Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
[Command HQ | No 15 Group | No 16 Group | No 17 Group | No 18 Group | No 19 Group | No 247 Group | RAF Gibraltar | RAF Iceland | ASR MCU]
Command HQ - RAF Northwood, Middlesex
HQ - Derby House, Exchange Buildings, Liverpool
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
No 1 Armament Practice Camp | RAF Aldergrove | Lysander/Martinet, Station in No 17 Group |
No 1402 Flt | RAF Aldergrove | Gladiator/Spitfire VI, Station in No 17 Group |
RAF Station Ballykelly | ||
No 59 Sqn | RAF Ballykelly | Liberator V |
No 8059 Servicing Echelon | RAF Ballykelly | |
No 8086 Servicing Echelon | RAF Ballykelly | To service the aircraft of No 86 Sqn in Iceland |
No 120 Sqn | RAF Ballykelly | Liberator V |
No 8120 Servicing Echelon | RAF Ballykelly | |
RAF Benbecula | ||
Care & Maintenance Party | RAF Benbecula | |
RAF Station Castle Archdale | ||
No 422 Sqn RCAF | RAF Castle Archdale | Sunderland |
No 8422 Servicing Echelon | RAF Castle Archdale | |
No 423 Sqn RCAF | RAF Castle Archdale | Sunderland |
No 8423 Servicing Echelon | RAF Castle Archdale | |
No 407 Sqn RCAF | RAF Limavady | Wellington XII/XIV, Station in RAFNI |
No 8407 Servicing Echelon | RAF Limavady | Station in RAFNI |
RAF Port Ellen (Bowmore) | ||
Care & Maintenance Party | RAF Port Ellen | |
No 30 Embarkation Unit | RAF Port Ellen | |
No 15 Group Communication Flt | RAF Speke | Various, Station in ADGB |
RAF Station Tiree | Isle of Tiree, Argyllshire | |
No 281 Sqn | RAF Tiree | Warwick II |
No 8281 Servicing Echelon | RAF Tiree | |
No 518 Sqn | RAF Tiree | Halifax V |
No 8518 Servicing Echelon | RAF Tiree |
HQ - Black Lion Fields, Gillingham, Kent
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Benson | Benson, Oxfordshire | |
No 106 (PR) Wing | RAF Benson | |
No 540 Sqn | RAF Benson | Mosquito |
No 541 Sqn | RAF Benson | Spitfire, detachment(s) at other station(s) |
No 542 Sqn | RAF Benson | Spitfire |
No 544 Sqn | RAF Benson | Mosquito IX/XVI, detachment(s) at other station(s) |
Photographic Reconnaissance Development Unit | RAF Benson | Spitfire XI/Mosquito IX/XVI |
No 309 Ferry Training and Aircraft Despatch Flight | RAF Benson | Master |
RAF Station Bircham Newton (Docking) | Bircham Newton, King's Lynn, Norfolk | |
No 415 Sqn RCAF | RAF Bircham Newton | Wellington XIII/Albacore, detachment(s) at other station(s) |
No 8415 Servicing Echelon | RAF Bircham Newton | |
No 521 Sqn | RAF Bircham Newton | Ventura//Gladiator |
No 8521 Servicing Echelon | RAF Bircham Newton | |
No 279 Sqn | RAF Bircham Newton | Hudson |
No 8279 Servicing Echelon | RAF Bircham Newton | |
No 1525 (BAT) Flight | RAF Bircham Newton | Oxford |
No 3504 Servicing Unit | RAF Bircham Newton | |
RAF Station Calshot | Calshot Spit, Hampshire | |
Marine Craft Section (Ferry Pool) | RAF Calshot | |
No 6 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | RAF Calshot | Various |
No 8330 Servicing Echelon | RAF Calshot | To service the aircraft of No 330 Sqn |
No 16 Group Communication Flt | RAF Detling | Station in ADGB |
RAF Station Dyce | ||
No 1509 (BAT) Flight | RAF Dyce | Oxford |
No 8 OTU | RAF Dyce | Mosquito/Spitfire |
Alastrean House Unit | RAF Dyce | |
RAF Station Felixstowe | Felixstowe, Suffolk | |
Flying Boat Major Maintenance | RAF Felixstowe | |
RAF Station Gosport | Gosport, Hampshire | |
Aircraft Torpedo Development Unit | RAF Gosport | Various |
No 3502 Servicing Unit | RAF Gosport | |
RAF Station Langham | ||
No 2 Armament Practice Camp | RAF Langham | Lysander/Martinet |
No 455 Sqn RAAF | RAF Langham | Beaufighter X |
No 8455 Servicing Echelon | RAF Langham | |
No 489 Sqn RNZAF | RAF Langham | Beaufighter X |
No 8489 Servicing Echelon | RAF Langham | |
