Main units (continued): -

No 1304 Wing RAF Regiment (1Oct – Dec 1945)

No 1305 Wing RAF Regiment (xxx xxxx - 13 Nov 1945)

No 2868 Sqn RAF Regiment (1 Dec 1945 – 15 Mar 1946 )

No 2726 Rifle Sqn (10 Dec 1945 – Jul 1946 )

No 2786 Sqn RAF Regiment (4 Jan – Dec 1946)

No 3 Base Recovery Unit (7 Oct 1946 – 15 Apr 1947)

No 1 Base Repair and Salvage Unit, (15 Apr – 1 Oct 1947)

Missing Research and Enquiry Unit, G Section (Sep 1947 – 30 Sep 1949)

Air Formation Signal Regiment (Royal Corps of Signals) (xxx 1947 - xxx 1952)

HQ, 85 Wing (1 Sep 1947 –  31 Oct 1948)

BAFO Command Training School for Clerks (1 Sep 1947 – 1 Sep 1948)

Command German Language School (1 Sep 1947 – 6 Apr 1950)

No 253 Dental Unit (Sep 1947 – 29 Apr 1950)

No 254 Dental Unit (Sep 1947 – 29 Apr 1950)

Mobile Dental Surgery (Sep 1947 – 29 Apr 1950)

No 317 Supply and Transport Column (Apr 1948 – Jun 1954)

BAFO Command Ground Combat Training School, (26 Aug 1948 – Jan 1950)

No 9 Mobile Parachute Servicing Unit (26 Oct 1948 – 5 Jan 1949)

HQ, No 85 Group (31 Oct 1948 - 30 Jun 1950)

No 84 Group Communication Flt (1 Nov 1948 - 1 Mar 1950)

No 9 Mobile Parachute Servicing Unit (1 Nov 1948 - 10 Jan 1949)

HQ, No 1 Wing  RAF Regiment (Nov 1948 – 28 Nov 1949)

No 51 Rifle Sqn RAF Regiment (1 Feb – 29 Nov 1949 )

No 57 Rifle Sqn RAF Regiment (24 Jan – 29 Nov 1949 )

No 60 Rifle Sqn RAF Regiment (Feb – 29 Nov 1949 )

No 1 Mobile Repair and Salvage Unit (26 Jul 1949 – 25 Mar 1950)

BABS Trainer and Link Trainer Servicing Section (25 Aug 1949 – xxx xxxx)

No 365 Signals Unit (1 Sep 1950 – 23 Feb 1953)

Motor Transport Repair Unit (Germany) (15 Feb 1951 – 7 Jan 1953)

HQ, No 2 Wing RAF Regiment (13 Aug 1951 – 21 Feb 1952)

 No 24 LAA Sqn RAF Regiment (3 Sep 1951 – 13^th Mar 1952)

No 25 LAA Sqn RAF Regiment (12 Sep 1951 – 22 Apr 1952)

No 5 (Signals) Wing (23 Feb 1953 – Jan 1954)

No 755 Signals Unit (23 Feb 1953 – 30 Jul 1955)

Location

Country: - Germany

Lat/Long:  53:41:24N  09:38:24E

Height Above Sea Level:  20 ft

Operational Control: -

Notes

Royal Air Force Station Uetersen   The station was given formal status as an RAF Station on 1 Oct 1947, despite having been occupied by the RAF since May 1945     This meant that it had its own station commander from the latter date,

28 Nov 1955   RAF Uetersen closed down and was taken over by the German civil authority   On 4 Apr 1956 the first units of the new Luftwaffe arrived at the station, and the Luftwaffe remains there to this day    The station is currently an NCO Training School with more than 1000 personnel based there.

