RAF Castletown

Royal Air Force Castletown
Active 28 May 1940 – June 1945
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Type Flying station
Role Defence of Scapa Flow
Air-sea rescue
Part of No. 13 Group RAF
Garrison/HQ Castletown, Caithness, Scotland
Royal Air Force Ensign
Engagements Battle of Britain

RAF Castletown was a Royal Air Force flying station that operated during World War II. Built near to Castletown in Caithness, Scotland the station opened in 1940 and closed in 1945. Initially built to provide a base for fighter cover for the Royal Navy base at Scapa Flow, it later became an air-sea rescue base as well, before closing just after the end of the war in Europe.

Contents

Air defence of Scapa Flow in 1939

At the outbreak of war, the only base available for local air defence of the hugely important Royal navy base at Scapa Flow was the naval airfield, RNAS Hatston. Hatston had no permanent aircraft allocation and was used by the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) squadrons from the Home fleet aircraft carriers when they were at Scapa Flow.[1] There were no RAF stations nearby and the Air Ministry took immediate steps to remedy this by requisitioning Wick Airport which became RAF Wick and by the end of September 1939 Skua aircraft of 803 Squadron FAA were patrolling over Scapa. At the same time a site was sought for a second airfield. A site was chosen at Thurdistoft near Castletown and work began immediately on the construction of a new station, RAF Castletown.[2]

Operational history

Casteltown officially opened on 28 May 1940[2] as a satellite of RAF Wick.[3] Wick was then a station in 18 Group, Coastal Command[1] though also serving as a sector headquarters for 13 Group in Fighter Command. On 7 June 1940, Castletown ceased to be a satellite of Wick and became an operational station of 13 Group. The first aircraft, Hurricanes of 504 Squadron, arrived on 9 June 1940. Throughout the Battle of Britain Castletown provided air cover for Scapa with 504 Squadron being replaced by 3 Squadron and later 232 Squadron.[4]

After the Battle of Britain, the threat of invasion receded but attacks on Scapa continued. In 1941 124 Squadron was formed at Castletown to provide convoy and coastal patrols.[5] This activity continued until 1944 when the last squadron (by coincidence 504 Squadron) left and the station began to be wound down. The last known aircraft to visit the station was a Sikorsky Hoverfly helicopter of 771 Squadron FAA in March 1945[6] and the station closed soon after[6].

As fighter activity decreased Castletown became a base for air-sea rescue duties with 282 Squadron being raised specifically for this purpose at Castletown in 1943.[7] 282 Squadron was replaced by 278 Squadron in 1944.

Ground defence of the station was initially provided by army units but from 1942 onwards 2816 Squadron RAF Regiment fulfilled these duties.[8]

Squadrons based at station

Sortable table
Squadron Duties Arrived Departed
3 Fighter 01940-10-1313 October 1940 01941-01-066 January 1941
17 Fighter 01941-04-055 April 1941 01941-06-1515 June 1941
54 Fighter 01941-11-1717 November 1941 01942-06-011 June 1942
66 Fighter 01944-05-088 May 1944 01944-05-1313 May 1944
118 Fighter 01943-10-1919 October 1943 01944-01-1919 January 1944
123 Fighter 01941-09-2222 September 1941 01942-04-1111 April 1942
131 Fighter 01943-01-2222 January 1943 01943-06-2525 June 1943
132 Fighter 01944-01-011 January 1944 01944-03-1919 March 1944
167 Fighter 01942-06-011 June 1942 01942-10-1313 October 1942
213 Fighter 01941-02-1818 February 1941 01941-05-1111 May 1941
232 Fighter 01940-09-1818 September 1940 01940-10-1212 October 1940
260 Fighter 01941-01-077 January 1941 01941-02-1010 February 1941
278 Air-sea rescue 01944-02-011 February 1944 01944-04-011 April 1944
282 Air-sea rescue 01943-09-011 September 1943 01943-11-2222 November 1943
310 Fighter 01943-06-2626 June 1943 01943-09-2020 September 1943
331 Fighter 01941-08-2121 August 1941 01941-09-2121 September 1941
401 (RCAF) Fighter 01940-12-1212 December 1940 01941-02-011 February 1941
404 (RCAF) Coastal patrol 01941-06-2020 June 1941 01941-07-2727 July 1941
504 Fighter 01940-06-099 June 1940 01940-09-011 September 1940
504 Fighter 01943-09-1919 September 1943 01943-10-1818 October 1943
504 Fighter 01944-03-1010 March 1944 01944-07-1010 July 1944
610 Fighter 01942-10-1515 October 1942 01943-01-1919 January 1943
607 Fighter 01941-07-2727 July 1941 01941-08-2020 August 1941
808 (FAA) Fighter 01940-09-055 September 1940 01940-10-011 October 1940

References

  1. ^ a b Myers, P. "Air Operations RAF Wick". Caithness.org. http://www.caithness.org/history/articles/airoperationsrafwickpart1/airoperationsrafwickpartone.htm. Retrieved 17 March 2010. 
  2. ^ a b Castletown Recalls p. 3.
  3. ^ Gutteridge, Andrew (2002). "WW2 Defences in Caithness Part 2, Air Defences". Caithness Field Club Bulletin. http://www.caithness.org/caithnessfieldclub/bulletins/2002/ww2_defences_in_caithness.htm. Retrieved 19 March 2010. 
  4. ^ Wood, Derek & Dempster, Derek (1967) [1961]. The Narrow Margin: The Battle of Briatin and the rise of air power 1930–1940 (2nd ed.). London: Arrow Books. ISBN 978-0090021604. 
  5. ^ "History of No. 124 Squadron". Royal Air Force. http://www.raf.mod.uk/history_old/h124.html. Retrieved 19 March 2010. 
  6. ^ a b Castletown Recalls p. 11.
  7. ^ "282 Squadron". Royal Air Force. http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/282squadron.cfm. Retrieved 19 March 2010. 
  8. ^ Castletown Recalls p. 13.

Bibliography