Royal Air Force Roboroughor more simplyRAF Roboroughwas aRoyal Air ForcestationinRoboroughlocated 3.8 miles (6.1 km) north ofPlymouth,Devonwhich usedPlymouth City Airportas their base.
RAF Roborough  | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roborough,Devonin England | |||||||||||
  RAF Roborough Shown within Devon | |||||||||||
| Coordinates | 50°25′20″N004°06′32″W/ 50.42222°N 4.10889°W | ||||||||||
| Type | Royal Air Force station | ||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||
| Owner | Admiralty Air Ministry | ||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Navy Royal Air Force | ||||||||||
| Controlled by | Fleet Air Arm RAF Fighter Command1940-41 | ||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||
| Built | 1931 | ||||||||||
| In use | July 1931 - 1950 | ||||||||||
| Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II | ||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||
| Elevation | 149 metres (489 ft)[1]AMSL | ||||||||||
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History
editRAF Roborough began when theAir Ministrystarted to usePlymouth City Airportfor exercises between the RAF,Royal Navyand theBritish Army.The Royal Navy started to use the airport in the late 1930s and was renamedRNAS Roboroughhowever on 1 May 1942 the site was taken over by theAir Ministryfor Royal Air Force use primarily forRAF Coastal Command.[2]
RNAS Roborough
editThe Admiralty used the airfield for various duties also the airfield played an important role during theBattle of Britaincoming under partial control of theNo. 10 Group RAFheadquarters atRAF Boxand hadRAF Middle Wallopas their sector station. The first squadron to use the airfield wasNo. 247 Squadron RAFbetween 1 August 1940 and 10 February 1941 flying theGloster GladiatorII before moving toRAF St Evalon 10 February 1941 however after seven days the squadron moved back to Roborough flying theHawker HurricaneI before moving out for the last time on 10 May 1941 when the squadron went toRAF Portreath.[3]
- Air Sea Rescue Flight RAF, Roborough (1941)[4]
RAF Roborough
editIn 1942 the site was taken over by the Royal Air Force for Coastal Command Duties withNo. 691 Squadron RAFforming at the airfield on 1 December 1943 flying Hurricane I's,Boulton Paul DefiantI's,Airspeed OxfordI's andFairey BarracudaII's before leaving on 21 February 1945 moving toRAF Harrowbeer.[5]
Units
editThe following squasron were here at some point:[6]
The following units were also here at some point:[6]
Later use
editIn the 1950s the Royal Air Force left and the site became Plymouth City Airport, which in turn was shutdown for good in 2011.[7]
See also
editReferences
editCitations
edit- ^Falconer 1998,p. 77.
- ^Moseley, Brian (April 2014)."Airport".The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History.Plymouth Data. Archived fromthe originalon 13 May 2014.Retrieved13 February2015.
- ^Halley 1988,p. 316.
- ^Lake 1999,p. 22.
- ^Halley 1988,p. 457.
- ^ab"Roborough (Plymouth) (Plymouth City)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved25 April2022.
- ^Moseley, Brian (August 2011)."Royal Air Force Roborough".The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History.Plymouth Data. Archived fromthe originalon 8 March 2013.Retrieved13 February2015.
Bibliography
edit- Falconer, J (1998).RAF Fighter Airfields of World War 2.UK: Ian Allan Publishing.ISBN0-7110-2175-9.
- Halley, James J.The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1981-1988.Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988.ISBN0-85130-164-9.
- Lake, A (1999).Flying units of the RAF.Shrewsbury:Airlife.ISBN1-84037-086-6.