Latitude 53°35'37"N Longitude 02°52'10"W

   

ACQUISITION

 

 

COMMISSIONED

01 September 1943

 

CLOSED

May 1946

 

PAID OFF

15 June 1946 to Care and Maintenance Status

Transferred to Admiralty Dockyards department 05.05.55

 

   

C.O.

Commander (A) J.F. W. C. Hawkins (act) Sept 43

   

FUNCTION

Day and night fighter facilities. Torpedo facilities.

 

ADDRESS

R.N. Air Station

Burscough

Nr. Ormskirk

Lancashire

 

LOCALITY

The airfield lies adjacent W of the village of Burscough, and on the NW. side of the main road running SW, to Ormskirk, distant 1 mile. Liverpool, at the mouth of the Mersey, lies 10 miles SW.

 

LANDMARKS

Liverpool Bay, the town of Liverpool and the Mersey river. The airfield lies in the western fork of the right-angle intersection of two railways. The Leeds Liverpool canal running E/W close N. of the airfield and having a branch running NE, from a junction close S. of the railway intersection.

 

ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS

Main road to Ormskirk and Liverpool, forming the SE. boundary of the airfield. Railway stations at Burscough Bridge 1 mile NE., Burscough Junction and Ormskirk on L.M.S. line to Liverpool. Stores requiring use of crane should be sent to Burscough Bridge station, others to Burscough junction.

   
   

CONTROL

Control Building outside the perimeter track, on the E. side of the landing area.

Keeps watch on Naval safety wavelength.

Grounds signals area immediately N. of the Control building.

 

ELEVATION

 78' above M.S.L.

 

RUNWAYS

Four, tarmac.


03/21 QDM. 035° -215° .... 1.000 x30 yds. 

08/26 QDM. 080° -260° .... 1.240 x 30 yds. 

12/30 QDM. 121° -301° .... 1,000 x 30 yds. 

17/35 QDM. 170° -350° ....1,000 x 30 yds. 

 

TRACKS

 49' perimeter track.

 

OBSTRUCTIONS

Navigation

None.

Circuit

 None.

Approach

None.

 

APPROACH

No special approach recommended.

 

WIND INDICATOR

 Windsocks on the W. side of the landing area inside the perimeter track, and onside the intersection of the runways on the E, side.

   
   

HOMING - VISUAL

By day

None.

By night

None.

 

HOMING--RADIO

D/F

 One H/F. V/HF. (to be fitted )

Beacons

 YG.

 

APPROACH - VISUAL

By day

None.

By night

 Airfield lighting (Naval) and R.A.F. Angle of Approach installed.

 

APPROACH - RADIO

Not known.

 

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

M/F & H/F

One line M/F.

4T lines H/F.

VH/F

 To be fitted

 

GROUND RADAR

 Intermediate G.C.I.

   
   

ACCOMMODATION

Living quarters in two camps. No.1 close outside the airfield to the NE. and No.2 immediately S. on the Ormskirk road.

 

Capacity:

Officers:

189

Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:

1,204

W.R.N.S. Officers:

15

W.R.N.S.  Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;

355

 

ARMOURIES

 To accommodate 4 squadrons.

 

COMPASS BASE

 Two,. tarmac. Diameter 70ft.

 

DISPERSAL

 3 A/C standings off the perimeter track, near the Control building.

 

HANGARS

Dispersed around the perimeter track.

 

Number /Type

Size

Door Height

Door Width

 18 x Mains (Squadron)

 60' x 70'

17'

 55'

 14 x Mains (Storage)

 60' x 70'

17'

 55'

 1 x Pentad  (A.R.S. )

 185' x 110'

 25'

 110'

 1 x Pentad (reserve servicing)

 185' x 110'

 25'

 110'

 

MEDICAL

 Sick bay in the station area on the E. side of the airfield.

 

METEOROLOGICAL

 Office in the Control building. Full meteorological servicer by Naval personnel available.

 

FUEL AND OIL

Aviation:

68,000 gallons.

M/T:

4.000 gallons.

Oil :

4.000 gallons.

   

TEST BASE

 A/C Radar test base available.

 

TEST BUTT

 Test butt and 25 yd. range for M.G., N. of landing area near hangars.

 

WORKSHOPS

 A.R.s. and Reserve Servicing hangars listed above. Workshops to 4 -0 6 squadron scale.

 

EXPLOSIVES

 Explosives area on the NW. side of the airfield. Practice stocks to provision 1 T.B.R. and 4 F.R. squadrons.

 

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

 

Air to air

 One

   
   

Information taken from CB 4368 B. Admiralty Handbook of Naval Air Stations Aug. 45

 

 

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

 

707

 

 

735

 

 

737

 

 

738

 

772

 

 

776

 

 

784

 

 

787

 

 

798

 

 

802

 

807

Single Seat Fighter Squadron  (Part of No. 4 Naval Fighter Wing)
Disembarked from HMS HUNTER 09.10.43. Moved to RAF Station Andover 22.11.43.
Moved here from RAF Station Andover  02.12.43. Embarked HMS HUNTER 20.01.44
Equipped with Seafire L.IIc

808

Single Seat Fighter Squadron (Part of No. 3 Naval Fighter Wing)
Disembarked from HMS HUNTER 06.10.43. Re-embarked HMS HUNTER 21.01.44
Equipped with Seafire L.IIc

809

Single Seat Fighter Squadron  (Part of No. 4 Naval Fighter Wing)
Moved here from RAF Station Andover  19.12.43. Embarked HMS STALKER 29.12.43.
Equipped with Seafire L.IIc

810

 

812

 

813

 

822

 

823

 

824

 

825

 

829

 

831

 

835

 

846

 

850

 

879

Single Seat Fighter Squadron  (Part of No. 4 Naval Fighter Wing)
Moved here from RAF Station Andover 29.11.43.  Returned Andover 09.12.43.
Moved here from RAF Station Andover 19.12.43.  Embarked in HMS ATTACKER 29.12.43.
Equipped with Seafire L.IIc

881

 

886

Single Seat Fighter Squadron (Part of No. 3 Naval Fighter Wing)
Moved here from RNAS Machrihanish 07.10.43. Embarked HMS ATTACKER 29.12.43
Equipped with Seafire L.IIc

887

 

888

 

894

 

896

 

897

Single Seat Fighter Squadron (Part of No. 3 Naval Fighter Wing)
Disembarked from HMS UNICORN 10.10.43. Embarked in HMS STALKER 29.12,43.
Equipped with Seafire L.IIc

1770

 

1771

 

1772

 

1790

 

1791

 

1820

 

1836

 

1837

 

1838

 

1840

 

 

 

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

 

Click here for a list of Primary sources


Additional sources:

 

Admiralty Fleet Orders:

 

Confidential Admiralty Fleet Orders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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