Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
[No 9 Group | No 10 Group | No 11 Group | No 12 Group | No 13 Group | No 14 Group | No 60 Group | No 81 Group]
Command HQ - Bentley Priory, Stanmore, Middlesex
HQ - Barton Hall, Preston, Lancashire
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Baginton | Baginton, Coventry, Warwickshire | |
No 605 Sqn | RAF Baginton | Hurricanes |
No 457 Sqn RAAF | RAF Baginton | Spitfires |
RAF Station Cranage | Cranage, Cheshire | |
No 96 Sqn (1 Flt) | RAF Cranage | Defiants |
RAF Station High Ercall | High Ercall, Wellington, Shropshire | |
No 68 Sqn | RAF High Ercall | Beaufighters |
RAF Station Jurby | Jurby, Isle of Man | |
No 302 (Polish) Sqn | RAF Jurby | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Speke | Speke Aerodrome, Liverpool 10, Lancashire | |
Merchant Ship Fighter Unit | RAF Speke | Hurricanes |
No 315 (Polish) Sqn | RAF Speke | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Squires Gate | Squires Gate, Blackpool, Lancashire | Station in Coastal Command |
No 96 Sqn (1 Flt) | RAF Squires Gate | Defiants |
No 256 Sqn | RAF Squires Gate | Defiants |
RAF Station Ternhill | Ternhill, nr Market Drayton, Shropshire | Station in Flying Training Command |
No 403 Sqn RCAF | RAF Ternhill | Spitfires |
RAF Station Valley | Valley, Holyhead, Anglesey, North Wales | |
No 615 Sqn | RAF Valley | Hurricanes |
No 219 Sqn (1 Flt) | RAF Valley | Beaufighters |
No 456 Sqn RAAF | RAF Valley | Defiants |
HQ - Rudloe Manor, Box, Chippenham, Wiltshire
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Angle | Angle, Pembrokeshire | |
No 32 Sqn | RAF Portreath | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Colerne | Colerne, Bath, Wiltshire | |
No 87 Sqn | RAF Colerne | Hurricanes |
No 308 (Polish) Sqn | RAF Colerne | Hurricanes |
No 316 (Polish) Sqn | RAF Colerne | Hurricanes |
No 125 Sqn | RAF Colerne | Defiants |
RAF Station Exeter | Exeter Air Port, Honiton Clyst, Devon | |
No 504 Sqn | RAF Ibsley | Hurricanes |
No 307 (Polish) Sqn | RAF Exeter | Defiants |
RAF Station Fairwood Common | nr Swansea, Glamorganshire | |
No 600 Sqn (1 Flt) | RAF Fairwood Common | Beaufighters |
No 79 Sqn | RAF Fairwood Common | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Filton | Filton, Bristol, Gloucestershire | |
No 263 Sqn | RAF Filton | Whirlwinds |
RAF Station Harrowbeer | Harrowbeer, Yelverton, Devon | |
RAF Station Ibsley | Ibsley, Ringwood, Hampshire | |
No 118 Sqn | RAF Ibsley | Spitfires |
RAF Station Middle Wallop | Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, Hampshire | |
No 604 Sqn | RAF Middle Wallop | Beaufighters |
No 501 Sqn | RAF Middle Wallop | Spitfires |
No 93 Sqn | RAF Middle Wallop | Boston II/Wellingtons |
Fighter Experimental Establishment | RAF Middle Wallop | Various |
RAF Station Perranporth | Perranporth, Cornwall | |
No 66 Sqn | RAF Perranporth | Spitfires |
RAF Station Portreath | Nancekuke, Redruth, Cornwall | |
No 130 Sqn | RAF Portreath | Spitfires |
No 152 Sqn | RAF Portreath | Spitfires |
RAF Station Predannack | Predannack, nr Mullion, Cornwall | |
No 600 Sqn (1 Flt) | RAF Predannack | Beaufighters |
No 247 Sqn | RAF Predannack | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Warmwell | Warmwell, Dorchester, Dorset | |
