Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Fighter Command - November 1951
[Command HQ | No 11 Group | No 12 Group | Inactive Stations]
Command HQ - RAF Stanmore, Middlesex
| Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
| Air Traffic Control Centre | Barton Hall (MCA) | |
| Fighter Command Communication Sqn | Bovingdon (MCA) | |
| Air Traffic Control Centre | RAF Gloucester | Station in Home Command |
| Air Traffic Control Centre | Prestwick (MCA) | |
| HQ, Royal Observer Corps | RAF Stanmore | |
| RAF Central School of Aircraft Recognition | RAF Stanmore | |
| Film Production Unit Library | RAF Stanmore Park | Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (CIO) |
| Air Traffic Unit | RAF Uxbridge | Station in TTC |
| Air Traffic Control Centre | RAF Uxbridge | |
| Air Traffic Control Centre | RAF Watnall |
HQ - Hillingdon
| Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
| C & M Party | RAF Beaulieu | |
| C & M Party | RAF Bentwaters | Allocated to USAF |
| RAF Station Felixstowe | ||
| Fighter Command Control unit | Heathrow (MCA) | |
| AOP School | RAF Middle Wallop | Various |
| No 657 Sqn | RAF Middle Wallop | |
| No 1900 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' | RAF Middle Wallop | Auster |
| No 1901 (AOP) Flight Type 'A' | RAF Middle Wallop | Auster |
| No 1906 (AOP) Flight | RAF Middle Wallop | Hoverfly |
| No 1912 (Glider Training) (AOP) Flight | RAF Middle Wallop | |
| No 1913 (AOP) Flight | RAF Middle Wallop | Auster |
| Fighter Command Control and Reporting School | RAF Middle Wallop | Spitfire |
| RAF Station Ibsley | Satellite, Middle Wallop | |
| RAF School of Land/Air Warfare | RAF Old Sarum | Anson/Spitfire/Proctor, functionally controlled by AM (ACAS (Ops)) |
| RAF Component, Joint School of Chemical Warfare | Salisbury | Satellite of Old Sarum, functionally controlled by AM (DGD) |
| C & M Party | RAF Shepherds Grove | Allocated to USAF |
| C & M Party | RAF Wethersfield | |
| Southern Sector | ||
| No 3617 (County of Hampshire) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Bournemouth | |
| Sector Operations Centre | RAF Box | |
| No 909 Signals Unit | RAF Comberton | |
| No 3512 (County of Devon (Exeter)) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Exeter | |
| No 690 Signals Unit | Exminster | |
| No 501 (County of Gloucester) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Filton | Vampire, station in Home Command |
| No 926 Signals Unit | Hope Cove | |
| No 614 (County of Glamorgan) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Llandow | Vampire, station in Maintenance Command |
| RAF Station Odiham | ||
| No 54 Sqn | RAF Odiham | Vampire |
| No 247 Sqn | RAF Odiham | Vampire |
| No 421 (RCAF) Sqn | RAF Odiham | Vampire |
| No 322 Signals Unit | Pevensey | Rebuilding |
| No 3513 (County of Devon (Plymouth)) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Plymouth | |
| No 87 Signals Unit | Poling | CH, CHL & CHEL |
| No 703 Signals Unit | Ringstead | |
| Satellite, No 703 SU | The Verne | |
| Satellite, No 703 SU | Westcliff | |
| No 3507 (County of Somerset) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | RAF Rudloe Manor | Station in Home Command |
| No 227 Signals Unit | RAF Sopley | |
| RAF Station Tangmere | ||
| No 1 Sqn | RAF Tangmere | Meteor |
| No 29/22 Sqn | RAF Tangmere | Meteor |
| No 607 Signals Unit | Truleigh Hill | CHEL |
| No 23 Signals Unit | Ventnor | CH, CHL (+CMH), CHEL |
| No 919 Signals Unit | RAF Wartling | |
| RAF Station Waterbeach | ||
| No 56/87 Sqn | RAF Waterbeach | Meteor |
| No 63 Sqn | RAF Waterbeach | Meteor |
| Metropolitan Sector | ||
| No 144 Signals Unit | RAF Bawdsey | CH, CHL, CHEL Station |
| RAF Station Biggin Hill | ||
| No 41/253 Sqn | RAF Biggin Hill | Meteor |
| No 600 (City of London) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Biggin Hill | Meteor |
| No 615 (Country of Surrey) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Biggin Hill | Meteor |
| No 749 Signals Unit | Dunkirk | CH Station |
| RAF Station Duxford | ||
| No 64 Sqn | RAF Duxford | Meteor |
| No 65 Sqn | RAF Duxford | Meteor |
| No 3618 (County of Sussex) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Eastbourne | |
| No 229 Signals Unit | Fairlight | CH (+ CMH), CHEL Station |
| No 3619 (County of Suffolk) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Ipswich (Airfield) | |
| No 3604 (County of Middlesex) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | London (Queen's Square) | |
| No 3700 Radar Reporting Unit RAuxAF | London (Hallam Street) | |
| RAF Station Manston | Allocated to USAF | |
| No 3500 (County of Kent) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Margate | |
| RAF Station North Weald | ||
