RAF Peterhead
Longside, Aberdeenshire in Scotland
RAF Peterhead is located in Aberdeenshire
RAF Peterhead
RAF Peterhead
Shown within Aberdeenshire
RAF Peterhead is located in the United Kingdom
RAF Peterhead
RAF Peterhead
RAF Peterhead (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates57°31′01″N 1°52′30″W / 57.517°N 1.875°W / 57.517; -1.875
TypeSector Station
CodePH[1]
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command
Site history
Built1941 (1941)
In useJuly 1941 – August 1945
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation46 metres (151 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
10/28 1,200 metres (3,937 ft) Tarmac
04/22 1,300 metres (4,265 ft) Tarmac
16/34 1,100 metres (3,609 ft) Tarmac

Royal Air Force Peterhead or more simply RAF Peterhead is a former Royal Air Force sector station located 2.4 miles (3.9 km) east of Longside, Aberdeenshire and 3.4 miles (5.5 km) west of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

History

The airfield was built in 1941 and disbanded in 1945. During this period there were up to 2,000 RAF personnel based there, including around 250 WAAFs. A large number of RAF squadrons from a variety of nations used RAF Peterhead's five accommodation camps.[2]

In November 1941 the station was hit by two bombs from a Junkers Ju 88 bomber, killing one person and injuring three others. Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire and North American Mustang aircraft flew from Longside airfield to provide protection for eastern convoys.[2]

During the 1990s, the airfield site was inspected and aerial photographs were taken as part of an assessment for a proposed pipeline running between St Fergus and Peterhead Power Station. These reports and photographs showed that pillboxes and many buildings still survived, although most of the land had by then returned to agricultural use. The control tower had been demolished.[3] In November 2004, further investigation was undertaken. The report compared photographs from 1946, which showed the airfield and all its ancillary buildings, with photographs taken in June 1969. By then the hangars had been removed but many other buildings and pillboxes still survived.[3]

Squadrons

Other units

Current use

The north-eastern section of the airfield has been taken over by Bond Helicopters and Bristows as a refuelling point for helicopters servicing North Sea oil platforms, roughly a 45-minute flight.[2][30]

In 2003, after funds were successfully raised by the local branch of the Longside British Legion, a cairn monument was erected in memory of those who had served at RAF Peterhead, Longside airfield. At the time of the unveiling ceremony of the monument on 14 September 2003, there was a flypast from a Douglas Dakota of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.[31]

More recently a stretch of the runway is used for flying radio controlled model aircraft.[2]

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b Falconer 2012, p. 160.
  2. ^ a b c d "RAF Peterhead". Secret Scotland. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Peterhead Airfield". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  4. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 30.
  5. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 33.
  6. ^ a b Jefford 2001, p. 45.
  7. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 46.
  8. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 57.
  9. ^ a b Jefford 2001, p. 58.
  10. ^ a b Jefford 2001, p. 59.
  11. ^ a b c Jefford 2001, p. 64.
  12. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 75.
  13. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 77.
  14. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 82.
  15. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 83.
  16. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 85.
  17. ^ a b c Jefford 2001, p. 86.
  18. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 88.
  19. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 89.
  20. ^ a b c d Jefford 2001, p. 90.
  21. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 91.
  22. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 93.
  23. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 95.
  24. ^ a b c Jefford 2001, p. 98.
  25. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 100.
  26. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 150.
  27. ^ a b c d "Peterhead (Landplane)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  28. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 134.
  29. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 136.
  30. ^ "Energy archive" (PDF). Aberdeen University. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  31. ^ Wilson, Terry. "Longside Cairn". The Royal Air Force Boy Entrants Association. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2013.

Bibliography

External links

Royal Air Force
Categories