No 234 Sqn | RAF Portreath | Spitfires |
HQ - Uxbridge, Middlesex
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Biggin Hill | Biggin Hill, Westerham, Kent | |
No 92 Sqn | RAF Biggin Hill | Spitfires |
No 609 Sqn | RAF Biggin Hill | Spitfires |
RAF Station Castle Camps | Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire | |
RAF Station Croydon | Croydon, Surrey | |
RAF Station Debden | Saffron Walden, Essex | |
No 601 Sqn | RAF Debden | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Ford | Ford, Arundel, Sussex | |
No 23 Sqn | RAF Ford | Havoc I |
RAF Station Gravesend | Gravesend, Kent | |
No 74 Sqn | RAF Gravesend | Spitfires |
RAF Station Hawkinge | Hawkinge, nr Folkestone, Kent | |
No 91 Sqn | RAF Hawkinge | Spitfires |
RAF Station Hendon | Hendon, Middlesex | |
No 24 Sqn | RAF Hendon | Various |
No 116 (Calibration) Sqn | RAF Hendon | Lysanders |
No 1 Camouflage Flt | RAF Hendon | Various |
RAF Station Heston | Heston, Middlesex | |
No 1422 Flt | Heston, Middlesex | Havocs |
RAF Station Hornchurch | Hornchurch, Essex | |
No 54 Sqn | RAF Hornchurch | Spitfires |
No 611 Sqn | RAF Hornchurch | Spitfires |
RAF Station Hunsdon | Hunsdon, nr Ware, Hertfordshire | |
No 85 Sqn | RAF Hornchurch | Havoc I |
RAF Station Kenley | Whyteleafe, Surrey | |
No 1 Sqn | RAF Kenley | Hurricanes |
No 312 (Czech) Sqn | RAF Kenley | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Manston | Manston, nr Ramsgate, Kent | |
RAF Station Martlesham Heath | Martlesham Heath, Woodbridge, Suffolk | |
No 310 (Czech) Sqn | RAF Martlesham Heath | Hurricanes |
No 402 Sqn RCAF | RAF Martlesham Heath | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Northolt | Northolt, Ruislip, Middlesex | |
No 303 (Polish) Sqn | RAF Northolt | Spitfires |
No 306 (Polish) Sqn | RAF Northolt | Hurricanes |
RAF Station North Weald | North Weald, Epping, Essex | |
No 308 (Polish) Sqn | RAF North Weald | Spitfires |
No 3 Sqn | RAF North Weald | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Redhill | Redhill, Surrey | |
No 258 Sqn | RAF Redhill | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Southend | Southend-on-Sea, Essex | |
No 603 Sqn | RAF Southend | Spitfires |
RAF Station Stapleford Tawney | Stapleford Tawney, Essex | |
No 71 (Eagle) Sqn | RAF Stapleford Tawney | Hurricanes |
No 242 Sqn | RAF Stapleford Tawney | Hurricanes |
RAF Station Tangmere | Tangmere, Chichester, Sussex | |
No 145 Sqn | RAF Tangmere | Spitfires |
No 219 Sqn | RAF Tangmere | Beaufighters |
No 610 Sqn | RAF Tangmere | Spitfires |
No 616 Sqn | RAF Tangmere | Spitfires |
Fighter Interception Unit | RAF Tangmere | Beaufighters |
RAF Station West Malling | Maidstone, Kent | |
No 29 Sqn | RAF West Malling | Beaufighters |
No 264 Sqn | RAF West Malling | Defiants |
HQ - Watnall, Nottinghamshire
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Coltishall | Scottow, Norwich, Norfolk | |
No 222 Sqn | RAF Coltishall | Spitfire |
No 257 Sqn | RAF Coltishall | Hurricane |
RAF Station Digby | Digby, Lincolnshire | |
No 401 Sqn RCAF | RAF Digby | Hurricane |
No 411 Sqn RCAF | RAF Digby | Spitfire |
No 409 Sqn RCAF | RAF Digby | Defiant |
No 412 Sqn RCAF | RAF Digby | Spitfire |
RAF Station Duxford | Duxford, Cambridgeshire | |
No 19 Sqn | RAF Duxford | Spitfire |
