RAF Turnhouse
RAF Turnhouse | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh in Scotland | |||||||||||
  RAF Turnhouse Shown within  RAF Turnhouse RAF Turnhouse (the United Kingdom) | |||||||||||
| Coordinates | 55°57′00″N 003°22′21″W / 55.95000°N 3.37250°W | ||||||||||
| Type | Sector Station | ||||||||||
| Code | TS[1] | ||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||||
| Controlled by | RAF Fighter Command | ||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||
| Built | 1915 & 1939 | ||||||||||
| In use | 1915-1996 | ||||||||||
| Battles/wars | First World War European theatre of World War II Cold War | ||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||
| Elevation | 30 metres (98 ft)[1] AMSL | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Royal Air Force Turnhouse, or more simply RAF Turnhouse, is a former Royal Air Force Sector Station located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is now Edinburgh Airport.
History[edit]
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A landing ground was first established at Turnhouse in 1915. The airfield was greatly expanded in the 1930s, with three concrete runways being laid in 1939/40.[3] RAF Turnhouse closed in 1996 and its remaining facilities were acquired by Edinburgh Airport. The following units were located at Turnhouse at various times:[4]
- First World War
- No. 26 Reserve Squadron
- No. 26 Training Squadron
- No. 73 Training Squadron
- No. 84 (Canadian) Reserve Squadron
- No. 89 (Canadian) Reserve Squadron
- Squadrons
- No. 3 Squadron RAF
- No. 44 Squadron RAF
- No. 63 Squadron RAF
- No. 64 Squadron RAF
- No. 65 Squadron RAF
- No. 77 Squadron RAF
- No. 81 Squadron RAF
- No. 83 Squadron RAF
- No. 104 Squadron RAF
- No. 122 Squadron RAF
- No. 123 Squadron RAF
- No. 141 Squadron RAF
- No. 151 Squadron RAF
- No. 164 Squadron RAF
- No. 165 Squadron RAF
- No. 197 Squadron RAF
- No. 207 Squadron RAF
- No. 232 Squadron RAF
- No. 241 Squadron RAF
- No. 242 Squadron RAF
- No. 243 Squadron RAF
- No. 245 Squadron RAF
- No. 253 Squadron RAF
- No. 263 Squadron RAF
- No. 268 Squadron RAF
- No. 289 Squadron RAF
- No. 290 Squadron RAF
- No. 303 Squadron RAF
- No. 309 Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron
- No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF
- No. 329 (Free French) Squadron RAF
- No. 340 (Free French) Squadron RAF
- No. 341 (G.C.III/2 'Alsace') Squadron RAF
- No. 598 Squadron RAF
- No. 603 Squadron RAF
- No. 607 Squadron RAF
- No. 666 Squadron RAF
- 801 Naval Air Squadron
- 807 Naval Air Squadron
- 808 Naval Air Squadron
- 848 Naval Air Squadron
- 882 Naval Air Squadron
- 884 Naval Air Squadron
- 886 Naval Air Squadron
- 895 Naval Air Squadron
- Units
- No. 4 Aircraft Delivery Flight RAF (January 1942 – July 1943[5]
- No. 6 Gliding School RAF (January 1946 – May 1951)[6]
- Detachment of No. 7 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF (March – April 1941)[7]
- No. 12 Air Experience Flight RAF
- No. 13 Group Anti-Aircraft Cooperation Flight RAF (May – August 1941)[8]
- No. 17 Group Communication Flight RAF (January 1942 – September 1945)[9]
- No. 18 Group Communication Flight RAF (November 1959 – May 1960 & October 1964)[9]
- No. 59 Operational Training Unit RAF (December 1940 – February 1941)[10]
- No. 66 Group Communication Flight RAF (September 1946 – October 1952)[11]
- No. 66 (Scottish Reserve) Group RAF (August 1946 – August 1950) became No. 66 (Scottish) Group RAF (August 1950 – November 1954)[12]
- No. 71 (Signals) Wing Calibration Flight RAF
- No. 72 (Signals) Wing Calibration Flight RAF
- No. 88 Group Communication Squadron RAF (May – June 1945)[11]
- No. 129 (RAF) Wing RAF (May 1945)[13]
- No. 130 Wing RAF (May – June 1945)[13]
- No. 132 (Norwegian) (Fighter) Wing RAF (May – June 1945)[14]
- No. 661 Volunteer Gliding School RAF (January 1958 – January 1964)[15]
- No. 1353 (Anti-Aircraft Cooperation) Flight RAF (February – June 1946)[16]
- No. 1968 Reserve Air Observation Post Flight RAF
- No. 2753 Squadron RAF Regiment[4]
- No. 2770 Squadron RAF Regiment[4]
- No. 3508 Servicing Unit RAF (December 1943 – March 1945)[17]
- Aircraft Flight of Caledonian Sector HQ RAF (October 1951 – November 1957)[18]
- Edinburgh University Air Squadron (January 1941 – December 1945 & October 1946 – January 1969) became East Lowlands University Air Squadron (January 1969 – February 1996)[19]
- Fighter Flight, Shetlands RAF (December 1939)[20]
- Midlothian Sector HQ RAF (1945 – April 1946)[21]
- Detachment of Northern Communication Squadron RAF[22]
- Scottish Sector HQ RAF (November 1949 – May 1950)[23]
- Detachment of S.C.R.584 Training Unit RAF (May 1945)[23]
- No. 24 Group HQ (99 Post) Royal Observer Corps
Current use[edit]
The site is now used by Edinburgh Airport.[4]
References[edit]
Citations[edit]
- ^ a b Falconer 2012, p. 198.
- ^ Laming, Tim (2000). UK airports and airfields: a spotter's guide. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publications. p. 78. ISBN 1853109789.
- ^ Smith, David John (1989). Action stations. 7: Military airfields of Scotland, the North-East and Northern Ireland / David John Smith [Bearb.] (2. ed.). Cambridge: Stephens. p. 211. ISBN 1852603097.
- ^ a b c d "Turnhouse (Edinburgh)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 49.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 163.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 71.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 179.
- ^ a b Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 182.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 242.
- ^ a b Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 184.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 175.
- ^ a b Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 322.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 323.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 169.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 129.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 271.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 86.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 307.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 120.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 226.
- ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 228.
- ^ a b Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 270.
Bibliography[edit]
- Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
- Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.
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