| RAF Leuchars | |||
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| Station Crest of RAF Leuchars | |||
| IATA: ADX – ICAO: EGQL | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Military | ||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||
| Location | Leuchars, Fife, Scotland | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 38 ft / 12 m | ||
| Coordinates | 56°22′23″N 002°52′07″W / 56.37306°N 2.86861°W | ||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 04/22 | 4,803 | 1,464 | Asphalt |
| 09/27 | 8,491 | 2,588 | Asphalt |
RAF Leuchars (IATA: ADX, ICAO: EGQL) is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.
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Operations
RAF Leuchars is commanded by an Air Commodore instead of a Group Captain who would usually be given command of a base. This is because the base commander here also undertakes the role of Air Officer Scotland. The present base commander is Air Commodore R J Atkinson who takes over from Air Commodore Clive Bairsto.
Leuchars is currently home to the last squadron of Panavia Tornado F3s, No. 111 Squadron. 111 Sqn operate Quick Reaction Alert which was set up primarily to combat threats from Soviet attacks during the Cold War.
The station is also home to No. 125 Expeditionary Air Wing and the East of Scotland Universities Air Squadron (ESUAS) and XII Air Experience Flight (12 AEF) who both use a fleet of seven Tutor T1s.
Leuchars is also the base for No. 612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force (an air-transportable surgical squadron), an RAF Mountain Rescue Unit, and is the airfield of use for the local Air Training Corps units.
RAF Leuchars is the parent station to several remote units in the central Scotland area mainly the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron but also 661 and 662 Volunteer Gliding Squadrons.
The other operational UK air defence base since June 2007 is RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire which operates the Eurofighter Typhoon F2.
No 125 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) was formed at Leuchars on 1 April 2006. The wing encompasses most of the non-formed unit personnel and does not include the flying units based at the station. The station commander is dual-hatted as the commander of the wing.
Current structure
A third F3 Squadron, No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron, was disbanded in April 2008 in preparation for the arrival of the Typhoon, in 2010. Members of 56 squadron had temporarily joined 43 squadron until a 3 squadron arrangement is reinstated with the arrival of the Typhoon. The RAF Leuchars structure as of July 2009 is as follows:[1]
- 125 Expeditionary Air Wing
- 6 Forces Protection Wing
- Air Combat 1 Group
- 111 Fighter Squadron - operating Tornado F3
- Lodger Units
- Detached Units
History
WWI
Aviation at Leuchars dates back to 1911 with a balloon squadron of the Royal Engineers setting up a training camp in Tentsmuir Forest. They were soon joined in the skies by the 'string and sealing wax' aircraft of the embryo Royal Flying Corps; such aircraft favoured the sands of St Andrews, where not the least of the attractions was the availability of fuel from local garages.
Like so many RAF stations, the airfield itself owes its existence to the hot stimulus of war, and work began on levelling the existing site on Reres Farm in 1916. From the beginning, Leuchars was intended as a training unit, being termed a 'Temporary Mobilisation Station' taking aircrew from initial flying training through to fleet co-operation work. Building was still underway when the Armistice was signed in 1918. Most was made of Leuchars' maritime location when it was designated a Naval Fleet Training School, eventually to undertake the training of 'naval spotting' crews who acted as eyes for the Royal Navy's capital ships.
Inter War Years
The unit was formally named 'Royal Air Force Leuchars' in March 1920, but nevertheless retained its strong naval links.
As the Navy embraced the value of aviation, the aircraft carrier was added to its inventory. Many of the flights 'dedicated' to Leuchars were detached to such vessels for months at a time, with light and dark blue uniforms apparently mixing happily together. At St Andrews, the citizens were not unaware of the potential use of aviation and attempts were made to use aircraft as a means of transport for golfing enthusiasts. More successful were the barn-storming displays of the flying circuses which were extremely popular in the town.
In 1935 Leuchars became home to Number 1 Flying Training School (No 1 FTS) and ranges for practice bombing were established in Tentsmuir Forest. As the war clouds gathered over Europe its maritime position ensured that Leuchars would come to enjoy a more warlike role. No 1 FTS moved to Netheravon and the Station came under the control of Coastal Command. With the arrival of 224 and 233 Squadrons in August 1938 the Station enjoyed an operational rather than training role for the first time.
WWII
On the second day of the war a Hudson of 224 Squadron attacked a Dornier Do 18 over the North Sea with inconclusive results but became the first British aircraft to engage the enemy in World War II. Leuchars was not to secure the romantic image of a Battle of Britain station but rather settled to the routine of hour upon hour of maritime patrol. The contribution such unglamorous work made to the war effort should not be underestimated, and such patrolling played a crucial part in Britain's ultimate victory. In February 1940, application and endurance secured their just reward when another 224 Squadron Lockheed Hudson located the German prison ship the Altmark which allowed for its interception by HMS Cossack and the liberation of over 200 British prisoners.
Cold War
Leuchars remained an active Station to the end of the War, concentrating on anti-submarine and anti-shipping strikes. With the contraction of the Air Force in peacetime, life at Leuchars returned to a more gentle pace, hosting a school for general reconnaissance and the St Andrews University Air Squadron complete with de Havilland Tiger Moth. In May 1950 Leuchars entered the jet age as it passed from Coastal to RAF Fighter Command and Gloster Meteor of 222 Squadron made the Station their new home.
In 1954 the fixed wing aircraft had been joined by a flight of Bristol Sycamore helicopters for Search and Rescue duties. From the beginning, the Flight proved a valuable adjunct to the civilian mountain and maritime rescue services, a role which continues to this day.
As the Cold War reached its frostiest depths in the 1960s the development of long range aircraft allowed the Soviets regular incursion into British air space. Initially this was countered by the use of Lightning and, from 1969, Phantom aircraft. Again Leuchars' position made it ideally suited as a base to ensure the integrity of British air space. For over two decades Leuchars' aircraft have policed the UK air defence region, demonstrating the ability to intercept unidentified aircraft and thereby providing an effective deterrent. The guardianship of British air space is vested in the Tornado Interceptors of 111 squadron.
Post Cold War
April 2003 saw the Tornado F3 Conversion Unit (OCU), 56 (Reserve) Squadron, operating from RAF Leuchars. In April 2008 56 (Reserve) Squadron amalgamated with 43 (Fighter) Squadron. The new merged squadron was named No. 43 Squadron RAF, until it was disbanded in July 2009.[2]
Annual Airshow
RAF Leuchars is home to the annual Leuchars Airshow. This usually takes place on a Saturday in September. The 2007 Leuchars Airshow was cancelled due to resurfacing of the runway.[1]
Approximately 45,000 people attended the 2006 show to see displays including the Red Arrows, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Battle of Britain memorial flight. Air forces from many NATO countries provide additional static and flight displays.[3]
See also
References
- ^ Air Forces Monthly, April 2008 issue, pp. 44
- ^ http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive.cfm?storyid=78D68C59-5056-A318-A8F44260AA280134
- ^ "Airshow 2006.". DC Thomson. 11 September 2006. http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2006/09/11/newsstory8744728t0.asp.
External links
- RAF Leuchars homepage
- Airshow site.
- Airport information for EGQL at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.
- Review of Leuchars Airshow 2006
- Review of Leuchars Airshow 2005
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