No 56 Sqn | RAF Duxford | Hurricane |
Air Fighting Development Unit | RAF Duxford | Various |
Aircraft Gun Mounting Establishment | RAF Duxford | Various |
RAF Station Hibaldstow | Hibaldstow, Redbourne, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire | |
No 255 Sqn | RAF Hibaldstow | |
RAF Station Kirton in Lindsey | Kirton in Lindsey, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire | |
No 65 Sqn | RAF Kirton in Lindsay | Spitfire |
No 452 Sqn RAAF | RAF Kirton in Lindsay | Spitfire |
No 121 (Eagle) Sqn | RAF Kirton in Lindsey | Hurricane |
RAF Station Leconfield | Leconfield, Beverley, East Yorkshire | |
No 129 Sqn | RAF Leconfield | Spitfire |
No 485 Sqn RNZAF | RAF Leconfield | Spitfire |
RAF Station Wittering | Wittering, Peterborough, Northamptonshire | |
No 25 Sqn | RAF Wittering | Beaufighter |
No 151 Sqn | RAF Wittering | Defiant |
No 266 Sqn | RAF Wittering | Spitfire |
HQ - Blakelaw Estate, Ponteland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Acklington | Acklington, Morpeth, Northumberland | |
No 72 Sqn | RAF Acklington | Spitfire |
No 406 Sqn RCAF | RAF Acklington | Blenheim |
RAF Station Aldergrove | Aldergrove, Belfast, Northern Ireland | Station in RAFNI |
No 245 Sqn | RAF Aldergrove | Hurricane |
RAF Station Ayr | Ayr, Heathfield, Ayrshire | |
No 602 Sqn | RAF Ayr | Spitfire |
No 141 Sqn | RAF Ayr | Defiant |
RAF Station Catterick | Catterick, Richmond, North Yorkshire | |
No 41 Sqn | RAF Catterick | Spitfire |
No 313 (Czech) Sqn | RAF Catterick | Spitfire |
RAF Station Drem | Gullane Drem, East Lothian | |
No 43 Sqn | RAF Drem | Hurricane |
No 64 Sqn | RAF Drem | Spitfire |
No 410 Sqn RCAF | RAF Drem | Defiant |
RAF Station Ouston | Stamfordham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland | |
No 122 Sqn | RAF Ouston | Spitfire |
RAF Station Turnhouse | Edinburgh 12, Midlothian | |
No 123 Sqn | RAF Turnhouse | Spitfire |
No 131 Sqn | RAF Turnhouse | Spitfire |
HQ - RAF Inverness
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Castletown | Thurso, Caithness | |
No 124 Sqn | RAF Castletown | |
No 132 Sqn | RAF Castletown | |
RAF Station Dyce | Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire | Station in Coastal Command |
No 111 Sqn | RAF Dyce | |
RAF Station Kirkwall | Kirkwall, Orkney Islands | Operations Room only |
RAF Station Skeabrae | Kirkwall, Orkneys | |
No 253 Sqn | RAF Skeabrae | |
RAF Station Skitten | nr Wick, Caithness | Coastal Command Satellite |
No 607 Sqn | RAF Skitten | |
RAF Station Sumburgh | Mainland, Shetland Islands | Station in Coastal Command |
No 17 Sqn | RAF Sumburgh |
HQ - 'Oxenden', Plantation Road, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
Units controlled by HQ No 60 Group
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
No 2 Installation Unit | RAF Kidbrooke | |
No 70 (Signals) Wing | Bunchrew House, Inverness | |
No 71 (Signals) Wing | Bucksburn House, Springfield Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen | |
No 72 (Signals) Wing | Stirling | |
No 73 (Signals) Wing | Eathorpe Hall, Malton, North Yorkshire | |
No 74 (Signals) Wing | Leighton, Trumpington Road, Cambridge | |
No 75 (Signals) Wing | Heathfield House, Keston, Kent | |
No 76 (Signals) Wing | Hillend, Henbury, Bristol | |
