Latitude 50°57′01″N N Longitude  1°21′24″W

   

ACQUISITION

Transferred from RAF.

 

OPENED

 

COMMISSIONED

01 July 1939

 

PAID OFF

21 May 1946 to Care & Maintenance status.

 

CLOSED

26 April 1947

   

C.O.

Commander (0) C. L. Howe 1 July 39

Commander (P) E. V. Major (act) (ret) 4 Oct 39

Commander R. H. Barrett (act) (emgcy) 21 Sept 42

Commander R. H. Barrett, MRCS, LRCP. DPH, DTM & H (act) (engcy) 21 Sept 42

   

FUNCTION

Air Medical School

Safety Equipment School

Observer training Part I, (non-flying)

Fire fighting school

Aircraft Handling School

Naval Fighter School - 759 Squadron

 

ADDRESS

R.N. Air Station,

Eastleigh,

Southampton Airport,
Southampton.

Hampshire

 

LOCALITY

NE. outskirts of Southampton.

 

LANDMARKS

Southampton Water with Southampton at its head.

Southampton - Eastleigh road and railway form the W. boundary of the airfield. The Itchen Navigation Canal flowing past the E. boundary.

 

ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS

Southern Railway station at Eastleigh, 1½ miles.

 

   

CONTROL

Not known.

 

ELEVATION

37' above M.S.L.

 

RUNWAYS /LANDING AREA

Grass


NNE/SSW .... 1270 yds. 

WNW/ESE .... 80 yds. 

 

TRACKS

None.

   

OBSTRUCTIONS

Navigation

W/T mast 240' on a 389' summit 5¾miles ENE.

Balloon Barrage in vicinity.

Circuit

Not known.

Approach

Not known.

   

APPROACH

Not known.

 

WIND INDICATOR

Not known.

   
   

HOMING—VISUAL

By day -

Not known.

By night -

Not known.

   

HOMING--RADIO

D/F -

Not known.

Beacons -

Not known.

   

APPROACH—VISUAL

By day -

Not known.

By night -

Not known.

   

APPROACH—RADIO

Not known.

 

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

M/F & H/F

Not known.

VH/F

None.

   

GROUND RADAR

None.

   

 

   

ACCOMMODATION

Living quarters on site.

 

Capacity:

Officers:

48

Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:

681

W.R.N.S. Officers:

8

W.R.N.S.  Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;

188

 

ARMOURIES

Not known.

 

COMPASS BASE

Not known.

 

DISPERSAL

Not known.

 

HANGARS

On N.E. side of the landing area.

 

Number /Type

Size

Door Height

Door Width

10 Bessonneau, canvas

138' x 64' 10''

13' 2''

64' 10'

By the end of the war only one hangar remained.

 

MEDICAL

Not known.

 

METEOROLOGICAL

Not known.

 

FUEL AND OIL

Aviation:

Not known.

M/T:

Not known.

Oil :

Not known.

   

TEST BASE

Not known.

 

TEST BUTT

Not known.

 

WORKSHOPS

Not known.

 

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

Not known.

   
   
   

Information taken from CB 4368 A. 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

 

716

Reformed here 28.06.44 for development work with the Safety Equipment School equipped with Sea Otter, and Wellington aircraft.

Disbanded at Eastleigh 01.09.45


758

Telegraphist Air Gunner Training Squadron, part of No.2 Air Gunners School

Formed at Eastleigh 01.07.39 (759 re-numbered), Moved to RNAS Arbroath 14.10.40.

Equipped with Shark, Osprey, Proctor aircraft.


759

Began forming at Eastleigh from 01.05.39 - intended as TAG Training squadron but renumbered as 758 instead 01.07.39.

Formed at Eastleigh 01.11.39 as a Fighter School and Pool Squadron, Moved to RNAS Yeovilton 16.09.40.

Initially equipped with 9 Skuas, 5 Rocs and 4 Sea Gladiators.


760

Fighter Pool No.1

Formed at Eastleigh 01.04.40. Moved to RNAS Yeovilton 16.09.40.

Initially equipped with 4 Skuas, 2 Rocs and 1 Sea Gladiator.


780

Conversion course Unit

Formed at Eastleigh 02.10.39. Moved to RNAS Lee-on-Solent 07.10.40.

Equipment included: Hart Trainer, Nimrod,  Osprey, Proctor, Shark, Swordfish, Hornet Moth, Gypsy Moth, Tiger Moth.


800

Fleet Fighter Squadron

Moved from RAF Gosport 29/02/36 to operate from RAF Eastleigh while disembarked from the carrier HMS COURAGEOUS. Operated from here until finally departing for RAF Evanton 29.03.39

Operated Nimrod & Osprey aircraft.


801

Fleet Fighter Squadron

Operated from RAF Eastleigh/Southampton when disembarked from the carrier HMS FURIOUS - various return stays 22.11.35 - 28.01.38

Operated Nimrod & Osprey aircraft.


802

Fleet Fighter Squadron

Disembarked from HMS FURIOUS 05.05.37, embarked in HMS GLORIOUS 23.06.37

Operated Nimrod & Osprey aircraft.


810

Fleet Torpedo Bomber Unit

Operate from RAF Southampton while disembarked from the carrier HMS COURAGEOUS - various return stays 13.07.37 - 11.01.39 when the squadron embarked in HMS ARK ROYAL.

Disembarked from HMS ARK ROYAL14.03.39, re-embarked 27/04/39

Operated Shark and Swordfish aircraft.