RAF Station North Coates | North Coates, Grimsby, Lincolnshire | |
No 254 Sqn | RAF North Coates | Beaufighter VIC |
No 8254 Servicing Echelon | RAF North Coates | |
No 236 Sqn | RAF North Coates | Beaufighter X |
No 8236 Servicing Echelon | RAF North Coates | |
No 143 Sqn | RAF North Coates | Beaufighter XI |
No 8143 Servicing Echelon | RAF North Coates | |
No 22 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) | RAF North Coates | |
RAF Station Thornaby | Thornaby, North Yorkshire | |
No 280 Sqn | RAF Thornaby | Warwick I |
No 8280 Servicing Echelon | RAF Thornaby | |
No 8220 Servicing Echelon | RAF Thornaby | |
ASR Training Unit | RAF Thornaby | Wellington IC |
RAF Station Thorney Island | Thorney Island, Emsworth, Hampshire | |
No 415 Sqn - Detachment | RAF Thorney Island | Albacore |
HQ - 58 Melville Street, Edinburgh 3
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Aldergrove | ||
No 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit | RAF Aldergrove | Liberator III/V |
RAF Station Alness | ||
No 4 OTU | RAF Alness | Catalina/Sunderland |
No 5 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | RAF Alness | |
RAF Station Crosby-on-Eden (Longtown) | ||
No 9 OTU | RAF Crosby-on-Eden | Beaufighter/Beaufort |
No 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit - Detachment | RAF Longtown | Halifax |
RAF Station East Fortune | ||
No 132 OTU | RAF East Fortune | Beaufighter/Beaufort |
RAF Station Haverfordwest (Templeton) | ||
No 7 OTU | RAF Haverfordwest | Wellington |
RAF Station Killadeas (St Angelo) | ||
No 131 OTU | RAF Killadeas | Catalina |
RAF Station Long Kesh | ||
RAF Station Oban | ||
No 302 Ferry Training Unit | RAF Oban | Catalina |
No 37 Embarkation Unit | RAF Oban | |
RAF Station Silloth (Great Orton) | Silloth, Carlisle, Cumberland | |
No 6 OTU | RAF Silloth | |
RAF Station Squire's Gate (Warton) | Squire's Gate, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire | |
No 3 School of General Reconnaissance | RAF Squire's Gate | Anson |
RAF Station Turnberry | ||
No 1 Torpedo Training Unit | RAF Turnberry | Beaufighter VIC/Beaufort I/II/Hampden |
No 5 OTU | RAF Turnberry | Beaufort I/II/Ventura/Hudson |
HQ - Pitreavie Castle, Rosyth, Dunfermline
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Greenock | ||
No 2 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | RAF Greenock | |
RAF Station Helensburgh | Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire | |
Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment | RAF Helensburgh | Various |
RAF Floating Dock | RAF Helensburgh | |
RAF Station Leuchars (Woodhaven) | Leuchars, Fife | |
No 544 Sqn - Detachment | RAF Leuchars | Mosquito |
No 18 Group Communication Flt | RAF Leuchars | |
No 3 Armament Practice Camp | RAF Leuchars | Lysander |
No 23 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) | RAF Leuchars | |
No 333 (Norwegian) Sqn | RAF Leuchars | Catalina/Mosquito VI - Catalinas at Woodhaven |
No 8333 Servicing Echelon | RAF Leuchars | |
RAF Station Sullom Voe | Sullom Voe, Shetlands | |
No 210 Sqn | RAF Sullom Voe | Catalina |
No 8210 Servicing Echelon | RAF Sullom Voe | |
No 330 (Norwegian) Sqn | RAF Sullom Voe | Sunderland |
No 8330 Servicing Echelon - Detachment | RAF Sullom Voe | |
RAF Station Sumburgh | Sumburgh, Shetlands | |
RAF Station Tain | Tain | |
Care & Maintenance Party | RAF Tain | |
RAF Station Vaagar | ||
Care & Maintenance Party | RAF Vaagar | |
RAF Station Wick (Skitten) | Wick, Caithness | |
No 404 Sqn RCAF | RAF Wick | Beaufighter XI |
No 8404 Servicing Echelon | RAF Wick | |
No 519 (Meteorological) Sqn | RAF Wick | Ventura/Spitfire VI |
No 8519 Servicing Echelon | RAF Wick | |
No 618 Sqn | RAF Wick | Mosquito IV |