Thanks to Peter Jackson for most of these details

Main units: -

No 8401 Air Disarmament Wing (13 May 1945 – Sep 1945)

No 2701 Sqn RAF Regiment (14 May – 17 Jul 1945)

HQ, No 5252 Airfield Construction Wing (Jun – Aug 1945)

No 6412 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon (5 Jun 1945 – 15 Mar 1946)

No 2876 LAA Sqn RAF Regiment (7 Jun – 15 Dec 1945

No 2876 LAA Sqn RAF Regiment (7 Jun – 3 Dec 1945)

HQ, No 126 Wing (4 Jul 1945 – 19 Mar 1946)

No 411 Sqn (4 Jul 1945 – 19 Mar 1946)

No 412 Sqn (4 Jul 1945 -  19 Mar 1946)

No 416 Sqn (4 Jul 1945 – 19 Mar 1946)

No 6416 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon (4 Jul 1945 – 15 Mar 1946)

No 443 Sqn (4 Jul 1945 – Mar 1946)

No 6443 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon (5 Jul 1945 – 15 Mar 1946)

No 6411 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon (5 Jul 1945 – 15 Mar 1946)

No 421 Sqn (8 Jul – 23 Jul 1945)

No 6421 (RCAF) Servicing Echelon (8 – 23 Jul 1945)

HQ, No 126 Wing (2 - 7 Jul 1945)

No 2734 Rifle Sqn RAF Regiment (3 – 4 Jul 1945 )

No 2881 AA Sqn (7 Jul – Sept 1945 )

No 410 Repair & Salvage Unit (10 Jul - 11 Aug 1945)

No 2817 AA Sqn RAF Regiment (xxx xxxx - 8 Dec 1945)

No 3 Forward Repair Unit (Sep 1945 – xxx xxxx)

Links to related sites/pages

Officers Commanding, Aerial photo on Google Maps,

Main units (continued): -

9 Sqn (1 - 30 Apr 1924)

3 Sqn (30 Apr 1924 - 10 May 1934)

17 Sqn (14 Oct 1926 - 10 May 1934)

Handling Flt (8 Dec 1938 - 8 Nov 1940)

No 7 Flying Instructors School (1 Apr 1942 - 2 May 1946)

No 1537 Beam Approach Training Flt (4 May 1943 - May 1946)

Transport Command Communication Flt (May 1946 - xxx 1959/1961)

No 38 Group Communication Flt (31 May 1946 - 1 Feb 1951, 1 Jan - 17 May 1960)

Sub-site, No 248 Maintenance Unit (1 Nov 1951 - 1 Oct 1957)

HQ, Transport Command (21 Apr 1952 - 1 Aug 1967)

No 1310 (Transport) Flt (31 Mar - May 1953)

230 Sqn (30 Apr 1959 - 30 May 1960)

No 14 Joint Trials Unit (2 Nov 1959 - xxx xxxx)

No 15 Joint Trials Unit (1 Dec 1959 - 22 Aug 1961)

Transport Command Communication Sqn (xxx 1959/1961 - 1 Apr 1964)

No 17 Joint Trials Unit (1 Oct 1960 - xxx 1964)

HQ, No 38 Group (1 Jan - 17 May 1960, 10 Nov 1975 - 17 Nov 1983)

HQ Air Support Command (1 Aug 1967 - 1 Sep 1972)

HQ, No 46 Group (1 Sep 1972 - 1 Jan 1976)

No 46 Group Air Transport Examining Unit (31 Oct 1973 - 10 Nov 1975)

No 38 Group Air Transport Examining Unit (10 Nov 1975 - xxx 1976)

No 38 Group Examining Unit (xxx 1976 - xxx xxxx)

No 38 Group Standardisation Unit (Apr - Sep 1976)

No 622 (Volunteer) Gliding School (Nov 1978 - xxx xxxx)

HQ, No 1 Group (17 Nov 1983 - 30 Jul 1993)

Location

County: - Wiltshire

Lat/Long:  51:17:23N  01:46:00W

Grid Ref:   SU152542

Height above sea level: 570 ft

Operational Control: -

Opened - May 1912

No 23 Group (1944)

