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Fighter Command - April 1953


[Command HQ | No 11 Group | No 12 Group | No 81 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  
HQ (Unit) RAF Stanmore Park  
Film Production Unit Library RAF Stanmore Park Functionally controlled by Air Ministry (CIO)
Air Traffic Control Centre RAF Uxbridge Station in TTC
Air Traffic Control Centre RAF Watnall  

 

No 11 Group

HQ - Hillingdon

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
RAF Station Beaulieu (C & M)    
RAF Station Bentwaters   Administered by USAF
RAF Station Felixstowe    
Fighter Command Control Unit Heathrow (MCA)  
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)
RAF Station Shepherds Grove   Administered by USAF
Southern Sector
No 3617 (County of Hampshire) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Bournemouth  
RAF Station Box   Sector Operations Centre
HQ Southern Sector RAF Box  
No 909 Signals Unit RAF Comberton GCI
No 185 Signals Unit Drytree CH (C & M)
No 3512 (County of Devon (Exeter)) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Exeter  
No 690 Signals Unit Exminster GCI
RAF Station Filton    
No 501 (County of Gloucester) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Filton Vampire
HQ, No 6 RAF Police District (UK) RAF Filton Functionally controlled by DPM (UK)
No 508 Signals Unit Folly CH (C & M)
No 392 Signals Unit Haycastle Cross CH (C & M)
No 926 Signals Unit Hope Cove GCI
No 3614 (County of Glamorgan) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Cardiff (Llandaff) Station in Home Command
No 614 (County of Glamorgan) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Llandow Vampire, station in Maintenance Command
RAF Station Odiham    
No 54 Sqn RAF Odiham Vampire
No 247 Sqn RAF Odiham Meteor
No 3513 (County of Devon (Plymouth)) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Plymouth  
No 87 Signals Unit Poling CH
No 815 Signals Unit Portland (The Verne) CEW
No 703 Signals Unit Ringstead CH
No 3507 (County of Somerset) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF RAF Rudloe Manor Station in No 81 Group
No 383 Signals Unit Sennen CH (C & M)
No 227 Signals Unit RAF Sopley GCI
RAF Station Tangmere    
No 1 Sqn RAF Tangmere Meteor
No 29/22 Sqn RAF Tangmere Meteor
No 708 Signals Unit Trelanvean CH (C & M)
No 943 Signals Unit Trerew CH (C & M)
No 607 Signals Unit Truleigh Hill CHEL
No 23 Signals Unit Ventnor CH, CHL (+CMH), CHEL
No 620 Signals Unit West Prawle CH (C & M)
Metropolitan Sector
No 144 Signals Unit RAF Bawdsey CH, CHL, CHEL
No 880 Signals Unit Beachy Head  
RAF Station Biggin Hill    
No 41/253 Sqn RAF Biggin Hill Meteor
No 600 (City of London) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Biggin Hill Meteor
No 615 (Country of Surrey) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Biggin Hill Meteor
No 3701 Radar Reporting Unit RAuxAF Brighton  
No 749 Signals Unit Dunkirk CH
RAF Station Duxford    
No 64 Sqn RAF Duxford Meteor
No 65 Sqn RAF Duxford Meteor
HQ, No 4 RAF Police District (UK) RAF Duxford Functionally controlled by DPM (UK)
No 3618 (County of Sussex) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Eastbourne  
RAF Station Fairlight    
No 229 Signals Unit RAF Fairlight CHEL
No 993 Signals Unit Foreness CHEL
No 3619 (County of Suffolk) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Ipswich (Airfield)  
RAF Station Kelvedon   Sector Operations Centre
HQ Metropolitan Sector RAF Kelvedon  
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    
No 3500 (County of Kent) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Margate  
RAF Station North Weald    
No 72 Sqn RAF North Weald Vampire
No 601 (City of London) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF North Weald Meteor
No 604 (County of Middlesex) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF North Weald Meteor
No 860 Signals Unit Rye CH
No 1 Signals Unit St Margaret's Bay CEW
No 491 Signals Unit RAF Sandwich GCI
No 783 Signals Units RAF Trimley Heath  
No 919 Signals Unit RAF Wartling GCI
RAF Station Waterbeach  
No 56 Sqn RAF Waterbeach Meteor
No 63 Sqn RAF Waterbeach Meteor
Fighter Command Centralised Holding Unit RAF Waterbeach  
RAF Station Wattisham    
No 257 Sqn RAF Wattisham Meteor
No 263 Sqn RAF Wattisham Meteor
No 289 (Rifle) Sqn, RAF Regiment RAF Wattisham  
RAF Station West Malling Maidstone, Kent  
No 25 Sqn RAF West Malling Vampire
No 85 Sqn RAF West Malling Meteor
No 500 (County of Kent) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF West Malling Meteor
RAF Station Wethersfield   Administered by USAF