No 77 (Signals) Wing | 'High Lea' Woolton, Liverpool | |
No 78 (Signals) Wing | Holne Park, Ashburton, Newton Abbot, Devon |
Radar stations controlled by No 70 (Signals) Wing
Station | Location/Address | Notes |
Brannish | Isle of Lewis | |
Broad Bay | Isle of Lewis | |
Cromarty | Cromarty | |
Crustan | Orkneys | |
Deerness | Orkneys | |
Eorodale | Isle of Lewis | |
Habost | Isle of Lewis | |
Islivick | Isle of Lewis | |
Kendrom | Isle ofSyke | |
Loth | Helmsdale, Sutherland | |
Navidale | Helmsdale, Sutherland | |
Netherbutton | Orkneys | |
Rodel Park | Harris | |
Sango | Cape Wrath | |
Stoer | Point of Stoer | |
Tannach | Wick | |
Thrumster | Wick | |
Whale Head | Orkneys |
Radar stations controlled by No 71 (Signals) Wing
Station | Location/Address | Notes |
Cocklaw | Peterhead, Aberdeen | |
Doonies Hill | Gregness, Aberdeen | |
Douglas Wood | Monikie, Angus | |
Hillhead | Fraserburgh, Aberdeen | |
Noss Hill | Shetland | |
Rosehearty | Aberdeen | |
St Cyrus | Kincardineshire | |
School Hill | Portlethen, Aberdeen | |
Skaw | Shetland | |
Watsness | Shetland |
Radar stations controlled by No 72 (Signals) Wing
Station | Location/Address | Notes |
Anstruther | Fife | |
Ard-Rudha-Mar | Barra | |
Barrapoll | Isle of Tiree | |
Borve Castle | Benbecula | |
Carsaig | Mull | |
Cockburnspath | Berwickshire | |
Drone Hill | Berwickshire | |
Greian Head | Barra | |
Kilchiaran | Islay | |
Kilkenneth | Tiree | |
North Cairn | Stranraer | |
Port Mor | Tiree | |
St Quivox | Ayr | |
Saligo | Islay |
Radar stations controlled by No 73 (Signals) Wing
Station | Location/Address | Notes |
Bamburgh | Northumberland | |
Bempton | East Yorkshire | |
Cresswell | Morpeth, Northumberland | |
Danby Beacon | Seaholm. North Yorkshire | |
Easington | East Yorkshire | |
Hampton Hill | Beverley Park, Yorkshire | This location is difficult to identify |
Humberston | Grimsby, Lincolnshire | |
Orby | Skegness, Lincolnshire | |
Ottercops | Northumberland | |
Shotton | Castle Eden, County Durham | |
Skendleby | Spilsby, Lincolnshire | |
Staxton Wold | Scarborough, North Yorkshire | Currently the oldest operating radar station in the world |
Stenigot | Louth, Lincolnshire |
Radar stations controlled by No 74 (Signals) Wing
Station | Location/Address | Notes |
Bawdsey | Woodbridge, Suffolk | |
Canewton | Rochford, Essex | |
Dunwich | Saxmundham, Suffolk | |
Great Bromley | Colchester, Essex | |
High Street, Darsham | Suffolk | |
Happisburgh | Norwich, Norfolk | |
Hopton | Yarmouth, Norfolk | |
Langtoft | Bourne, Lincolnshire | |
Neatishead | Wroxham, Norfolk | |
Stoke Holy Cross | Norwich, Norfolk | |
Waldringfield | Martlesham | |
Walton | Essex | |
West Beckham | Holt, Norfolk |
Radar stations controlled by No 75 (Signals) Wing -
Station | Location/Address | Notes |
Beachy Head | Sussex | |
Dunkirk | Faversham, Kent | |
Durrington | West Worthing | |
Fairlight | Hastings | |
Foreness | Cliftonville | |
Hollingbury | Folkestone | |
Newchurch | Kent | |
Pevensey | Sussex | |
Poling | Sussex | |
Rye | Sussex | |
Swingate | Dover | |
Truleigh Hill | Shoreham | |
Wartling | Pevensey | |
Whitstable | Kent | |
Willesborough | Ashford, Kent |
Radar stations controlled by No 76 (Signals) Wing -
Station | Location/Address | Notes |
Avebury | Marlborough, Wiltshire | |