Closed -

Notes

One the earlier military airfields in Britain

Main units: -

Central Flying School (13 May 1912 - 23 Dec 1919, 26 Apr 1920 - 7 Oct 1926, 2 Sep 1935 - 1 Apr 1942)

Experimental Flt (14 Dec 1914 - Sep 1916)

Testing Sqn (Sep 1916 - 16 Jan 1917)

72 Sqn (28 Jun - 8 Jul 1917)

73 Sqn (2 - 10 Jul 1917)

85 Sqn (1 - 10 Aug 1917)

87 Sqn (1 - 15 Sep 1917)

Flying Officers School (14 Aug - 10 Sep 1919)

Flying Instructors School (23 Dec 1919 - 26 Apr 1920)

Detachments**

Western Communication Sqn (1 Aug 1967 - 3 Feb 1969)

Links to related sites/pages

Aerial photo on Google Maps,  FAA Archive Website,  Officers Commanding,

Main units (continued): -

57 Sqn (5 Sep 1932 - 24 Sep 1939)

33 Sqn (27 Nov 1934 - 4 Oct 1935)

58 Sqn (13 Jan - 3 Sep 1936)

215 Sqn (14 Jan - 3 Sep 1936)

218 Sqn (16 Mar 1936 - 22 Apr 1938)

108 Sqn (4 Jan - 18 Feb 1937)

226 Sqn (15 Mar - 16 Apr 1937)

105 Sqn (12 - 26 Apr 1937)

113 Sqn (18 May - 31 Aug 1937)

233 Sqn (18 May - 9 Jul 1937)

Long Range Development Unit (1 Jan - Dec 1938)

34 Sqn (12 Jul 1938 - 2 Mar 1939)

HQ, No 70 Wing (1 - 22 Sep 1939)

7 Sqn (23 Sep 1939 - 8 Apr 1940)

76 Sqn (23 Sep 1939 - 8 Apr 1940)

No 5 Group Pool (23 Sep 1939 - 8 Apr 1940)

Experimental Section, Navigation Synthetic Training Development Unit (xxx xxxx - Nov 1945)

No 16 OTU (8 Apr 1940 - 1 Mar 1946)

No 738 (Ground Defence) Sqn (19 Dec 1941 - 1 Feb 1942)

No 2738 Sqn RAF Regiment (1 Feb - xxx 1942)

'A' Flt, 109 Sqn (19 Jan 1942 - Aug 1942)

1473 Flt (10 Jul - 1 Dec 1942)

1505 Beam Approach Training Flt (17 Dec 1942 - 3 Feb 1943)

No 1655 Mosquito Training Unit (30 - 31 Dec 1944)

No 1 Parachute Training School (28 Mar 1946 - 3 Dec 1947)

No 1 Parachute and Glider training School (3 Dec 1947 - 10 Jun 1950)

7509 Air Base Sqn (1 Jun 1951 - 10 Jan 1952)

3918 Air Base Group (10 Jan 1952 - 31Mar 1965)

Various detachments and rotations of USAF KB-29s, B-29s, B-50s, B-47s, RB-47s, RB-36s

7514 Combat Support Group (31 Mar 1965 - 1 Sep 1966)

66 Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (1 Sep 1966 - 1 Apr 1970)

20 Tactical Fighter Wing (12 Sep 1970 - xxx xxxx)

Location

County: - Wiltshire

Lat/Long:  51:56:00N  01:15:15W

Grid Ref:   SP515268

Height above sea level:   420ft

Operational Control: -

Opened - 1917

Closed - 1920

Reopened - 12 Oct 1927

No 3 Group (xxx xxxx - 15 May 1951)

SAC (15 May 1951 - 31 Mar 1965)

USAFE (31 Mar 1965 -

Closed - xxx xxxx

Notes

Main units: -

157 Sqn (14 Jul 1918 - 1 Feb 1919)

158 Sqn (14 Jul 1918 - 1 Feb 1919)

89 Sqn (17 - 29 Jul 1918)

94 Sqn (19 Aug - 31 Oct 1918)

122 Sqn (29 Oct - 20 Nov 1918)

123 Sqn (20 Nov 1918 - 31 Mar 1919)

81 Sqn (1 Sqn CAF) (25 Nov 1918 - 2 May 1919)

Oxford University Air Sqn (11 Oct 1925 - 3 Nov 1932)

