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ACQUISITION |
Lodger facility for R.N. Air Section at R.A.F. Station.
Transferred to Admiralty on indefinite Loan from R.A.F.
No. 13 Group
21.4.1945
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COMMISSIONED |
21.4.1945 as NIGHTHAWK, a tender to RNAS Donibristle
with accounts held in MERLIN
01.6.1945 became independent
command |
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PAID OFF |
5.3.1946 Transferred back to R.A.F. control.
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C.O./O.I.C. |
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FUNCTION |
Naval Night Fighter School and Night Fighter Direction
Centre.
Remarks: The Fighter School, comprising No.
784 Squadron,-comes under C.Q,N.A.S for training and Com.
N.A.S.(N) for administration.
The Direction Centre, at Cockburnspath lying near the
coast 15 miles E.S.E. of the airfield, is under the
general administration of Corn. N.A.S.(N): through the
Commanding Officer No. 784 Squadron, but under the
control of the Fighter Direction Centre, Yeovilton, as
regards instructional methods
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PARENT STATION TO: |
R.N.A.S. MacMerry
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ADDRESS |
R.N. Air Section
R.A.F. Station Drem,
East Lothian,
Scotland.
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R.N. Air Station
Drem,
East Lothian,
Scotland.
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LOCALITY
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The airfield lies near the S. shore of the Firth of
Forth, 3 miles S.W. of North Berwick and I mile N.N.W.
of the village of Drem. Edinburgh lies 14 miles W..by S.
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LANDMARKS |
Bass Rock and Berwick Law, (613 ft).
The Peffer Burn stream which forms the S. boundary of the
airfield. RAF Station East Fortune 3½
miles S.W.
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ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS |
Railway Station at Drem (LNER) with service s to
Edinburgh, 18 miles W. and Dunbar 11 miles W. and North
Berwick 5 miles N. |
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CONTROL |
Control Building
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ELEVATION |
52' above M.S.L.
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RUNWAYS |
None.
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LANDING AREA |
Irregular grass surface
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Extensibility |
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E/W |
..... |
1,850 yds. |
2,300 YDS. |
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NW/SE |
..... |
1.400 yds.
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Nil. |
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NE/SW |
...... |
1.400 yds. |
Nil. |
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TRACKS |
A taxi track encircles the landing area connecting the
dispersed hangars to the technical area.
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OBSTRUCTIONS |
Navigation |
Not known. |
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Circuit |
RAF Station East Fortune 3½
miles S.W. |
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Approach |
Not known. |
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APPROACH |
Not known.
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WIND INDICATOR |
Not known. |
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HOMING - VISUAL |
By day |
None. |
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By night |
None.
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HOMING--RADIO |
D/F |
Not known. |
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Beacons |
Not known.
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APPROACH - VISUAL |
By day |
None. |
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By night |
Airfield lighting Mk.II
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APPROACH - RADIO |
Not known.
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COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT |
M/F & H/F |
Not known. |
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VH/F |
Not known.
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GROUND RADAR |
Not known.
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ACCOMMODATION |
Living quarters
Capacity: Figures for R.A.F. personnel
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Officers: |
104 |
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S.NC.O.s: |
198 |
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Other ranks: |
1505 |
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ARMOURIES |
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COMPASS BASE |
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DISPERSAL |
7 on S.E. side of the landing area.
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HANGARS |
Hangars
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Number /Type |
Size |
Door Height |
Door Width |
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3 Bellman |
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10 Blister |
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3 Extended Over Blister |
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MEDICAL |
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METEOROLOGICAL |
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FUEL AND OIL |
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Aviation: |
Not known. |
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M/T: |
Not known. |
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Oil : |
Not known. |
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TEST BASE |
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TEST BUTT |
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WORKSHOPS |
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VISITORS |
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EXPLOSIVES |
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BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES |
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Air to air |
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Air to ground and R. p. Firing |
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Live and practice bombing |
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Practice bombing |
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Assault training |
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Information taken from CB 4368 B. Admiralty Handbook
of Naval Air Stations Aug. 45
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List of first and second line squadrons, station
flight and other flying units based at this location |
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732
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Night Fighter Training School
Formed at Drem
15.05.1945. Disbanded here 07.11.1945 to become 'B'
fly of 784 squadron.
Equipped with 6 Anson flying classrooms, 6
Harvard, 9 Hellcat and an unknown number of Firefly
I.NF.
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770
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Fleet Requirements Unit
Moved here from RNAS
Dunino 25.07.1944. Disbanded here 01.10.1945
Equipped with various A/C types including
Seafire, Hurricane, Beaufighter, Blenheim, Mosquito,
Martinet, and Reliant.
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784
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Night Fighter Training Squadron.
Moved here from
RNAS Lee-on-Solent 13.10.19432.Moved to
RNAS Dale
15.01.1946.
Operated various small detachments embarked in
carriers or attached to front-line squadrons.
Equipped Initially with 2 Chesapeake and 6
Fulmars, later Proctor, Anson, Reliant, Hurricane,
Firefly, and Hellcat.
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801 |
Single Seat Fighter Squadron
Detachment (4)
disembarked from H.M.S. FURIOUS 11 - 14.06.1944
Equipped with Seafire L.III.
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880 |
Single Seat Fighter Squadron
Detachment (8)
disembarked from H.M.S. FURIOUS 11 - 17.06.1944
Equipped with Seafire L.III.
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881 |
Single Seat Fighter Squadron
Detachment (8)
disembarked from
H.M.S. PURSUER
11 - 16.06.1944
Equipped with Wildcat V
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884 |
Single Seat Fighter Squadron
Moved here from
RNAS Machrihanish 10.04.1943. Moved to RNAS Grimsetter by
06.05.1943.
Equipped with Seafire II.c
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892 |
Single Seat Fighter Squadron
Disembarked from
H.M.S. PREMIER 06.07.1945. Moved to
RNAS Machrihanish 02.11.1945.
Equipped with Hellcat NF.II
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1791 |
Night Fighter Squadron.
Disembarked from
H.M.S.
PUNCHER 18.06.1945 Moved to
RNAS Burscough
18.08.1945
Equipped with 12 Firefly I.NF.
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1792 |
Night Fighter Squadron.
Moved here from RNAS
Inskip 29.08.1845 Moved to
RNAS Machrihanish
27.11.1945
Equipped with 12 Firefly I.NF.
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PAGE UNDER
CONSTRUCTION
Click here for a list of
Primary sources
Additional sources:
Admiralty Fleet Orders:
3450/45 R.N. Air Station Drem - Commissioning as
Independent Command
Confidential Admiralty Fleet Orders:
811/45 R.A.F. Stations Drem
and MacMerry transfer to R.N.
2370/46 R.N. Air Stations,
Drem and Macmerry (H.M.S. "NIGHTHAWK) return to R.A.F.
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