Bembridge | Isle of Wight | |
Castell Mawr | Cardiganshire | |
Chew Park | Somerset | |
Comberton | Pershore, Worcestershire | |
Folly | Pembrokeshire | |
Hayscastle Cross | Pembrokeshire | |
Kete | Pembrokeshire | |
Ringstead | Dorset | |
Sopley | Christchurch, Hampshire | |
Southbourne | Bournemouth, Dorset | |
St Twynnels | Pembrokeshire | |
Strumble Head | Fishguard | |
Sturminster Marshall | Dorset | |
Ventnor | Isle of Wight | |
Warren | Pembrokeshire | |
Worth Matravers | Swanage, Dorset |
Radar stations controlled by No 77 (Signals) Wing -
Station | Location/Address | Notes |
Ballymartin | County Down | |
Bride | Isle of Man | |
Castlerock | County Derry | |
Cregneish | Isle of Man | |
Dalby | Isle of Man | |
Downhill | County Derry | |
Formby | Formby, Liverpool, Lancasshire | |
Glenarm | County Antrim | |
Great Orme's Head | Llandudno | |
Greystones | County Down | |
Hack Green | Nantwich, Cheshire | |
Hawcoat | Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire | |
Kilkeel | County Down | |
Nevin | Carnarvonshire | |
Pen-y-bryn | Llyn | |
Prestatyn | Flintshire | |
Rhuddlan | Flintshire | |
Roddans Port | County Down | |
St Bee's Head | Cumberland | |
Scarlet Point | Isle of Man | |
South Stack | Holy Island, Anglesey | |
Tower | Blackpool, Lancashire | |
Wrafton | Braunston, Devon | |
Trewan Sands | Anglesey | |
Wylfa | Anglesey |
Radar stations controlled by No 78 (Signals) Wing -
Station | Location/Address | Notes |
Beer Head | Seaton, Cornwall | |
Branscombe | Salcombe Regis, Devon | |
Carnaton | Newquay, Cornwall | |
Downderry | Tor Point, Cornwall | |
Dry Tree | Helston, Cornwall | |
Exminster | Exeter, Devon | |
Hartland | Devon | |
Hawkstor | Plymouth, Devon | |
Kingswear | Devon | |
Mark's Castle | Land's End, Cornwall | |
Northam | Devon | |
Pen Olver | Lizard, Cornwall | |
Rame Head | Cornwall | |
Sennen | Cornwall | |
Trelanvean | Cornwall | |
Trevescan | Penzance, Cornwall | |
Trerew | Newquay, Cornwall | |
Trevose | Newquay, Cornwall | |
West Prawle | Devon |
No 81 Operational Training Group
HQ - Avening Court, Avening, Nr Stroud, Gloucestershire
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Church Fenton | Church Fenton, Tadcaster, West Yorkshire | |
No 54 OTU | RAF Church Fenton | |
RAF Station Crosby on Eden | Crosby-on-Eden, Carlisle, Cumberland | |
No 59 OTU | RAF Crosby on Eden | |
RAF Station Debden | Debden, Saffron Waldron, Essex | |
No 52 OTU | RAF Debden | |
RAF Station East Fortune | East Fortune, East Lothian | |
No 60 OTU | RAF East Fortune | |
RAF Station Grangemouth | Central Scotland Airport, Grangemouth, Stirlingshire | |
No 58 OTU | RAF Grangemouth | |
RAF Station Hawarden | Hawarden, Saltney Ferry, Flintshire | |
No 57 OTU | RAF Hawarden | |
RAF Station Heston | Heston, Middlesex | |
No 53 OTU | RAF Llandow | |
RAF Station Sutton Bridge | Sutton Bridge, Long Sutton, Lincolnshire | |
No 56 OTU | RAF Sutton Bridge | |
RAF Station Usworth | Usworth, Sunderland, Co. Durham | |
No 55 OTU | RAF Usworth |
Source - July 1941 SD161
County names used are those in use at the time
[Command HQ | No 9 Group | No 10 Group | No 11 Group | No 12 Group | No 13 Group | No 14 Group | No 60 Group | No 81 Group]
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