RAF Angle was a World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 RAF

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

 station in South West Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

, near the village of Angle, Pembrokeshire

Angle, Pembrokeshire

Angle is a village and Community located on a narrow peninsula on the very southwest tip of Wales in Pembrokeshire. It has two public houses, a school, post office, a castle, St Mary's church and a sandy beach to the west of the village. The nearest viable rail station is Pembroke, from where there...

. It was opened in December 1941 and closed in early 1945.

It was initially used by 32 Squadron flying the Hurricane I. In November 1941 they were replaced by 615 Squadron, and the Hurricane IIC. Several Squadrons followed: 312 Squadron flew the Spitfire VB, 263 Squadron with the Whirlwind, then 152, 421 and 412 Squadrons occupied the base, flying the Spitfire VB.

In September 1943 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...

 moved from Angle to the RNAS at Dale, Pembrokeshire

Dale, Pembrokeshire

Dale is a small village and community in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, located on the Dale Peninsula which forms the northern side of the entrance to Milford Haven estuary. The village has 205 inhabitants according to the 2001 census.-History:...

, and the RAF swapped sites in the other direction.

The airfield was used as the base for trials of the prototype Highball bouncing bomb

Bouncing bomb

A bouncing bomb is a bomb designed specifically to bounce to a target across water in a calculated manner, in order to avoid obstacles such as torpedo nets, and to allow both the bomb's speed on arrival at the target and the timing of its detonation to be pre-determined...

 on 6 October 1943 using a tunnel at Maenclochog

Maenclochog

Maenclochog is a small village in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales. It lies at the south of the Preseli Hills, about one mile southeast of the village of Rosebush.Researchers believe to have found the remains of a 13th Century castle at Maenclochog...

 as a target. Highball was a spherical design with dimples by Barnes Wallis

Barnes Wallis

Sir Barnes Neville Wallis, CBE FRS, RDI, FRAeS , was an English scientist, engineer and inventor. He is best known for inventing the bouncing bomb used by the RAF in Operation Chastise to attack the dams of the Ruhr Valley during World War II...

 and were dropped by a de Havilland Mosquito

De Havilland Mosquito

The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...

aircraft.