Royal Air Force Reykjavik or more simply RAF Reykjavik is a former

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

station, at Reykjavík Airport,

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

. It was constructed during the

allied occupation of Iceland The Occupation of Iceland during World War II began with a British invasion in order to occupy the island and deny it to Germany. The military operation, codenamed Operation Fork, was conducted by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The British ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, by the British Armed Forces.

History

After the invasion of Iceland, the construction of an airport was pertinent for military operations. The Vatnsmýri site was requisitioned and built up as an airport and base by the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

. Construction began in October 1940, initially operating with a grass surface. The

Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...

regiment along with a contingent of local Icelandic labourers built the first runway over sunken oil barrels. Part of the Skerjafjörður neighbourhood had to be demolished for the construction of the 13/31 runway. The

and the

used the airport from March 1941 and throughout the remainder of the

. Multiple aircraft hangars and

Nissen huts A Nissen hut is a prefabricated steel structure originally for military use, especially as barracks, made from a 210° portion of a cylindrical skin of corrugated iron. It was designed during the First World War by the Canadian-American-British e ...

were constructed by the British Army, many of which continue to be used into the 21st century. During the war, domestic and international civilian air traffic was very restricted. The airport was handed over to Icelandic authorities and became a civilian facility as Reykjavík Airport in 1946.

Squadrons

After the cessation of hostilities of the Second World War the British Government handed the airfield over to the Icelandic Civil Aviation Authority on 6 July 1946. It is now known as Reykjavik Airport.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* {{authority control Reykjavik Rey Airports in Iceland Southern Region (Iceland)