HMS Hornbill
Encyclopedia
RNAS Culham was a Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) near Culham
, Oxfordshire
. It opened in 1944 as an Aircraft Receipt and Despatch Unit for the Royal Navy
.
The ground layout was typical of many bomber stations, with three runways. However it had a large number of hangar
s which were sited mostly around the field's perimiter. Initially HMS Hornhill was used to train reservists based in the Thames Valley area using several different types of aircraft including Supermarine Seafire
s, Sea Fury
s and Harvards
. In May 1947 the Photographic Trials and Development Unit was based at HMS Hornbill, and in 1951 No. 1840 Naval Air Squadron operated from the airfield for a short time.
The airfield closed on 30 September 1953 and the Admiralty
subsequently used it as a storage facility. In 1960 the airfield was transferred to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
for use in nuclear and atomic research. The Joint European Torus
(JET) high energy nuclear physics project is now based at the site.
RAF Beccles was a temporary lodging area under Culham's administration, and as such was called HMS Hornbill II.
Culham
Culham is a village and civil parish on the north bank of the River Thames, just over south of Abingdon in Oxfordshire.-Manor:The toponym comes from the Old English Cula's hamm, referring to the village's position in a bend of the Thames...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. It opened in 1944 as an Aircraft Receipt and Despatch Unit for the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
The ground layout was typical of many bomber stations, with three runways. However it had a large number of hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s which were sited mostly around the field's perimiter. Initially HMS Hornhill was used to train reservists based in the Thames Valley area using several different types of aircraft including Supermarine Seafire
Supermarine Seafire
The Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire.-Origins of the Seafire:...
s, Sea Fury
Hawker Sea Fury
The Hawker Sea Fury was a British fighter aircraft developed for the Royal Navy by Hawker during the Second World War. The last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy, it was also one of the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built.-Origins:The Hawker Fury was an...
s and Harvards
T-6 Texan
The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
. In May 1947 the Photographic Trials and Development Unit was based at HMS Hornbill, and in 1951 No. 1840 Naval Air Squadron operated from the airfield for a short time.
The airfield closed on 30 September 1953 and the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
subsequently used it as a storage facility. In 1960 the airfield was transferred to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is a UK government research organisation responsible for the development of nuclear fusion power. It is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and was formerly chaired by Lady Barbara Judge CBE...
for use in nuclear and atomic research. The Joint European Torus
Joint European Torus
JET, the Joint European Torus, is the largest magnetic confinement plasma physics experiment worldwide currently in operation. Its main purpose is to open the way to future nuclear fusion experimental tokamak reactors such as ITER and :DEMO....
(JET) high energy nuclear physics project is now based at the site.
RAF Beccles was a temporary lodging area under Culham's administration, and as such was called HMS Hornbill II.