RAF Angle
Royal Air Force Angle or more commonly RAF Angle, is a former Royal Air Force station located on the Angle Peninsula Coast, west of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was operational from 1 June 1941 to 11 July 1946, having been used by both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.
The village of Angle is north of the airfield, which is located along the coast. Notable landmarks are, Freshwater West beach to the south of the airfield, and the St. Gowans lightship, south of Linney Head.
The airfield opened as a RAF Fighter Command forward airfield, within No. 10 Group RAF as part of the Fairwood Common Sector. During the previous year the Luftwaffe had attacked Pembroke Docks and Milford Haven with the freedom from any consequences of air defences, causing a furore at high levels of state, and highlighting the need for anti-aircraft operations for the whole of the area.
History
Location
During 1940 the area around the Angle Peninsula Coast was selected for development into an operational air base, to be located south of the village and community of Angle, Pembrokeshire. Construction of the airfield involved some road closures. Hedges were removed, along with some levelling and drainage work. The site of the airfield covered most of the plateau, and by the summer of 1941 an airfield, although still incomplete, was ready for use.Station design
Angle airfield was constructed with six fighter dispersal pens, each with room for four Spitfire aircraft, which were located on the south east side, and the watchtower was in one of the corners of the airfield, facing south-west. The airfield had three runways, constructed in a triangular pattern, measuring: 1463 m long, 914 m long, and 1097 m long. Angle had one T2 hangar and four Blister hangars. A battle headquarters was installed and the airfield was defended by a windmill, converted into a pillbox.There was no initial accommodation built to house any RAF Officers, it was designed for 106 SNCOs with 126 other ranks. The Women's Auxiliary Air Force accommodation catered for 10 SNCO and 50 other ranks.
RAF Fighter Command
The airfield opened on the 1 June 1941, designed as a fighter airfield for convoy escort and air patrols. It was initially used by No. 32 Sqn flying Hawker Hurricane Mk.I aircraft, arriving from RAF Pembrey and then relocating in the November to RAF Manston. They were replaced by No. 615 Sqn, moving in the opposite direction from Manston in the same month, which operated Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc aircraft. On the 1 December 1941, RAF Angle was designated as a forward base under No. 10 Group RAF, Fairwood Common Fighter Command Sector, taking on the responsibility of the air defence for the whole of South and West Wales and the protection of convoys in the Bristol and St George's Channels.The airfield on the peninsula was a windswept site. The landing area sloped down to the cliff edge of the mouth of the Bristol Channel. Strong gales caused damage to the aircraft servicing hangars; large earth banks were built up to provide some shelter to the aircraft and protect the servicing crews, however, in depth engineering inspections were done at either RAF Fairwood Common or RAF Carew Cheriton.
No. 615 Sqn left for RAF Fairwood Common in January 1942. Several Squadrons followed: No. 312 Sqn equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire Vb aircraft replaced 615 Sqn and operated out of RAF Angle until April. Next to be stationed here was No. 263 Sqn which used the twin-engine Westland Whirlwind I aircraft. 263 Sqn remained until August 1942, when it departed for RAF Colerne. Next came No. 152 Sqn, equipped with Supermarine Spitfire, but left in September. Then from November to January 1943 No. 421 Sqn RCAF occupied the base, operating Supermarine Spitfire Vb. January and February 1943 saw the fighter cover provided by No. 412 Sqn RCAF also flying Supermarine Spitfire Vb.
The next use of the air station saw a detachment of Armstrong Whitworth Whitley aircraft and Airspeed Horsa military gliders stationed at RAF Angle in April 1943, for exercises with the 9th Parachute Battalion.
Royal Navy
RAF Angle was transferred to the Admiralty, on the 1 May 1943, from No. 19 Group RAF. 794 Naval Air Firing Unit was posted here, conducting target towing duties. with the air station being renamed Royal Naval Air Station Angle. 759 Advanced Flying School sent a detachment here, in July 1943, from RNAS Yeovilton.The radio signal communication between the Fleet Air Arm flying units and the control at RNAS Angle, clashed with the Royal Air Force signals between the controls at RAF Coastal Command stations: RAF Pembroke Dock, and RAF Carew Cheriton, and their respective aircraft. This resulted with the need for the Royal Navy to leave the Angle peninsula which had RAF Pembroke Dock on its northern edge.
On 5 September 1943, RAF Dale was transferred to the Admiralty in exchange for RNAS Angle, from No. 19 Group RAF, with the Coastal Command Development Unit moving in. 794 NAS left Angle for Dale, in September and 759 NAS departed Angle, in November 1943.
RAF Coastal Command
The Coastal Command Development Unit RAF arrived at RAF Angle in September 1943. Its role was to undertake anti-submarine warfare trials. Once these were completed the unit left for RAF Thorney Island in January 1945. The CCDU was joined by the No. 1 Engine Control Demonstration Unit RAF in April 1944. In June it became known as the Engine Control Instructional Flight RAF and also departed in January 1945.Bouncing bomb
During October 1943 RAF Angle was used by specially adapted de Havilland Mosquito aircraft, involved in trials with a new type of depth charge developed by Barnes Wallis, a bouncing bomb code-named Highball. Highball was a spherical design with dimples by Barnes Wallis and two were carried by de Havilland Mosquito aircraft, dropped either singly or in a salvoed pair.On 6 October 1943, a Mosquito of No. 618 Sqn, took off from RAF Angle, it was flown by Sqn Ldr Longbottom and carried a prototype Highball bouncing bomb. The south portal of Castle Hill Tunnel, on the North Pembrokeshire and Fishguard Railway acted as the target for the trial and he managed to get four out of twelve to go through the tunnel, whilst two hit the portal.