RNAS Eastleigh (HMS Raven) is a former Royal Naval Air Station located in Southampton, Hampshire, UK,
RNAS Eastleigh (HMS Raven) RAF Eastleigh RAF Southampton | |||||||||
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Southampton, Hampshire in England | |||||||||
Coordinates | 50°57′01″N 1°21′24″W / 50.95028°N 1.35667°W | ||||||||
Site information | |||||||||
Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||
Operator | Royal Navy Royal Air Force | ||||||||
Controlled by | Fleet Air Arm | ||||||||
Site history | |||||||||
Built | 1939 | ||||||||
In use | 1939 - 1947 | ||||||||
Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II | ||||||||
Airfield information | |||||||||
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The site was previously RAF Eastleigh and RAF Southampton.[1]
History
editThe following units were here at some point:[2]
- No. 7 Squadron RAF between 27 October and 19 November 1919 as a cadre before moving to Farnborough Airport[3]
- No. 28 Squadron RAF between 20 October 1919 and 20 January 1920 as a cadre before disbanding[4]
- No. 42 Squadron RAF as a detachment between March and September 1938 with Vildebeeste's[5]
- No. 45 Squadron RAF between 15 October and 31 December 1919 as a cadre before disbanding[5]
- No. 101 Squadron RAF between 11 October and 31 December 1919 as a cadre before disbanding[6]
- No. 201 Squadron RAF between 2 September and 31 December 1919 as a cadre before disbanding[7]
- No. 224 Squadron RAF between 17 January and 26 March 1938 with the Avro Anson I before moving to RAF Thornaby[8]
- No. 269 Squadron RAF between 17 January and 24 March 1939 with the Anson I before moving back to RAF Abbotsinch[9]
- Rota Experimental Flight between 20 April and 17 June 1939 when the unit moved to RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) with the Avro Rota[10]
- 716 Naval Air Squadron between 28 June 1944 and 1 September 1945 as the School of Safety Equipment with Sea Otter I's and the Vickers Wellington XI[11]
- 758 Naval Air Squadron between 1 July 1939 and 4 October 1940 as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training squadron with Shark II's and Osprey III's[12]
- 759 Naval Air Squadron between 26 May and 1 July 1939 as a Telegraphist Air Gunner Training squadron[12]
- 760 Naval Air Squadron between 1 April and 16 September 1940 as a Fleet Fighter Pool with Blackburn Skua II's, Blackburn Roc I's and a Gloster Sea Gladiator[13]
- 780 Naval Air Squadron between 2 October 1939 and 7 October 1940 as a Conversion Course Unit with Hawker Hart trainer's and other aircraft[14]
- 800 Naval Air Squadron between 29 February 1936 and 7 June 1938 as a Fleet Fighter squadron with Nimrod I's and Osprey's[15]
- 801 Naval Air Squadron between 23 November 1935 and 28 September 1936 as a Fleet Fighter squadron with Nimrod I's and Osprey's[16]
- 802 Naval Air Squadron between 5 May and 23 June 1937 as a Fleet Fighter squadron with Nimrod I's and Osprey's[17]
- 810 Naval Air Squadron between 29 March 1938 and 27 April 1939 as a Fleet Torpedo Bomber squadron with Fairey Swordfish I's[18]
- 811 Naval Air Squadron between 1 July and 12 August 1939 as a Fleet Torpedo Bomber squadron with Swordfish I's[19]
- 814 Naval Air Squadron formed here on 1 December 1938 and stayed until 2 June 1939, it was a Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance squadron with Swordfish I's[20]
- 816 Naval Air Squadron between 4 and 14 June 1941 with Swordfish I's[21]
- 820 Naval Air Squadron between 20 July 1936 and 27 April 1939 as a Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance squadron with Swordfish I's[22]
- 821 Naval Air Squadron between 27 October 1937 and 29 July 1939 as a Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance squadron with Swordfish I's[23]
- 822 Naval Air Squadron between 21 May 1936 and 23 January 1937 then again between 1 July and 12 August 1939 as a Spotter Reconnaissance squadron[24]
- 825 Naval Air Squadron on 17 January 1938[25]
- 829 Naval Air Squadron between 21 December 1941 and 30 January 1942 as a Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance squadron with Swordfish II's[26]
Current use
editThe site is now Southampton Airport.[2]
See also
editReferences
editCitations
edit- ^ "Eastleigh". Royal Navy Research Archive. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Eastleigh (Atlantic Park) (Southampton)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 26.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 34.
- ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 39.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 54.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 67.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 73.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 81.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 224.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 37.
- ^ a b Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 76.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 78.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 100.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 123.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 129.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 134.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 161.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 165.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 174.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 184.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 197.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 203.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 206.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 217.
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 232.
Bibliography
edit- Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Sturtivant, Ray; Ballance, Theo (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
- Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. Tonbridge, UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.