RAF Angle

Royal Air Force Angle, or RAF Angle, is a former Royal Air Force station located on the Angle Peninsula Coast, 8 miles (13 km) west of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was operational from 1 December 1941 to the 1950s, having been used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy.

RAF Angle RNAS Angle HMS Goldcrest
Angle, Pembrokeshire in Wales
RAF Angle Shown within Pembrokeshire
Coordinates	51°40′28″N 005°05′54″W
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force Royal Navy
Controlled by	RAF Coastal Command Fleet Air Arm
Site history
Built	1941 (1941)
In use	1941-1950 (1950)
Battles/wars	Second World War
Airfield information
Elevation	63 metres (207 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete

History

It was initially used by No. 32 Squadron RAF flying the Hawker Hurricane I. In November 1941 they were replaced by 615 Squadron, and the Hurricane IIC. Several Squadrons followed: 312 Squadron flew the Supermarine Spitfire VB and 263 Squadron with the Westland Whirlwind.[1]

Next No. 152 Squadron RAF, No. 412 Squadron RCAF and No. 421 Squadron RCAF squadrons occupied the base, flying the Spitfire VB.[1]

During May 1943 794 Naval Air Squadron were posted here conducting target towing and the control of the airfield was transferred to the Royal Navy[2] with the site being renamed RNAS Angle (HMS Goldcrest).[3] However in September 1943 the Royal Navy moved from RNAS Angle to the RNAS Dale, and the RAF swapped sites in the other direction with the Coastal Command Development Unit moving in.[2]

The airfield was used as the base for trials of the prototype Highball bouncing bomb on 6 October 1943 using a tunnel at Maenclochog as a target. Highball was a spherical design with dimples by Barnes Wallis and were dropped by de Havilland Mosquito aircraft.[4]

Other units based at Angle were:

• No. 1 (Coastal) Engine Control Demonstration Unit[3] became the Engine Control Instructional Flight[3]
• Coastal Command Development Unit RAF from 1943 [2]

Between 1945 and the 1950s Angle was used as a Relief Landing Ground for Fleet Air Arm aircraft based at RNAS Brawdy.[3]

Posted squadrons

Squadron	Aircraft	Variant	From	To	To	Notes
No. 32 Squadron RAF	Hawker Hurricane	I/IIB	1 June 1941	27 November 1941	RAF Manston	[5]
No. 152 Squadron RAF	Supermarine Spitfire	VB	16 August 1942	27 September 1942	RAF Collyweston	[6]
No. 254 Squadron RAF						[3]
No. 263 Squadron RAF	Westland Whirlwind	I	18 April 1942	15 August 1942	RAF Colerne	Detachment at RAF Portreath.[7]
No. 312 Squadron RAF	Spitfire	IIB/VB	24 January 1942	18 April 1942	RAF Fairwood Common	Detachment at RAF Fairwood Common.[8]
No. 412 Squadron RCAF	Spitfire	VB	29 January 1943	8 February 1943	RAF Fairwood Common	[9]
No. 421 Squadron RCAF	Spitfire	VB	26 October 1942 14 November 1942 4 December 1942	1 November 1942 30 November 1942 29 January 1943	RAF Zeals RAF Charmy Down RAF Kenley	[10]
No. 615 Squadron RAF	Hurricane	IIB/IIC	27 November 1941	23 January 1942	RAF Fairwood Common	[11]
759 Naval Air Squadron						[3]
794 Naval Air Squadron			May 1943	September 1943	RNAS Dale	Target Towing.[2]

Current use

The site has reverted to farming[3] and only a few huts and the perimeter track are left.[2]

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations
• Angle, Pembrokeshire

References

Citations

1. Notes from Pembroke County War Memorial site
2. "Angle Airfield, Angle". National Monuments Record of Wales. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
3. "Angle". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
4. Photo and notes from Maenclochog Tunnel
5. Jefford 2001, p. 35.
6. Jefford 2001, p. 62.
7. Jefford 2001, p. 80.
8. Jefford 2001, p. 86.
9. Jefford 2001, p. 90.
10. Jefford 2001, p. 91.
11. Jefford 2001, p. 100.

Bibliography

• Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.