No 8618 Servicing Echelon | RAF Wick | |
No 144 Sqn | RAF Wick | Beaufighter X |
No 8144 Servicing Echelon | RAF Wick | |
No 281 Sqn - Detachment | RAF Wick | Warwick II |
No 8281 Servicing Echelon- Detachment | RAF Wick | |
No 1693 Flt | RAF Wick | Anson |
HQ - Mount Wise, Plymouth
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
RAF Station Chivenor | Chivenor, Barnstable, Devon | |
No 172 Sqn | RAF Chivenor | Wellington XII/XIV, detachment(s) at other station(s) |
No 8172 Servicing Echelon | RAF Chivenor | |
No 8179 Servicing Echelon | RAF Chivenor | To service the aircraft of No 179 Sqn (Gibraltar) |
No 304 (Polish) Sqn | RAF Chivenor | Wellington XI/XIII |
No 8304 Servicing Echelon | RAF Chivenor | |
No 612 Sqn | RAF Chivenor | Wellington XII/XIV |
No 8612 Servicing Echelon | RAF Chivenor | |
RAF Station Davidstow Moor | ||
No 172 Sqn - Detachment | RAF Davidstow Moor | Wellington XII/XIV |
No 21 Mobile Servicing Unit (Torpedo) | RAF Davidstow Moor | |
No 281 Sqn - Detachment | RAF Davidstow Moor | Warwick II |
No 8281 Servicing Echelon - Detachment | RAF Davidstow Moor | |
No 282 Sqn | RAF Davidstow Moor | Warwick I |
No 8282 Servicing Echelon | RAF Davidstow Moor | |
RAF Dunkeswell | ||
RAF Station Mount Batten (Roborough) | ||
No 10 Sqn RAAF | RAF Mount Batten | Sunderland |
No 19 Group Communication Flt | RNAS Roborough, Plymouth, Devon | Various |
RAF Station Pembroke Dock (Angle) | Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire | |
No 461 Sqn RAAF | RAF Pembroke Dock | Sunderland |
No 8461 Servicing Echelon | RAF Pembroke Dock | |
No 201 Sqn | RAF Pembroke Dock | Sunderland |
No 8201 Servicing Echelon | RAF Pembroke Dock | |
No 228 Sqn | RAF Pembroke Dock | Sunderland |
No 8228 Servicing Echelon | RAF Pembroke Dock | |
No 3 Flying Boat Servicing Unit | RAF Pembroke Dock | |
Coastal Command Development Unit | RAF Angle | |
RAF Portreath | Station in ADGB | |
No 235 Sqn | RAF Portreath | Beaufighter X |
No 8235 Servicing Echelon | RAF Portreath | |
No 248 Sqn | RAF Portreath | Mosquito VI |
No 8248 Servicing Echelon | RAF Portreath | |
RAF Predannack | Station in ADGB | |
No 311 Sqn | RAF Predannack | Liberator V |
No 8311 Servicing Echelon | RAF Predannack | |
RAF Station St Davids (Brawdy) | ||
No 517 Sqn | RAF St David | Halifax V |
No 8517 Servicing Echelon | RAF St David | |
No 58 Sqn | RAF St David | Halifax |
No 8058 Servicing Echelon | RAF St David | |
No 502 Sqn | RAF St David | Halifax II |
No 8502 Servicing Echelon | RAF St David | |
RAF Station St Eval | St Eval, nr Wadebridge, Cornwall | |
No 224 Sqn | RAF St Eval | Liberator |
No 8224 Servicing Echelon | RAF St Eval | |
No 53 Sqn | RAF St Eval | Liberator V |
No 8053 Servicing Echelon | RAF St Eval | |
No 547 Sqn | RAF St Eval | Wellington XI/XIII |
No 8547 Servicing Echelon | RAF St Eval | |
No 206 Sqn | RAF St Eval | Fortress |
No 541 Sqn - Detachment | RAF St Eval | Spitfire |
No 8206 Servicing Echelon | RAF St Eval | |
No 4 Armament Practice Camp | Talbenny | Lysander, station in Transport Command |
HQ - Lagens, Azores
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
No 172 Sqn - Detachment | Azores | Wellington |
No 220 Sqn | Azores | Fortress |
No 269 Sqn | Azores | Spitfire V/Hudson/Martinet, detachment(s) at other station(s) |
No 8269 Servicing Echelon | Azores | |
No 74 Staging Post | Azores | |
No 242 Maintenance | Azores | |
Repair and Salvage Unit | Azores |
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
No 1500 (Target Towing) Flt | Lysander | |
No 541 Sqn - Detachment | Anson | |
No 202 Sqn | Catalina/Sunderland | |
No 8202 Servicing Echelon | ||
No 179 Sqn | Wellington XII/XIV | |
No 40 Embarkation Unit | ||
No 301 AMES | ||