| No 72 Sqn (Cadre) | RAF North Weald | Vampire |
| No 601 (City of London) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF North Weald | Vampire |
| No 604 (County of Middlesex) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF North Weald | Vampire |
| No 860 Signals Unit | Rye | CH Station |
| No 491 Signals Unit | St Margaret's Bay | CHEL Station |
| RAF Station Sandwich | ||
| No 1 Signals Unit | RAF Sandwich | GCI |
| No 762 Signals Unit | Swingate | CH (+ CMH), CHL Station |
| Sector Operations Centre | RAF Trimley Heath | |
| RAF Station Wattisham | ||
| No 257 Sqn | RAF Wattisham | Meteor |
| No 263 Sqn | RAF Wattisham | Meteor |
| RAF Station West Malling | Maidstone, Kent | |
| No 25 Sqn | RAF West Malling | Vampire |
| No 85/145 Sqn | RAF West Malling | Mosquito |
| No 500 (County of Kent) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF West Malling | Meteor |
HQ - RAF Newton, Nottinghamshire
| Unit | Location/Address | Notes |
| Armament Practice Station | RAF Acklington | |
| RAF Station Chivenor | ||
| No 229 Operational Conversion Unit | RAF Chivenor | |
| C & M Party | RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor | |
| No 228 Operational Conversion Unit | RAF Leeming | Mosquito |
| RAF Station Newton | ||
| No 12 Group Communication Flight | RAF Newton | |
| C & M Party | RAF Pembrey | |
| No 226 Operational Conversion Unit (Cadre) | RAF Stradishall | Meteor |
| Central Fighter Establishment | RAF West Raynham | Various |
| Instrument Training Flight | RAF West Raynham | Meteor/Mosquito |
|
Northern Sector |
||
| No 146 Signals Unit | Bempton | CHL, CHEL Station |
| RAF Station Church Fenton | ||
| No 19/152 Sqn | RAF Church Fenton | Meteor |
| No 609 (West Yorkshire) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Church Fenton | Vampire |
| No 573 Signals Unit | Danby Beacon | CH (C & M) |
| No 545 Signals Unit | Easington | CHEL Station |
| No 854 Signals Unit | Humberstone | CHL Station |
| RAF Station Linton-on-Ouse | ||
| No 66/111 Sqn | RAF Linton-on-Ouse | Meteor |
| No 92 Sqn | RAF Linton-on-Ouse | Meteor |
| No 264/79 Sqn | RAF Linton-on-Ouse | Mosquito |
| No 3508 (County of Northumberland) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | RAF Long Benton | |
| No 236 Signals Unit | Northstead | GCI Station |
| No 696 Signals Unit | Orby | GCI Station |
| No 607 (County of Durham) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Ouston | Spitfire, station in Home Command |
| Sector Operations Centre | RAF Patrington | |
| No 59 Signals Unit | Seaton Snook | GCI Station |
| No 950 Signals Unit | Skendleby | CHEL Station |
| No 191 Signals Unit | Staxton Wold | CH Station |
| No 178 Signals Unit | Stenigot | CH Station |
| No 3505 (East Riding) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | RAF Sutton-on-Hull | Station in TTC |
| No 608 (North Riding) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Thornaby | Vampire, station in Home Command |
| No 3608 (North Riding) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | RAF Thornaby | |
| No 3609 (West Yorkshire) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | RAF Yeadon | Station in Home Command |
|
Eastern Sector |
||
| No 344 Signals Unit | Bard Hill | CHL (+ CMH) Station |
| RAF Station Coltishall | ||
| No 23/151 Sqn | RAF Coltishall | Vampire/Mosquito |
| No 141/42 Sqn | RAF Coltishall | Mosquito |
| No 616 (South Yorkshire) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Finningley | Meteor, station in FTC |
| No 745 Signals Unit | Happisburgh | CHL Station |
| No 430 Signals Unit | High Street, Darsham | CH Station (Rebuilding) |
| No 605 (County of Warwick) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Honiley | Vampire, station in Home Command |
| RAF Station Hooton Park | ||
| No 610 (County of Chester) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Hooton Park | Meteor |
| No 611 (West Lancashire) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Hooton Park | Meteor |
| No 250 Signals Unit | Hopton | CHL (+ CMH), CHEL Station |
| RAF Station Horsham St Faith | ||
| No 74/34 Sqn | RAF Horsham St Faith | Meteor |
| No 245/266 Sqn | RAF Horsham St Faith | Meteor |
| No 966 Signals Unit | RAF Langtoft | GCI Station |
| Sector Operations Centre | RAF Neatishead | |
| RAF Station North Luffenham | Administered by RCAF | |
| No 410 (RCAF) Sqn | RAF North Luffenham | Vampire |
| No 3504 (County of Nottingham) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Nottingham | |
| No 3620 (County of Norfolk) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Old Catton, Norwich | |
| No 3506 (County of Northampton) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Peterborough | |