10 Sqn (3 Jan 1928 - 1 Apr 1931)

99 Sqn (5 Jan 1928 - 15 Nov 1934)

40 Sqn (1 Apr 1931 - 8 Oct 1932)

18 Sqn (20 Oct 1931 - 7 Jan 1936, 7 Sep 1936 - 24 Sep 1939)

Links to related sites/pages

Subterranea Britannica website, Officers Commanding, Aerial photo on Google Maps,  Control Towers website,

For most of its life RAF Upper Heyford was home to units of the USAF and mainly the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing.  However, up until 1950 it was a used by the RFC and RAF from as early as  1918, having been laid out in 1916.  Its first occupants were Canadians in the form of No 123  Squadron (later No 2 Squadron, Canadian Air Force) and later No 81 Squadron ( No 1 Sqn, CAF) and following their departure in 1919, the station closed in 1920.

Selected as a post-war airfield in 1924, it re-opened in October 1927 and No’s 99 and 10 Squadrons moved in in 1928. In April 1931, No 40 Squadron formed here and No 10 moved out to Boscombe Down.  No 18 Squadron reformed with Harts in October 1931 and No 57 Squadron arrived, also with Harts in September 1932.  99 Squadron re-equipped with Heyfords in November 1933 and a year later moved to Mildenhall, making room for the Harts of No 33 Squadron.  During the Abyssinia crisis of 1936 No 18 and 33 Squadrons moved out to be replaced by Virginias of No’s 58 and 215 Squadrons.

Prior to the outbreak of war, more squadrons formed and by September 1939 it housed the Blenheims of No’s 18 and 57 Squadrons and was part of Bomber Command’s No 2 Group.  However, on the outbreak of war the two squadrons proceeded to France and Upper Heyford was transferred to No 6 Group and No’s 7 and 76 Squadron arrived to become No 5 Group Pool, to train crews on the Hampden.  No 5 Group Pool became No 16 Operational Training Unit on 22 April 1940 and continued to train crews for Bomber Command at Upper Heyford until March 1946, when it moved to Cottesmore.  The OTU converted to Wellingtons in May 1942 and to Mosquitoes in 1944.  After the departure of No 16 OTU, its place was taken by the Parachute Training School which remained until 1950 when it moved out to Abingdon.  It was then handed over to the USAF.

Main units (continued): -

36 Sqn (

43 Sqn (

64 Sqn (

103 Sqn (

607 Sqn (

664 Sqn (

36 Sqn ( ) (Hylton)

No 21 Initial Training Wing (15 Sep - 6 Nov 1943)

No 20 Initial Training Wing (6 Nov 1943 - 21 Apr 1944)

No 60 Initial Training Wing (26 Feb 1944 - 31 Mar 1945)

Air Crew Disposal Unit (23 Jun - 22 Sep 1944)

Sub-site, No 14 Maintenance Unit (1 Dec 1944 - 30 Sep 1948)

No 2 Basic Air Navigation School (18 Apr 1951 - 20 Apr 1953)

No 1965 Reserve AOP Flt (14 Feb 1954 - 10 Mar 1957)

No 641 Volunteer Gliding School (1 Sep 1955 - xxx xxxx)

Durham University Air Sqn (2 May1949 - 15 Oct 1957)

Location

County: - County Durham

Lat/Long:   54:55:15N  01:28:00W

Grid Ref -  NZ340585

Height Above Sea Level - 120 ft

Operational Control: -

Opened - 1916

No 56 Wing (1944)

Closed -

Notes

It is now the Nissan UK car factory.