No 12 Group

HQ - RAF Newton, Nottinghamshire

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
RAF Station Blyton (C & M)    
RAF Station East Kirkby (C & M)    
RAF Station Kirknewton   Administered by the USAF
RAF Station Newton    
No 12 Group Communication Flight RAF Newton  
RAF Station Sandtoft (C & M)    
RAF Station Sturgate   Administered by the USAF
Central Fighter Establishment RAF West Raynham Various

Northern Sector

No 146 Signals Unit Bempton CHL, CHEL
RAF Station Church Fenton    
No 19/152 Sqn RAF Church Fenton Meteor
No 609 (West Yorkshire) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Church Fenton Meteor
No 573 Signals Unit Danby Beacon CH (C & M)
No 545 Signals Unit Easington CHEL
No 39 Signals Unit Goldsborough  
No 854 Signals Unit Humberstone CHL
RAF Station Linton-on-Ouse    
No 66 Sqn RAF Linton-on-Ouse Meteor
No 92 Sqn RAF Linton-on-Ouse Meteor
No 264 Sqn RAF Linton-on-Ouse Meteor
No 275 Sqn RAF Linton-on-Ouse Sycamore
RAF Station Long Benton    
No 3508 (County of Northumberland) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF RAF Long Benton  
No 671 Signals Unit Maidens Hall VHF/DF
RAF Station Ouston    
No 607 (County of Durham) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Ouston Vampire, station in Home Command
HQ, No 21 Wing, RAF Regiment RAF Ouston  
No 63 (Rifle) Sqn, RAF Regiment RAF Ouston  
No 194 (Rifle) Sqn, RAF Regiment RAF Ouston  
RAF Station Patrington    
No 59 Signals Unit Seaton Snook GCI
RAF Station Shipton   Sector Operations Centre
HQ Northern Sector RAF Shipton  
No 191 Signals Unit Staxton Wold CH
No 178 Signals Unit Stenigot CH
No 3505 (East Riding) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF RAF Sutton-on-Hull Station in TTC
No 608 (North Riding) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Thornaby Vampire, station in Home Command
No 3608 (North Riding) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF RAF Thornaby  
No 533 (Rifle) Sqn, RAF Regiment RAF Thornaby  
No 729 Signals Unit Woodlands VHF/DF
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 Bawburgh   Sector Operations Centre
HQ Eastern Sector RAF Bawburgh  
RAF Station Coltishall    
No 23 Sqn RAF Coltishall Vampire
No 141 Sqn RAF Coltishall Meteor
No 616 (South Yorkshire) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Finningley Meteor, station in FTC
No 745 Signals Unit Happisburgh CHL
No 430 Signals Unit High Street, Darsham CH (Rebuilding)
No 250 Signals Unit Hopton CHL (+ CMH), CHEL
RAF Station Horsham St Faith    
No 74/34 Sqn RAF Horsham St Faith Meteor
No 245 Sqn RAF Horsham St Faith Meteor
No 966 Signals Unit RAF Langtoft GCI
RAF Station Neatishead    
RAF Station North Luffenham   Administered by RCAF
HQ, No 1 Fighter Wing, RCAF RAF North Luffenham  
No 410 (RCAF) Sqn RAF North Luffenham  
No 439 (RCAF) Sqn RAF North Luffenham  
No 441 (RCAF) Sqn RAF North Luffenham  
No 3504 (County of Nottingham) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Nottingham  
No 3620 (County of Norfolk) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Old Catton, Norwich  
No 696 Signals Unit Orby GCI
No 3506 (County of Northampton) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Peterborough  
No 613 (City of Manchester) Sqn  RAuxAF Ringway Vampire, station in Home Command
No 950 Signals Unit Skendleby CHEL
No 353 Signals Unit Stoke Holy Cross CH
No 432 Signals Unit Trimmingham CHEL
No 820 Signals Unit West Beckham CH (+ CMH), CHEL
RAF Station Wymeswold    
No 504 (County of Nottingham) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Wymeswold Meteor

