RAF Carew Cheriton
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| IATA: none – ICAO: none | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||
| Location | Carew, Pembrokeshire | ||
| Built | 1938 | ||
| In use | 1938-1945 | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 92 ft / 28 m | ||
| Coordinates | 51°41′24″N 004°48′40″W / 51.69°N 4.81111°WCoordinates: 51°41′24″N 004°48′40″W / 51.69°N 4.81111°W | ||
| Map | |||
  RAF Carew Cheriton | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 12/30 | 3 412 x 164 | 1 040 x 50 | Asphalt |
| 06/24 | 3 166 x 164 | 965 x 50 | Asphalt |
| 16/24 | 2 509 x 164 | 765 x 50 | Asphalt |
RAF Carew Cheriton was a Royal Air Force airfield of Coastal and Training Command near Carew, Pembrokeshire. It was sited 4.7 miles north west of Tenby. It was built on the site of RNAS Pembroke (aka RNAS Milton) from the First World War, which had been decommissioned and sold off in the inter war years.
History[]
First World War[]
Royal Naval Air Station Pembroke or Milton as it was known then opened in August 1915. The base operated SS-class (Submarine Scout or Sea Scout), SSZ-class (Sea Scout Zero) and C-class (Coastal-class or 'Coastals') blimps which operated over the Irish Sea, Bristol Channel and Western Approaches on anti-submarine patrols. In April 1917 the base began operating Sopwith 1½ Strutter and Airco D.H.6 biplanes. Royal Naval Air Station Pembroke closed in March 1920.
SSZ-class blimp SSZ17 Landing at Royal Naval Air Station Pembroke 1917. The hangars in the background are no longer standing.
Avro Anson Mk.I K6285/MW-F foreground and Avro Anson Mk.I N9742/MW-Y background of No.321 (Dutch) Squadron RAF.
Second World War[]
Carew Cheriton was recommissioned in 1938, initially with grass runways. From the early 1940s there were three concrete runways, making the station a Class A airfield. The airfield was used as a support station for the flying boat operations at RAF Pembroke Dock. Operational flying ceased in 1942. On 15 April 1941 12 airmen were killed in a Luftwaffe air raid which hit the station's sickbay. In 1942 the station became No. 10 Radio School, a training camp for aircrew wireless operators. RAF Carew Cheriton closed in 1945.
Based squadrons[]
| Squadron | Aircraft | From | To | To | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | Hawker Hurricane I | 17 April 1941 | 1 June 1941 | RAF Angle | Detachment from RAF Pembrey.[1] |
| 48 | Bristol Beaufort I | 16 July 1940 | 3 August 1941 | RAF Stornoway | Detachment from RAF Hooton Park.[2] |
| 75 | Vickers Wellington I | 14 September 1939 | 8 April 1940 | Disbanded | Detachment from RAF Harwell.[3] |
| 217 | Avro Anson I Bristol Beaufort I |
2 October 1939 | 29 October 1941 | RAF Thorney Island | Detachment from RAF St Eval.[4] |
| 236 | Bristol Blenheim IVF Bristol Beaufighter IC |
21 March 1941 | 9 February 1942 | RAF Wattisham | A detachment was at RAF St Eval.[5] |
| 238 | Hawker Hurricane IIA | 1 April 1941 | 16 April 1941 | RAF Chilbolton | Detachment from RAF Pembrey.[6] |
| 254 | Bristol Blenheim IVF | 11 February 1942 | 1 June 1942 | RAF Dyce | [7] |
| 286 | Hawker Hurricane IIC | April 1942 | April 1944 | RAF Zeals | Detachment from RAF Lulsgate Bottom.[8] |
| 320 | Lockheed Hudson I | 18 January 1941 | 21 March 1941 | RAF Leuchars | Absorbed 321 Squadron.[9] |
| 321 | Avro Anson I | 24 June 1940 | 18 January 1941 | RAF Carew Cheriton | Absorbed by 320 Squadron.[9] |
| 500 | Bristol Blenheim IV | 30 May 1941 | 22 March 1942 | RAF Stornoway | Detachment from RAF Bircham Newton.[10] |
| 587 | Hawker Henley I Hawker Hurricane IV Miles Martinet Hawker Hurricane IIC |
10 April 1944 | 1 October 1944 | RAF Weston Zoyland | Detachment from RAF Culmhead.[11] |
Postwar[]
The base was used as an emergency landing site on two occasions after its closure. A de Havilland Vampire FB.5 from Anglesey made a successful emergency landing on the old runway after experiencing mechanical problems. A Bristol Beaufighter in a separate incident also attempted an emergency landing but sadly crashed short of the runway with no survivors.
Current use[]
The site is no longer used as an airfield though much remains including the runway and the Second World War control tower (adjacent to the Carew Cheriton Showground) has been restored by the Carew Cheriton Control Tower Group, and turned into a museum which is open to the public. The airfield is also used for various events and activates including car boot sales, auctions and part of the airfield has been converted for use as a go-cart track.
Other Information[]
In 1962 Airfix released a 1/72 scale plastic model kit of Avro Anson Mk.I RAF serial: N9742, squadron code: MW-Y of No.321 (Dutch) Squadron RAF which was stationed at RAF Carew Cheriton August–November 1940. It has been rereleased several times since.[citation needed]
References[]
Citations[]
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 35.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 41.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 48.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 71.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 75.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 76.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 79.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 84.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Jefford 1988, p. 86.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 94.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 97.
Bibliography[]
- Jefford, C.G, MBE,BA ,RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
External links[]
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The original article can be found at RAF Carew Cheriton and the edit history here.