Latitude 54°54'35"N Longitude 3°16'30"W

   

ACQUISITION

Purpose built on requisitioned land. Construction commenced in 1942.

 

OPENED

June 1943.

 

COMMISSIONED

07 September 1044.

 

PAID OFF

28 February 1958; 31 March 1958 to Care & Maintenance status.

 

CLOSED (to flying)

13 December 1957.

 

DISPOSAL

No longer required the station was put up for disposal 24 April 1959..

 

C.O.

Captain B.L. Husskisson, D.S.C. (Ret), 1944

Commander M.O. Ellwood. D.S.O. (Ret) 1945

Rear Admiral L.E. Rebbeck, C.B. 1946

Captain F.G.S. Bowring, 1948

Captain R.P. Targett-Adams, 1949

Captain C.B. Pratt 1949

Rear Admiral A.J. Tyndale-Biscoe, O.B.E.1953

Captain D.P. Mansfield 1956

Commander F.C. Terry, M.B.E.  1957

   

FUNCTION

Reserve Aircraft Station. All weather airfield. No3. Ferry Flight.

R.N. Receipt and Despatch Unit.

 

ADDRESS

R.N. Air Station

Anthorn,

Nr. Kirkbride,

Cumberland

 

LOCALITY

The airfield lies on the NE. entrance of Moricambe Bay, an inlet on the SE. shore of Solway Firth, and 2 miles WNW. of Kirikbridde.

 

The small village4 of Anthorn. on the NW. bank of the rover Wampool, adjoins the airfield's E. boundary. Carlisle lies 11 miles E. by S.

 

LANDMARKS

The Solway Firth and Moricambe Bay.

 

ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS

A secondary road links the airfield with the main Kirkbride-Carlisle road. Railway station at Kirkbride, 33¾ miles (R), on L.N.E.R. single track line to Carlisle.

   
   

CONTROL

Control Building on the E. side of the airfield, 160 yds. inside perimeter track.

Keeps watch 0800 to sunset or 1800, whichever is the earlier, Mondays to Fridays; 0800 - 1200 on Saturdays; as required for night flying; as ordered by A.F.O. (Air) Home for essential commitments.

 

ELEVATION

30' above M.S.L.

 

RUNWAYS

Three, Concrete.

                                                               Extensibility
03/21 QDM. 035°-215° .... 1200 x 30 yds.    1400*

09/27 QDM. 094°-274° .... 1400 x -- yds.     2000*

15/33 QDM. 155°-335° .... 1200 x -- yds.     1600*

*Requires heavy works

 

TRACKS

40' perimeter track.

 

   

OBSTRUCTIONS

None.

 

APPROACH

Recommended sector, mean QDM. :

 

WIND INDICATOR

Wind socks on N. side of the landing area, neat perimeter track, and on SW. side of landing area neat compass base.

   
   

HOMING - VISUAL

By day

None.

By night

None.

 

HOMING--RADIO

D/F

VH/F.

Beacons

YG. and 251 MS.

 

APPROACH - VISUAL

By day

None.

By night

Glim lamps and floodlight.

 

APPROACH - RADIO

None.

 

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

M/F & H/F

2 transmitters, 5 receivers.

VH/F

4 transmitters, 4 receivers.

Call signs

R/T

ANTHORN.

W/T

MHW

Identity letters

 

AH

 

GROUND RADAR

None.

   

   

ACCOMMODATION

Living quarters in two camps, one about ½ mile (R) and the other 1½ miles (R) E., of the airfield.


Capacity:

Officers:

75

Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:

825

W.R.N.S. Officers:

13

W.R.N.S.  Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;

183

 

ARMOURIES

 

COMPASS BASE

Two, tarmac, diameter 70'.

 

DISPERSAL

Five areas with A/C standings. in conjunction with the hangar areas.

 

HANGARS

In five areas, dispersed around the airfield.

Number /Type

Size

Door Height

Door Width

11 Pentad

185' x 105'

25'

105

22 Fromson

70' x 92'

17'

55'

 

MEDICAL

Sick bay in SE. corner of airfield.

 

METEOROLOGICAL

Office in Control building. Limited meteorological service by Naval personnel.

 

FUEL AND OIL

Aviation:

34,000 gallons

M/T:

4,000 gallons

Oil :

4,000 gallons

   

TEST BASE

Three A/C Radar test bases available.

 

TEST BUTT

Two test butts and 25 yd. ranges, on W. side of airfield.

 

WORKSHOPS

Workshops to special scale.

 

VISITORS

Visitors parking area.

 

EXPLOSIVES

Explosives area east of the 21 end of runway 03/21.

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

 

Air to sea

One

Air to air

 

Air to ground and R. p. Firing

 

Live and practice bombing

 

Practice bombing

 

Assault training

 
   
   

Information taken from B.R. 1807  Handbook of Royal Naval Air Stations Dec. 48


 


 

List of first and second line squadrons, station flight and other flying units based at this location

 

772

 

Fleet Requirements Unit

Moved here from RNAS Burscough 03.05.46.Moved to RNAS Arbroath 26.06.47.

Operated 2 x Martinet, 6 x Seafire, 8 Mosquito.


801

Moved here from RNAS Arbroath 21.05.48.  Moved to RNAS Culdrose 20.10.48.

Operated 12 x Sea Hornet F.20.


802

Disembarked from H.M.S. VENGEANCE 06 - 31.10.49.

Operated 13 Sea Fury FB.II


807

Moved here from RNAS Stretton 14.01.54.  Equipped with 18 x Sea Furty FB.II - A/C withdrawn while at Anthorn. Personnel moved to RNAS Brawdy 05.05.54  to re-equip with Sea Hornets.


812

Disembarked from H.M.S. THESEUS 04.06.52 to re-equip. 12 x Firefly 5 exchanged for 8 x Firefly A.S.6. Moved to RNAS Lee-on-Solent 04.07.52,


813

Moved here from RNAS Arbroath 31.05.48

Equipped with 12 Firebrand TF.5. Moved briefly to RNAS Stretton 6-12.06.48 before moving o RNAS Culdrose 23.10.48.


824

Visited here from RNAS Eglinton 17 - 18.07.54.

Visited here from RNAS Eglinton 54.

Equipped with 8 Avenger A.S.4.


 

 

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

 

Click here for a list of Primary sources


Additional sources:

 

Admiralty Fleet Orders:

 

Confidential Admiralty Fleet Orders:

Flight deck Magazine, Winter 1957/58 edition P.56

Navy News, November 1957

Naval Historical Branch, document Ref: S.9354, Dec 1977

 

 

 



 

 

 
 


 

 
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