Latitude 51°39'34"N Longitude 01°13'37"W

   

ACQUISITION

 

 

COMMISSIONED

01 November  1944

 

CLOSED

 In Care and maintenance Status 1954 - 59

 

PAID OFF

 30 May 1953 to Reserve Airfield Status

 

   

C.O.

 Captain J.H.I. Wood 01.11.44

   

FUNCTION

 Receipt and Despatch Unit No.2

No.1 Ferry Flight

739 Squadron, S.R.P.D.U.

1832 R.N.V.R. (Air) Squadron

All Weather Airfield

 

ADDRESS

R.N. Air Station,

Culham,

Abingdon,

Berkshire

 

LOCALITY

The airfield lies 5. miles S. of Oxford and 1 mile ENE. of the village of Culham. Abingdon lies 2 miles NNW. Didcot junction lies 3 miles S.

 

LANDMARKS

The town of Oxford on the Isis, which river forms a loop around the airfield to the N., W. and S. as it flows SE.  to join the Thames. Didcot junction where a line running N/S., intersects the miin London-Bristol W.R. Line.

 

ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS

Main roads connect with Oxford, 8½ miles (R) and Didcot 5 miles (R). Culham station on the Oxford-Didcot line, lies at the SW. corner oaf the airfield

 

   
   

CONTROL

Control Building inside rte perimeter track on the N, side of the landing area, Keeps watch 0900-0600.

 

ELEVATION

190' above M.S.L.

 

RUNWAYS

Three, concrete.

     

    Extensibility

06/24

QDM. 060° -240°

1200 x 30 yds. 

1400

10/28

QDM. 103° -283°

1400 x 30 yds.

1700

17/35

QDM. 168° -348°

1200 x 30 yds.

1500

Extensions for 06/24 & 10/29 Agricultural objections.

Extension for 17/33 requires road diversion

 

TRACKS

40' perimeter tracks.

 

OBSTRUCTIONS

Navigation

None.

Circuit

None

Approach

None.
   

APPROACH

Recommended l approach sector, mean QDM. 080°

 

WIND INDICATOR

Windsocks, one E. of Control Building, and one outside the perimeter track at the NW, corner.

   
   

HOMING - VISUAL

By day

None.

By night

None.

HOMING--RADIO

   

D/F

None.

Beacons

Y.G. and 251MS.

APPROACH - VISUAL

   

By day

None.

By night

None.

   

APPROACH - RADIO

None.

 

COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

M/F & H/F

2 transmitters, 4 receivers.

VH/F

4  transmitters,  4 receivers.

 

CALL SIGNS

R/T

CULHAM

W/T

MHI

Identity letters

CH

   

GROUND RADAR

None.

 

   
   

ACCOMMODATION

Living quarters in two camp sites on the M. side of the airfield.

 

Capacity:

Officers:

76

Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:

724

W.R.N.S. Officers:

6

W.R.N.S.  Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;

188

 

ARMOURIES

Not known.

 

COMPASS BASE

Three, concrete. diameters 70'

 

DISPERSAL

8 A/C standings dispersed round the perimeter track. Aircraft Despatch Park close NE. of Control Building.

 

HANGARS

Dispersed around the perimeter track.

 

Number /Type

Size

Door Height

Door Width

18 x Pentad

185' x 105'

25'

105'

14 x Fromson

70 x 92'

17'

55'

       

MEDICAL

Sick Quarters between camp sites on the N. side of the airfield.

 

METEOROLOGICAL

Office in Control Building,. Service by Naval personnel. 0900-1600.

 

FUEL AND OIL

Aviation:

32.000 gallons on two installations of 167.000 gallons each.

M/T:

4.000 gallons on two installations of 2.000 gallons each.

Oil :

4,000 gallons in two installations of 2.000 gallons each,

   

TEST BASE

Five A/C test bases available.

 

TEST BUTT

Four covered test buitts on he W. and NE. and E. sides of the airfield.

 

WORKSHOPS

Workshops to special scale (4-6 squadron standard).

 

VISITORS

Visitors parking area on W. side of Control Building.

 

EXPLOSIVES

Not known.

 

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

None.

   
   

Information taken from CB 4368 B. Admiralty Handbook of Naval Air Stations Aug. 45 & B.R. 1807. Admiralty Handbook of Naval Air Stations Dec. 48
 

 

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

 

739

 

S.R.P.D.U.


812

 

1830

R.N.V.R. (Air) Anti-Submarine Squadron

From RNAS Abbotsinch 12-15.05.1953

Equipped with Firefly AS6s


1832

R.N.V.R. (Air) Fighter Squadron

Formed here 01.07.1947, Moved to R.A.F. Benson 19.07.1953

Initial equipment 4 Seafire III, later received other marks of Seafire. Re-equipped with Sea Fury FB.II in 1951.


1832A

R.N.V.R. (Air) Fighter Squadron

Formed here 01.10.1952. Redesignated 1836 R.N.V.R. Squadron 23.03.1953

Shared the Sea Fury FB.IIs of 1832 sqn.


1832B

R.N.V.R. (Air) Fighter Squadron

Formed here 01.10.1952. Redesignated 1835 R.N.V.R. Squadron 23.03.1953

Shared the Sea Fury FB.IIs of 1832 sqn.


1835

R.N.V.R. (Air) Fighter Squadron

Formerly 1832B. Moved to R.A.F. Benson 19.07.1953


1836

R.N.V.R. (Air) Fighter Squadron

Formerly 1832A Moved to R.A.F. Benson 19.07.1953


1840

R.N.V.R. (Air) Anti-Submarine Squadron

Formed here 14.04.1951. Moved to RNAS Ford 30.06.1951

Equipped with 4 Firefly FR,4 and 2 Harvard.


 

 

 

PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION

 

 

Click here for a list of Primary sources


 

Additional sources:

 

Admiralty Fleet Orders:

 

Confidential Admiralty Fleet Orders:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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