RAF Edzell
Encyclopedia
RAF Edzell is a former Royal Air Force
station located in one mile east of Edzell
, Angus
, Scotland
.
It was active for over fifty years, first as a RAF base during World War II
, and later on lease to the United States Navy
, From 1960 until its decommissioning in 1996, and final closure in 1997.
Its stock of 150 houses were sold off in 1999 to become a new, independent village called Edzell Woods.
It was also home to a Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), located in the southern quadrant formed between the crossing of the airfield's two 1500 m (4,921.3 ft) runways.
, and was disbanded in 1919. During the 1930s it operated as a civilian airfield, but the outbreak of World War II saw its return to service in 1940, as RAF Edzell. The airfield served as an aircraft maintenance facility, and by the end of the war held some 800 aircraft in reserve.
In the late 1950s the site was used as a motor racing circuit, however only few races were held before it was reopened. One of the last sports car races on the circuit was won by the future double World GP Champion Jim Clark
. The last motor racing meeting at Edzell took place on Saturday, June 20, 1959.
RAF Edzell reopened in 1960, forming part of the United States Navy
global High Frequency Direction Finding (HFDF) network, used to track various targets around the world. Up to 3,000 personnel were said to have been stationed at RAF Edzell. The ending of the Cold War, and advances in technology rendered the HF network obsolete, and the base closed in October 1997, by which time staffing levels had fallen to 300 local, and 700 military personnel. This marked the end of 37 years of US Navy operations and 85 years of RAF service.
From 1968 to 1978, US Navy staff from RAF Edzell also operated the Inverbervie CEW Radar Station, located a little over 10 mi (16.1 km) to the east on the headland at Inverbervie
.
£4 million was made available through the Central Challenge Fund over the following three years for a package of measures put forward by Angus and Aberdeenshire Councils, with the support of the Edzell Task Force, to strengthen the local economy following the withdrawal of the US Navy from RAF Edzell.
was formed on 1 June 1937 at RAF Dyce as an army co-operation unit of the Auxiliary Air Force
and was initially equipped with two-seat Avro Tutor training aircraft. In December 1937 it had received two-seat Hawker Hector
s Army co-operation aircraft, which were retained when the squadron converted from the Army Co-operation to the General Reconnaissance role. In July 1939 the squadron received Avro Anson
s which had room for four crew members and had a much better range, making them better suited for the reconnaissance role.
entered World War II
as a General Reconnaissance unit within RAF Coastal Command
, flying with the Ansons
. These were replaced from November 1940 with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
s, and from November 1942 these again gradually made (April 1943 saw the last Whitley leave the squadron) way for various marks of specially adapted General Reconnaissance (GR) versions of the Vickers Wellington
s, which the squadron continued to fly until the end of the war.
The squadron was disbanded on 9 July 1945 at RAF Langham
.
was reformed on 10 May 1946 at RAF Dyce as a fighter squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force
. Initially the squadron was equipped with Griffon-engined Supermarine Spitfire F.14s
and in November 1948 it got additional Merlin-engined Supermarine Spitfire LF.16e fighters. It converted to De Havilland Vampire FB.5s
in June 1951, flying these first from RAF Leuchars
and later from RAF Edzell and, when the runway was extended, again from RAF Dyce until disbandment on 10 March 1957, on the same day as all other flying units of the RAuxAF
.
Motto: Vigilando custodimus - 'We stand guard by vigilance'
Squadron Codes:
DJ Jul 1939 - Sep 1939
WL Sep 1939 - Aug 1943
8W Jul 1944 - Jul 1945, 1949 - Apr 1951
RAS May 1946 - 1949
(17 SSS) was originally constituted as the 17th Radar Squadron (17th RS), and activated, on 1 Nov 1966. The 17th SS operated a radar sensor for the USAF Spacetrack System, first in New Jersey
then later tracking People's Republic of China
missile launches and southerly launches from the Soviet Union
from Thailand
, until its deactivation in May 1976.
It reactivated as the 17th Surveillance Squadron (17th SS) on 1 Aug 1982, the unit provided low-altitude space surveillance until its subsequent deactivation in June 1989.
It Reactivated again in Oct 1993, as the newly designated 17th Space Surveillance Squadron
(17th SSS) operated sensors for the Low-Altitude Space Surveillance System, until its final deactivation and closure of RAF Edzell in 1996.
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 located in one mile east of Edzell
Edzell
Edzell is a village in Angus, Scotland. It is located 5 miles north of Brechin, by the River North Esk. Edzell is a Georgian-era planned town, with a broad main street and a grid system of side streets. Originally called Slateford, Edzell was renamed in 1818 after an earlier hamlet, located 1.5...
, Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
It was active for over fifty years, first as a RAF base during 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...
, and later on lease to the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, From 1960 until its decommissioning in 1996, and final closure in 1997.
Its stock of 150 houses were sold off in 1999 to become a new, independent village called Edzell Woods.
It was also home to a Circularly Disposed Antenna Array (CDAA), located in the southern quadrant formed between the crossing of the airfield's two 1500 m (4,921.3 ft) runways.
History
The airfield was first established to the east of the village during World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and was disbanded in 1919. During the 1930s it operated as a civilian airfield, but the outbreak of World War II saw its return to service in 1940, as RAF Edzell. The airfield served as an aircraft maintenance facility, and by the end of the war held some 800 aircraft in reserve.
In the late 1950s the site was used as a motor racing circuit, however only few races were held before it was reopened. One of the last sports car races on the circuit was won by the future double World GP Champion Jim Clark
Jim Clark
James "Jim" Clark, Jr OBE was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965....
. The last motor racing meeting at Edzell took place on Saturday, June 20, 1959.