Western Sector

No 197 Signals Unit Ballywooden GCI
No 3502 (Ulster) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Belfast  
No 3613 (City of Manchester) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Bowlee 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
RAF Station Honiley    
No 605 (County of Warwick) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Honiley Vampire
RAF Station Hooton Park    
No 610 (County of Chester) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Hooton Park Meteor
No 611 (West Lancashire) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Hooton Park Meteor
RAF Station Longley Lane   Sector Operations Centre
HQ Western Sector RAF Longley Lane  
No 3509 (County of Stafford) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Stoke-on-Trent  

Caledonian Sector

No 602 (City of Glasgow) Sqn  RAuxAF RNAS Abbotsinch Vampire
No 502 (Ulster) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Aldergrove Vampire, station in Coastal Command
RAF Station Barnton Quarry   Sector Operations Centre
HQ Caledonian Sector RAF Barnton Quarry
No 3602 (City of Glasgow) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF RAF Bishopbriggs Station in Home Command
No 617 Signals Unit Crosslaw  
No 51 Signals Unit Douglas Wood CH
No 633 Signals Unit Drone Hill CH
No 3511 (City of Dundee) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Dundee  
RAF Station Dyce    
No 612 (County of Aberdeen) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Dyce Vampire
No 3612 (County of Aberdeen) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF RAF Dyce  
No 3603 (City of Edinburgh) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Edinburgh  
No 170 Signals Unit Hill Head CH (C & M)
No 3510 (County of Inverness) Fighter Control Unit RAuxAF Inverness  
Fighter Command Vanguard Flight RAF Kinloss Neptune, station in Coastal Command
RAF Station Leuchars  
No 43/17 Sqn RAF Leuchars Meteor
No 222 Sqn RAF Leuchars Meteor
No 151 Sqn RAF Leuchars Vampire
No 980 Signals Unit Macmerry GCI
No 625 Signals Unit School Hill CH (C & M)
RAF Station Turnhouse  
RAF Turnhouse Communication Sqn RAF Turnhouse  
No 603 (City of Edinburgh) Sqn  RAuxAF RAF Turnhouse Vampire
HQ, No 1 RAF Police District (UK) RAF Turnhouse Functionally controlled by DPM (UK)

No 81 Group

 
Unit Location/Address Notes
Armament Practice Station RAF Acklington  
No 229 Operational Conversion Unit RAF Chivenor Vampire
No 48 (Rifle) Sqn, RAF Regiment RAF Chivenor  
No 238 Operational Conversion Unit RAF Colerne  
RAF Colerne Communication Sqn RAF Colerne  
No 228 Operational Conversion Unit RAF Leeming Meteor
AOP School RAF Middle Wallop
No 657 Sqn RAF Middle Wallop  
No 1906 (AOP) Flight RAF Middle Wallop Hoverfly
No 288 Sqn RAF Middle Wallop  
School of Control and Reporting RAF Middle Wallop Spitfire
No 233 Operational Conversion Unit RAF Pembrey Vampire
HQ, No 81 Group RAF Rudloe Manor  
No 226 Operational Conversion Unit RAF Stradishall Meteor

 

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
Chipping Onger North Weald S
Cockburnspath (Radar)   R
Cocklaw (Radar)   R
Creswell (Radar) Acklington R
Debach Bentwaters S
Drem Turnhouse R
Dunsfold Odiham R
Dymchurch (Radar) West Malling S
Earls Colne Wattisham S
East Fortune Turnhouse R
East Moor Linton-on-Ouse R
Eshott Acklington S
Foreness (Radar) Sandwich R
Framlingham Bentwaters S
Fullarton (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
Hitcham Wattisham R
Kingsgarth (Radar)   R
Lasham Odiham R
Lavenham Stradishall R
Leicester East Wymeswold S
Leiston Bentwaters S
Little Walden Duxford S
Ludham Coltishall S
Northan (Radar) Chivenor S
Rattlesden Wattisham S
Raydon Wattisham S
St Lawrence (Radar) Ventnor S
Scorton Leeming S
Souhtborne (Radar) Sopley S
Sudbury Wattisham S
Thorpeness (Radar) Wattisham S
Walton-on-Naze (Radar) Felixstowe S
Winterton Coltishall S
Wrafton (Radar) Chivenor R

S = Surplus to long-term requirements

R = Retention is currently required

Source - SD161 (151st Edition) - April 1953

County names used are those in use at the time

[Command HQ | No 11 Group | No 12 Group | No 81 Group | Inactive Stations]

This page was last updated on 16/08/23©

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