| No 613 (City of Manchester) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | Ringway | Spitfire, station in Home Command |
| No 353 Signals Unit | Stoke Holy Cross | CH Station |
| No 43 Signals Unit | Trimmingham | CHEL Station |
| No 820 Signals Unit | West Beckham | CH (+ CMH), CHEL Station |
| RAF Station Wymeswold | ||
| No 504 (County of Nottingham) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Wymeswold | Meteor |
|
Western Sector |
||
| No 197 Signals Unit | Ballywooden | GCI Station |
| No 3502 (Ulster) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Belfast | |
| No 3613 (City of Manchester) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Bowlee | Station in Home Command |
| No 3614 (County of Glamorgan) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Cardiff (Llandaff) | Station in Home Command |
| No 3605 (County of Warwick) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Castle Bromwich | Station in Home Command |
| No 3611 (West Lancashire) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Fazakerley | Station in Home Command |
| No 17 Signals Unit | Hack Green | GCI Station |
| Sector HQ | Longley Lane | |
| No 3509 (County of Stafford) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Stoke-on-Trent | |
|
Scottish Sector |
||
| No 602 (City of Glasgow) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RNAS Abbotsinch | Vampire |
| No 3612 (County of Aberdeen) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Aberdeen | |
| No 502 (Ulster) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Aldergrove | Vampire, station in Coastal Command |
| No 3602 (City of Glasgow) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | RAF Bishopsbriggs | Station in Home Command |
| No 51 Signals Unit | Douglas Wood | CH |
| No 633 Signals Unit | Drone Hill | CH |
| No 3511 (City of Dundee) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Dundee | |
| No 3603 (City of Edinburgh) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Edinburgh | |
| No 612 (County of Aberdeen) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Edzell | Vampire, station in Maintenance Command |
| No 3510 (County of Inverness) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF | Inverness | |
| RAF Station Leuchars | ||
| Sector Operations Centre | RAF Leuchars | |
| No 43/17 Sqn | RAF Leuchars | Meteor |
| No 222 Sqn | RAF Leuchars | Meteor |
| No 151 Sqn | RAF Leuchars | Vampire |
| RAF Station Barnton Quarry | Satellite, Leuchars | |
| No 980 Signals Unit | Macmerry | GCI Station |
| No 603 (City of Edinburgh) Sqn (Cadre) RAuxAF | RAF Turnhouse | Vampire, station in Home Command |
Fighter Command, Inactive Stations
| Inactive Station | Parent Station | Status |
| Beachey Head (Radar) | Wartling | R |
| Beccles | Horsham St Faith | R |
| Benacre (Radar) | Horsham St Faith | S |
| Birch | Wattisham | S |
| Boxted | Wattisham | R |
| Bradwell Bay | Wattisham | S |
| Branscombe (Radar) | Chivenor | S |
| Burn | Church Fenton | S |
| Castle Camps | Stradishall | S |
| Charlton Horethorne | Old Sarum | S |
| Chedburgh | Stradishall | S |
| Chipping Onger | North Weald | S |
| Cockburnspath (Radar) | R | |
| Cocklaw (Radar) | R | |
| Creswell (Radar) | Acklington | R |
| Debach | Bentwaters | S |
| Dunsfold | Odiham | R |
| Dymchurch (Radar) | West Malling | S |
| Earls Colne | Wattisham | S |
| East Moor | Linton-on-Ouse | R |
| Elvington | Linton-on-Ouse | S |
| Eshott | Acklington | S |
| Foreness (Radar) | Sandwich | R |
| Framlingham | Bentwaters | S |
| Fullarton (Radar) | R | |
| Goldsborough (Radar) | R | |
| Great Bromley (Radar) | Felixstowe | S |
| Great Massingham | West Raynham | R |
| Halesworth | Bentwaters | S |
| Hardwick | Horsham St Faith | R |
| Hartland Point (Radar) | Chivenor | R |
| Hawkshill Down | West Malling | S |
| Kingsgarth (Radar) | R | |
| Langer | Newton | S |
| Lasham | Odiham | R |
| Lavenham | Stradishall | R |
| Leicester East | Wymeswold | S |
| Leiston | Bentwaters | S |
| Little Walden | Duxford | S |
| Ludham | Coltishall | S |
| Merryfield | Chivenor | R |
| Northan (Radar) | Chivenor | S |
| Rattlesden | Wattisham | S |
| Raydon | Wattisham | S |
| St Lawrence (Radar) | Ventnor | S |
| Souhtborne (Radar) | Sopley | S |
| Sunbury | Wattisham | S |
| Tarrant Rushton | Old Sarum | R |
| Thorpeness (Radar) | Wattisham | S |
| Walton-on-Naze (Radar) | Felixstowe | S |
| Winterton | Coltishall | S |
| Wrafton (Radar) | Chivenor | R |
| Wratting Common | Stradishall | S |
S = Surplus to long-term requirements
R = Retention is currently required
Source - SD161 (134th Edition) - November 1951
County names used are those in use at the time
[Command HQ | No 11 Group | No 12 Group | Inactive Stations]
This page was last updated on 29/07/23©