RAF Heathfield - Aerodrome - avia.wikisort.org

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RAF Heathfield, sometimes known as RAF Ayr/Heathfield due to its proximity to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which was also used by military flights, is a former Royal Air Force station.

RAF Heathfield
~~RNAS Ayr (HMS Wagtail)~~
~~USAAF Station 570~~

Prestwick, South Ayrshire in Scotland

RAF Heathfield

Shown within South Ayrshire

RAF Heathfield

RAF Heathfield (the United Kingdom)

Coordinates

55°29′10″N 004°35′56″W

Type

Royal Air Force station
Parent Station

Code

AR[1]

Site information

Owner

Air Ministry

Operator

Royal Air Force
Royal Navy
United States Air Force

Controlled by

RAF Fighter Command 1941-
* No. 13 Group RAF

Site history

Built

1940

In use

April 1941-1946

Battles/wars

European theatre of World War II

Airfield information

Elevation

15 metres (49 ft)[1] AMSL

Runways
Direction	Length and surface
00/00	Tarmac/Asphalt
00/00	Tarmac/Asphalt
00/00	Tarmac/Asphalt

Like many other wartime airfields, its runways were of the triangular layout.

History

Royal Air Force use

The following units were posted here at some point:

No. 1 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 3 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 18 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 26 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 56 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 64 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 72 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 81 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 130 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 141 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 165 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 169 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 186 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 219 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 222 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 232 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 239 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 241 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 278 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 281 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 282 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 289 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF[2]
No. 313 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF[2]
No. 329 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 340 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 345 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 402 Squadron RCAF[2]
No. 406 Squadron RCAF[2]
No. 410 Squadron RCAF[2]
No. 438 Squadron RCAF[2]
No. 439 (Fighter Bomber) Squadron RCAF[2]
No. 440 (Fighter Bomber) Squadron RCAF[2]
No. 485 Squadron RNZAF[2]
No. 486 Squadron RNZAF[2]
No. 488 Squadron RNZAF[2]
No. 516 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 602 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 611 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 651 Squadron RAF[2]
No. 652 Squadron RAF[2]

Units

No. 8 Gliding School RAF (May 1944 - June 1945)[3]
Detachment from No. 13 Group Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Flight (1941)[4]
No. 22 (RCAF) (Fighter) Wing (January - February 1944)[5]
Detachment from No. 58 Operational Training Unit RAF (October 1942)[6]
No. 143 (RCAF) Airfield (January - March 1944)[7]
415th Night Fighter Squadron[2]
No. 1490 (Fighter) Gunnery Flight (April - October 1943)[8] then No. 14 Armament Practice Camp (October 1943 - September 1944)[9]
No. 1497 (Target Towing) Flight (June - July 1943)[10]

Royal Navy use

On 6 September 1944 Heathfield was handed over to the Royal Navy and was designated as HMS Wagtail. One runway was redesigned and used by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to practice aircraft carrier landings.

The following units were posted here at some point:

730 Naval Air Squadron[2]
740 Naval Air Squadron[2]
768 Naval Air Squadron[2]
770 Naval Air Squadron[2]
772 Naval Air Squadron[2]
800 Naval Air Squadron[2]
802 Naval Air Squadron[2]
808 Naval Air Squadron[2]
812 Naval Air Squadron[2]
815 Naval Air Squadron[2]
819 Naval Air Squadron[2]
821 Naval Air Squadron[2]
824 Naval Air Squadron[2]
825 Naval Air Squadron[2]
835 Naval Air Squadron[2]
837 Naval Air Squadron[2]
846 Naval Air Squadron[2]
848 Naval Air Squadron[2]
853 Naval Air Squadron[2]
860 Naval Air Squadron[2]
882 Naval Air Squadron[2]
885 Naval Air Squadron[2]
886 Naval Air Squadron[2]
889 Naval Air Squadron[2]
896 Naval Air Squadron[2]
899 Naval Air Squadron[2]
1770 Naval Air Squadron[11]
1771 Naval Air Squadron[12]
1840 Naval Air Squadron[13]
1841 Naval Air Squadron[14]
1843 Naval Air Squadron[15]
1845 Naval Air Squadron[16]
1846 Naval Air Squadron[16]
1850 Naval Air Squadron[17]

The site was used by the United States Air Force between 1951 and 1957 for storage.[2]

Current use

The site is now a mixture of housing, farmland and a golf club.[2]

References

Citations

Falconer 2012, p. 38.
"Ayr II (Heathfield)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 163.
Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 179.
Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 314.
Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 242.
Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 54.
Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 136.
Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 74.
Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 137.
Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 338.
Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 339.
Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 352.
Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 353.
Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 355.
Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 357.
Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 359.

Bibliography

Berry, P (2005) Prestwick Airport and Scottish Aviation
Falconer, J (1998). RAF Fighter Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allen Publishing. ISBN 0-7110-2175-9.
Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.
Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.
RAF Ayr entry at Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Ayr (HMS Wagtail) entry in Index of Naval Air Stations

Royal Air Force

Formations and units

Units	Commands Groups Wings Squadrons Flights Conversion units Operational Training units Schools / Training units Ferry units Glider units Misc units
Stations	Active Former Satellite Landing Grounds
Regiment	Wings Squadrons Flights

Branches and components

Air Force Board
RAF Regiment
RAF Chaplains Branch
RAF Intelligence
RAF Legal Branch
RAF Medical Services
Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service
RAF Police
RAF Search and Rescue Force
RAF Mountain Rescue Service
RAF Marine Branch
RAF Ground Trades

Reserve forces

Royal Auxiliary Air Force
RAF Volunteer Reserve

Associated civil organisations

Air Training Corps
RAF Association
RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine
RAF Benevolent Fund
RAF Football Association
RAF Museum

Equipment

List of RAF aircraft
List of RAF missiles

Personnel

Officer ranks
Other ranks
List of notable personnel
List of serving senior officers
Personnel numbers

Appointments

Chief of Air Staff
Assistant Chief of the Air Staff
Air Member for Personnel
Air Secretary
Air Member for Materiel
Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment
Warrant Officer of the RAF

Symbols and uniform

Ensign
Badge
Roundels
Uniform
Heraldic badges

History
Timeline
Future

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