811

Fleet Torpedo Bomber Unit

Sub flight 811A was formed at RAF Southampton 15.05.39, but was renumbered as 811 on 24.05.39 when the parent squadron was itself renumbered to 767 squadron. 811 officially formed at Eastleigh 01.07.39. Embarked in HMS COURAGEOUS 12.08.39.

Equipped with Swordfish aircraft.


814

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Formed at RAF Southampton 01/12/38. Embarked in HMS ARK ROYAL 11.01.39.

Disembarked from HMS ARK ROYAL  24.03.39. Moved to RAF Warmwell 02.06.39

Equipped with Swordfish aircraft.


816

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Moved to Eastleigh from RAF Thorney Island 04.06.41. Moved to RNAS Abbotsinch 14.06.41.

Equipped with Swordfish aircraft.


820

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Operate from RAF Eastleigh/Southampton when disembarked from the carrier HMS COURAGEOUS - various return stays between  20.07.36 - 11.01.39 when it embarked in HMS ARK ROYAL.

Disembarked from HMS ARK ROYAL  24.03.39,  re-re-embarked ARK ROYAL 27.04.39

Operated Shark and Swordfish aircraft.


821

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Operate from RAF Eastleigh/Southampton when disembarked from the carrier HMS COURAGEOUS - various return stays between 4.11.36  - 11.01.39 when it embarked in HMS ARK ROYAL.

Disembarked from HMS ARK ROYAL  24.03.39,  re-re-embarked ARK ROYAL 29.04.39

Disembarked from HMS ARK ROYAL  28.06.39,  re-re-embarked ARK ROYAL 29.07.39

Operated Shark and Swordfish aircraft.


822

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Operate from RAF Eastleigh/Southampton when disembarked from the carrier HMS FURIOUS - various return stays  27.05.36 - 23.01.37.

Sub flight 822A was formed at RAF Southampton 15.05.39, but was renumbered as 822 on 24.05.39 when the parent squadron was disbanded and absorbed into the new 767 squadron (See 811 sqdn).

822 officially reformed at Eastleigh 01.07.39.

Moved to RNAS Donninristle for 03.07.39, returning to Eastleigh on 12.07.39. Embarked in the Carrier HMS COURAGEOUS 12.08.39.

Operated Shark and Swordfish aircraft.


825

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Moved here from RAF Abingdon 17.01.38, embarked in the carrier HMS GLORIOUS the same day.

Operated Swordfish aircraft.


829

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Disembarked from HMS FORMIDABLE 21.12.41, moved to RNAS Lee-on-Solent 30.01.42.

 Operated Swordfish aircraft.


834

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Personnel assembled at RNAS Eastleigh 12.11.41 prior to taking passage to RNAS Palisadoes, Jamaica where the squadron formed on 10.12.41.

Operated Swordfish aircraft.


835

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Personnel assembled at RNAS Eastleigh 15.01.42 prior to taking passage to RNAS Palisadoes, Jamaica where the squadron formed on 15.02.42.

Operated Swordfish aircraft.


836

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Personnel assembled at RNAS Eastleigh 01.02.42 prior to taking passage to RNAS Palisadoes, Jamaica where the squadron formed on 01.03.42.

Operated Swordfish aircraft.


837

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Personnel assembled at RNAS Eastleigh & RNAS Worthy Down 15.03.42 prior to taking passage to RNAS Palisadoes, Jamaica where the squadron formed on 01.05.42.

Operated Swordfish aircraft.


838

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Personnel assembled at RNAS Eastleigh 10.04.42 prior to taking passage to RCAF Dartmouth, Nova Scotia where the squadron formed on 15.05.42.

Operated Swordfish aircraft.


840

Torpedo Spotter Reconnaissance Squadron

Personnel assembled at RNAS Eastleigh 04.05.42 prior to taking passage to RNAS Palisadoes, Jamaica where the squadron formed on 01.06.42.

Operated Swordfish aircraft.


 

 

 

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

 

Opened October 1st 1935 as RAF station Eastleigh for accommodation of disembarked Fleet Air Arm squadrons Renamed RAF Southampton on April 1st 1936. On May 24th 1939 administrative control of the Fleet Air Arm was transferred from the Royal Air Force to the Board of Admiralty and a small number shore stations were transferred to Admiralty control, Eastleigh was one of them. RNAS Eastleigh commissioned as HMS RAVEN on July 1st 1939.

 

The site occupied a 10 acre area in the North East corner of the airfield and comprised of wooden hutted accommodation and 8 Bessaneaux wooden framed. canvas covered, hangars of First World War vintage. The civilian airport buildings and hangars were located on the far side of the landing area, along the Western boundary which was formed by the A335 and the railway line from Southampton to Eastleigh.

 

 

 

Click here for a list of Primary sources

 

Additional sources:

Admiralty Fleet Orders:

3622/44 - R.N. Air Station, Eastleigh— Establishment of Safety Equipment School

4854/44 - Safety Equipment School, Eastleigh—Establishment of an Air/Sea Rescue
Section

4070/44 - R.N. Air Medical School—Formation of—Functions, Duration
and Syllabus of Courses, etc.

3855/45. - R.N. Fire Force

5043/45 - Non-Substantive Ratings—Aircraft Handler—Courses and Drafting

 

 

 

 


View Larger Map

 

Southampton Eastleigh Airport,  25th April 1939 The site that was to become HMS RAVEN is lower left, the civilian airport and aircraft factories are on the far side oft he field - Britain from Above

 

 

 

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