Main units: -

No 1 Group Practice Flt (Jul 1937 - xxx xxxx)

'G' Flt, No 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit  (1 - 15 May 1939)

No 62 Operational Training Unit (1 Jun 1942 - 15 Jul 1943)

Detachments

No 7 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit (4 Oct 1940 - xxx xxxx)

Glider Exercise Unit (10 - 12 Oct 1941)

Links to related sites/pages

Aerial photo on Google Maps,  Battle of Britain Anniversary website,  Officers Commanding,

Main units (continued): -

HQ, Southern Area (20 Sep 1919 - 1 Apr 1920)

39 Sqn (20 Dec 1919 - 12 Apr 1920)

3 Sqn (27 Oct 1919 - 21 Jan 1920)

207 Sqn (16 - 20 Jan 1920)

HQ, Inland Area (1 Apr 1920 - 1 Jun 1926)

RAF Hospital

HQ, Air Defence of Great Britain (1 Jun 1926 - 13 Jul 1936)

HQ Fighting Area (7 Jul 1926 - 1 May 1936)

No 1 RAF Depot

HQ, Bomber Command (14 Jul 1936 - 13 Mar 1940)

HQ, No 11 Group (1 May 1936 - xxx 1955)

No 1 Personnel Transit Centre (23 Aug - 6 Sep 1939)

No 8 Aviation Candidates Selection Board (3 Sep 1939 - 4 May 1941)

No 1 Aviation Candidates Selection Board (4 Sep 1939 - 4 May 1941)

No 2 Aviation Candidates Selection Board (4 Sep 1939 - 2 Feb 1941)

HQ, No 256 Wing (23 - 28 Apr 1940)

HQ, 2 Tactical Air Force (1 Feb - 20 Aug 1944)

HQ, No 28 Group (24 Feb 1949 - 6 Mar 1950)

No 6 Trials Unit (15 Jul 1954 5 Jan 1955)

No 28 Trials Unit (21 Apr 1975 - xxx 1976)

No 63 Sqn RAF Regiment (Queen's Colour Sqn)

Location

County: - Middlesex

Lat/Long:  51:32:31N  00:28:16W

Operational Control: -

Personnel & Training Command (2006)

Air Command

Notes

Main units: -

RAF Depot (Oct 1918 -

HQ, No 2 Group (7 Jul 1919 - 31 Mar 1920)

1 Sqn (19 Sep 1919 - 21 Jan 1920)

24 Sqn (19 Sep 1919 - 1 Feb 1920)

4 Sqn (20 Sep 1919 - 30 Apr 1920)

Links to related sites/pages

Subterranea Britannica website, Commanding Officers, Aerial photo on Google Maps,

RAF Uxbridge occupies the estate of Hillingdon House, which originated in 1717, the house being bought by the government in 1915, following the death of its owner.  Until the end of 1917, it was used as a convalescence home for Canadian troops, but in December they were moved out and the RFC Armament School moved in.  It became the RAF Armament School on 1 April 1918 and RAF Uxbridge was born.  The Armament School was disbanded by September 1919 and in its place came the School of Music, followed by the RAF Depot from Halton.  A Recruits Training Depot was formed, making Uxbridge the main recruit training centre in the RAF.  Hillingdon House soon began to house headquarters unit, the first being Southern Area, followed by Inland Area (1920), Air Defence of Great Britain (1925), Fighting Area (1925) and No 11 (Fighter) Group in 1936.  As a result it from Uxbridge that the co-ordination of the main part of Britain’s defence was conducted during the Battle of Britain. 

During World War Two, Uxbridge continued to host HQ No 11 Group and was also home to many administrative units including Personnel Transit Centres, Medical Boards, Aviation Candidates Selection Boards as well as continuing its recruit training role.  After the war it became home to London Area Control Centre, which was renamed London Air Traffic Control Centre in 1948 and Uxbridge Air Traffic Control Centre in 1957.

Uxbridge has been home to many units for varying period of time, including the School of Education, Ground Officers’ Selection Centre, HQ Military Air Traffic Organisation and the Queen’s Colour Squadron of the RAF Regiment, which is still based there to the present day.