No 520 Sqn | Halifax V/Gladiator | |
No 8520 Servicing Echelon |
Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
AMES | Grotta | |
AMES | Olfus | |
RAF Station Reykjavik | ||
No 86 Sqn | RAF Reykjavik | Liberator V |
No 1407 Flt | RAF Reykjavik | Ventura |
No 9 MT Company | RAF Reykjavik | |
No 13 Embarkation Unit | RAF Reykjavik | |
AMES | Vik | |
No 279 Sqn - Detachment | Hudson | |
No 162 Sqn RCAF | Canso A | |
No 8086 Servicing Echelon - Detachment |
Air/Sea Rescue Marine Craft Units (Home)
No | Location | Controlling Group | Parent Unit |
10 | Aberdeen | 18 | Dyce |
47 | Aberystwyth | 19 | Aberystwyth |
45 | Barry | 19 | St Athan |
14 | Berwick-on-Tweed | 18 | Charter Hall |
15 | Blyth | 18 | Acklington |
21 | Bridlington | 16 | Bridlington |
8 | Buckie | 18 | Banff |
7 | Burghead | 18 | Kinloss |
61 | Campbeltown | 15 | Greenock |
30 | Cowes | 16 | Gosport |
6 | Cromarty | 18 | Alness |
57 | Donaghadee | 15 | Ballyhalbert |
54 | Douglas (detachments at Peel & Ramey) | 15 | Andreas |
27 | Dover | 16 | No 961 (Balloon) Sqn |
64 | Drummore | 15 | West Freugh |
38 | Exmouth | 19 | Exeter |
42 | Falmouth (detachment in Newlyn) | 19 | No 959 (Balloon) Sqn |
26 | Felixstowe | 16 | Felixstowe |
49 | Fishguard | 19 | St Davids |
53 | Fleetwood | 15 | Squires Gate |
9 | Fraserburgh | 18 | Banff |
22 | Gibraltar | Gibraltar | Gibraltar |
24 | Gorleston (detachment at Lowestoft) | 16 | No 992 Sqn |
22 | Grimsby | 16 | North Coates |
16 | Hartlepool | 18 | Acklington |
52 | Holyhead | 15 | Valley |
70 | Iceland | Iceland | Reykjavik |
55 | Kirkcudbright | 15 | Wigtown |
58 | Larne | 15 | Aldergrove |
1 | Lerwick | 18 | Sumburgh |
29 | Littlehampton | 16 | Ford |
62 | Loch Boisdale | 15 | Benbecula |
60 | Lough Foyle | 15 | Ballykelly |
25 | Lowestoft | 16 | Coltishall |
24 | Lowestoft - Detachment | 16 | No 992 (Balloon) Sqn |
37 | Lyme Regis | 19 | Warmwell |
5 | Meikle Ferry | 18 | Tain |
63 | Menai Straits | 15 | Bodorgan |
13 | Methil | 18 | Leuchars |
11 | Montrose | 18 | Montrose |
28 | Newhaven | 16 | Brighton |
42 | Newlyn - Detachment | 19 | No 959 (Balloon) Sqn |
65 | Oban | 15 | Oban |
44 | Padstow | 19 | St Eval |
54 | Peel (detachment) | 15 | Andreas |
36 | Poole | 19 | Hamworthy |
67 | Port Ellen | 15 | Port Ellen |
46 | Porthcawl | 19 | Stormy Down |
40 | Portoferry | 15 | Ballyhalbert |
56 | Portland | 19 | Warmwell |
51 | Pwllheli | 15 | Penrhos |
54 | Ramsey (detachment) | 15 | Andreas |
27 | Ramsgate (Detachment) | 16 | No 961 (Balloon) Sqn |
41 | Salcombe | 19 | Mount Batten |
17 | Scalloway | 18 | Sumburgh |
2 | Shipinsay | 18 | Kirkwall |
31 | Sheerness | 16 | No 952 (Balloon) Sqn |
66 | Stornoway | 15 | Stornoway |
59 | Stranraer | 15 | Stranraer |
12 | Tayport | 18 | Leuchars |
48 | Tenby | 19 | Pembroke Dock |
3 | Thurso | 18 | Wick |
39 | Torquay | 19 | Mount Batten |
23 | Wells-on-Sea | 16 | Bircham Newton |
4 | Wick | 18 | Wick |
All home based ASR MCUs are administered by HQ Coastal Command, through the Coastal Command group in the area of which they are located. Personnel are administered by the most conveniently situated RAF Station, irrespective of command and are on a lodger basis on stations which are not in Coastal Command.
Units on 'number only' basis
The following units of Coastal Command have been reduced to a a 'number only' basis until it becomes practical to re-form them: -
No 102 Wing No 1405 (Meteorological) Flt No 1408 (Meteorological) Flt
No 119 Sqn No 246 Sqn
Source - May 1944 SD161
County names used are those in use at the time
[Command HQ | No 15 Group | No 16 Group | No 17 Group | No 18 Group | No 19 Group | No 247 Group | RAF Gibraltar | RAF Iceland | ASR MCU]
This page was last updated on 08/07/19 using FrontPage 2003©