| RAF Grangemouth | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: none – ICAO: X6GM[1] | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||
| Location | Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 16 ft / 5 m | ||
| Coordinates | |||
| Map | |||
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RAF Grangemouth
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| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| Tarmac | |||
| Tarmac | |||
Contents |
RAF Grangemouth was a RAF base 3 mi (4.8 km) north east of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland. It was opened as the Central Scotland Airport in May 1939[2] and operated as a civilian air navigation school until September 1939.
From September 1939 - March 1941 it was used by 602 Squadron flying Spitfires, 141 Squadron flying Blenheims & Gladiators and 263 Squadron flying Lysanders. In the December of 1940 it was used by No. 58 Operational Training Unit (later renamed No. 2 Tactical Exercise Unit).
The tower was of a pre-war civilian type. There were 10 Hangars, 2 were of a civil type & the other 8 were of the Blister type.
In an attempt to reduce the number of crashes caused by over-shooting, the east/west runway was extended by about 300 yds in the summer of 1942.
After the war, it was used as a gliding school and by No. 13 Refresher Flying School, then by RAF Maintenance Command until closure in 1955. Unfortunately at 0200 one Sunday in 1952 a fire started & some of the buildings were destroyed.
Today the site is now part of Grangemouth oil refinery, and a housing estate. The shorter runway is now Inchyra Road, Grangemouth.
Some of the hangars still remain intact at Latitude, Longitude 56.013348N, 3.707562W.[3]
In 2008 a memorial garden was unveiled, to commorate those who died, planted on ground granted for the purpose and located on the perimeter of the original airfield. Within the garden, a wall features the names of each of the Polish fighter pilots who died at Grangemouth.
The memorial remembers the contribution of hundreds of Polish pilots who developed their skills at the airfield as members of No. 58 Operational Training Unit during World War II.
| Unit | From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 35 Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School | 1 May 1939 | Sep 1939 | Hawker Hart de Havilland Tiger Moth |
? ? |
| No. 10 Air Observer & Navigation School | 1 May 1939 | Sep 1939 | Avro Anson | ? |
| No. 602 Squadron RAF | 07 Oct 1939 | 13 Oct 1939 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk. I |
| No. 141 Squadron RAF | 19 Oct 1939 | 28 June 1940 | Bristol Blenheim Gloster Gladiators |
|
| No. 263 Squadron RAF | 28 June 1940 | 02 Sep 1940 | Hawker Hurricane | FB. VI |
| No. 614 Squadron RAF | 08 Jun 1940 | 05 Mar 1941 | Westland Lysander | Mk. II |
1 November 1939 - 14 July 1940[4]. Further History Unknown at this time.
No. 58 Operational Training Unit was planned to form at RAF Grangemouth in October 1940 within No. 10 Group to train night fighter crews. This was changed in early December when it actually formed as a day fighter pilot training unit, using Spitfires and Masters. It was transferred to No. 81 Group at the end of December 1940 and disbanded in early October 1943 when it was redesignated No. 2 Combat Training Wing (changed again to No. 2 Tactical Exercise Unit at a later date).
In the event of a German invasion the OTU would have become No. 558 Squadron (and later also as No. 563 Squadron) to operate from RAF Turnhouse.
The unit reformed on 15 March 1945, at RAF Poulton in No. 12 Group, as half an Operational Training Unit equipped with Spitfires from the day fighter element of No. 41 Operational Training Unit until it was disbanded on 20 July 1945.
Codes used: -
Commanding Officer Squadron Leader Eric Valentine Hulbert appointed 16 April 1943.
See No. 58 Operational Training Unit Above.
See No. 58 Operational Training Unit Above.
History unknown at this time.