St Eval's primary role was to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast. Aircraft from the airfield were also used for photographic reconnaissance missions, meteorological flights, convoy patrols, air-sea rescue missions and protection of the airfield from the Luftwaffe. History The construction of the station The Royal Air Force's 1930s expansion plan included a requirement for a station to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the South-west coast of England. The site at St Eval was chosen as a Coastal Command airfield and work started in 1938. Five widely dispersed cottages, two houses and portions of two farms were acquired by compulsory purchase; the village of St Eval was completely demolished in order to build the airfield. Levelling of the site by G Wallace Ltd involved the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Bircham Newton
Royal Air Force Bircham Newton or more simply RAF Bircham Newton is a former Royal Air Force station located south east of Docking, Norfolk and north east of King's Lynn, Norfolk, England. History The site was first used during the First World War and received the largest British bomber of the time, the Handley Page V/1500. They would have carried out bombing missions against Berlin but the Armistice was arranged before any missions were actually flown. There were several communication squadrons active at the airfield during 1919. The airfield was equipped with one aircraft repair shed and three double bay general service sheds, although these had been demolished by 1937. It had two Belfast hangars, three C Type hangars, three Bellman hangars and ten Blister hangars. It operated through the Second World War as part of No. 16 Group RAF as part of RAF Coastal Command. No. 206 Squadron RAF was one of the squadrons being based there, on maritime patrol duties. Two satel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Skitten
Royal Air Force Skitten or more simply RAF Skitten is a former Royal Air Force List of former Royal Air Force stations, satellite station directly east of the village of Killimster, located north east of Watten, Highland, Watten, Caithness, Scotland, and northwest of Wick, Highland, Wick, Caithness, Scotland. On 19 November 1942, Operation Freshman departed from RAF Skitten. History ;Squadrons: ;Units: * No. 1693 (General Reconnaissance) Flight (September - December 1943) * No. 2709 Squadron RAF Regiment * No. 2716 Squadron RAF Regiment * List of RAF Regiment units#Flights, No. 4010 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment Current use The site is now used for quarrying and as farmland. See also * List of former Royal Air Force stations References Citations Bibliography * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Skitten Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom Royal Air Force stations in Scotland Caithness Defunct airports in Scotland Military airbases established in 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Stornoway
Royal Air Force Station Stornoway, more commonly known as RAF Stornoway is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station and aerodrome near the burgh of Stornoway, on the Isle of Lewis, in the Western Isles of Scotland, operating from 1940 to 1945, and subsequently from 1982 to 1998. Its motto was 'Lead and Guide'. History Beginnings Prior to the modern military facility, the airfield was originally developed during the 1930s; consisting of grass runways on the site of Melbost Golf Links, cited to have been the first grass runways in Britain. Limited civilian flights started May 1940 on the Glasgow to Hebrides by Scottish Airways using a de Havilland Rapide, though with the start of Second World War, the Air Ministry acquired the site. RAF Stornoway started development by laying four new paved runways in an 'unusual layout' for RAF Coastal Command, completed by 1941. It was home to various Coastal Command squadrons patrolling the North Atlantic for U-boats. In late 1940, a detac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Hooton Park
Royal Air Force Hooton Park or more simply RAF Hooton Park, on the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire, is a former Royal Air Force station originally built for the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 as a training aerodrome for pilots in the First World War. During the early/mid-1930s, it was one of the two airfields (with Liverpool Speke) handling scheduled services for the Merseyside region. Hooton Park was home to No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron and, post Second World War, to No. 611 (West Lancashire) and No. 663 (AOP) Squadron. The airfield closed in 1957 after the disbandment of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, but the three pairs of Belfast Truss hangars erected in 1917 survived the closure. The site was bought by Vauxhall Motors, who built their Vauxhall Ellesmere Port plant there. This plant formerly produced the Vauxhall Astra, but Vauxhall owner Stellantis announced in 2024 that it would become the site for all Vauxhall van production in the UK. A small remaining section of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