RAF Edzell reopened in 1960, forming part of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
global High Frequency Direction Finding (HFDF) network, used to track various targets around the world. Up to 3,000 personnel were said to have been stationed at RAF Edzell. The ending of the Cold War, and advances in technology rendered the HF network obsolete, and the base closed in October 1997, by which time staffing levels had fallen to 300 local, and 700 military personnel. This marked the end of 37 years of US Navy operations and 85 years of RAF service.
From 1968 to 1978, US Navy staff from RAF Edzell also operated the Inverbervie CEW Radar Station, located a little over 10 mi (16.1 km) to the east on the headland at Inverbervie
Inverbervie
Inverbervie is a small town on the north-east coast of Scotland, south of Stonehaven, in the Aberdeenshire council area.The Inverbervie name derives from Inbhir Beirbhe, meaning Mouth of the River Bervie in Scottish Gaelic.-History:...
.
£4 million was made available through the Central Challenge Fund over the following three years for a package of measures put forward by Angus and Aberdeenshire Councils, with the support of the Edzell Task Force, to strengthen the local economy following the withdrawal of the US Navy from RAF Edzell.
Pre-War
No. 612 SquadronNo. 612 Squadron RAF
No. 612 Squadron RAF was originally formed in 1937 as an Army Co-operation unit, and flew during World War II in the General Reconnaissance role. After the war the squadron was reformed and flew in the Day Fighter role until disbanded in 1957. At present the squadron has a non-flying role as a...
was formed on 1 June 1937 at RAF Dyce as an army co-operation unit of the Auxiliary Air Force
Royal Auxiliary Air Force
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...
and was initially equipped with two-seat Avro Tutor training aircraft. In December 1937 it had received two-seat Hawker Hector
Hawker Hector
-See also:-Bibliography:* Air Transport Auxiliary Ferry Pilots Notes . Elvington, York, UK: Yorkshire Air Museum, 1996. ISBN 0-9512379-8-5....
s Army co-operation aircraft, which were retained when the squadron converted from the Army Co-operation to the General Reconnaissance role. In July 1939 the squadron received Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s which had room for four crew members and had a much better range, making them better suited for the reconnaissance role.
World War II
No. 612 SquadronNo. 612 Squadron RAF
No. 612 Squadron RAF was originally formed in 1937 as an Army Co-operation unit, and flew during World War II in the General Reconnaissance role. After the war the squadron was reformed and flew in the Day Fighter role until disbanded in 1957. At present the squadron has a non-flying role as a...
entered 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...
as a General Reconnaissance unit within RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
, flying with the Ansons
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
. These were replaced from November 1940 with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley was one of three British twin-engine, front line medium bomber types in service with the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of the Second World War...
s, and from November 1942 these again gradually made (April 1943 saw the last Whitley leave the squadron) way for various marks of specially adapted General Reconnaissance (GR) versions of the Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
s, which the squadron continued to fly until the end of the war.
The squadron was disbanded on 9 July 1945 at RAF Langham
RAF Langham
The former Royal Air Force Station Langham, more commonly known as RAF Langham was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, 15 miles North-West of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, from 1940 to 1961.-History:...
.
Post War
No. 612 squadronNo. 612 Squadron RAF
No. 612 Squadron RAF was originally formed in 1937 as an Army Co-operation unit, and flew during World War II in the General Reconnaissance role. After the war the squadron was reformed and flew in the Day Fighter role until disbanded in 1957. At present the squadron has a non-flying role as a...
was reformed on 10 May 1946 at RAF Dyce as a fighter squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Royal Auxiliary Air Force
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...
. Initially the squadron was equipped with Griffon-engined Supermarine Spitfire F.14s
Supermarine Spitfire (Griffon powered variants)
The Rolls-Royce Griffon engine was designed in answer to Royal Naval specifications which required an engine capable of generating good power at low altitudes...
and in November 1948 it got additional Merlin-engined Supermarine Spitfire LF.16e fighters. It converted to De Havilland Vampire FB.5s
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
in June 1951, flying these first from RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars 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.-Operations:...
and later from RAF Edzell and, when the runway was extended, again from RAF Dyce until disbandment on 10 March 1957, on the same day as all other flying units of the RAuxAF
Royal Auxiliary Air Force
The Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...
.
Motto: Vigilando custodimus - 'We stand guard by vigilance'
Squadron Codes:
DJ Jul 1939 - Sep 1939
WL Sep 1939 - Aug 1943
8W Jul 1944 - Jul 1945, 1949 - Apr 1951
RAS May 1946 - 1949
17th Space Surveillance Squadron (1982-1996)
The 17th Space Surveillance Squadron17th Space Surveillance Squadron
The United States Air Force's 17th Space Surveillance Squadron was a space surveillance unit located at RAF Edzell, Scotland. Before its inactivation, the 17th SSSoperated sensors for the Low-Altitude Surveillance System .-History:...
(17 SSS) was originally constituted as the 17th Radar Squadron (17th RS), and activated, on 1 Nov 1966. The 17th SS operated a radar sensor for the USAF Spacetrack System, first in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
then later tracking People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
missile launches and southerly launches from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
from Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, until its deactivation in May 1976.
It reactivated as the 17th Surveillance Squadron (17th SS) on 1 Aug 1982, the unit provided low-altitude space surveillance until its subsequent deactivation in June 1989.
It Reactivated again in Oct 1993, as the newly designated 17th Space Surveillance Squadron
17th Space Surveillance Squadron
The United States Air Force's 17th Space Surveillance Squadron was a space surveillance unit located at RAF Edzell, Scotland. Before its inactivation, the 17th SSSoperated sensors for the Low-Altitude Surveillance System .-History:...
(17th SSS) operated sensors for the Low-Altitude Space Surveillance System, until its final deactivation and closure of RAF Edzell in 1996.