RAF Banff WW2 airforce base.

[Capt Lightning]

Went for a walk today round 'Boyndie Drome' the local name for the WW2 airforce base RAF Banff. This was situated on the north east coast of Scotland and initially was an advanced pilot training base. Later its role changed to the RAF strike wing, initially flying Mosquitoes and Beaufighter (torpedo bombers) against German shipping in the Norwegian fjords. The Beaufighters were moved to the neighbouring RAF Dallaghy leaving Banff as a Mosquito only base.

The personnel at these bases were drawn from the UK, commonwealth and Norwegian forces, They were in ...

• 333 / 334 Squadron Norwegian air force
• 489 Squadron Royal New Zealand air force
• 404 Squadron Royal Canadian air force
• 445 Squadron Royal Australian air force

Bristol Beaufighter at RAF Banff.


Note Banff in Canada is named after Banff in Scotland. The first president of the Canadian Pacific railroad came from Banff in Scotland and the city was named in his honour.

The base is now the site of a 'wind farm' generating 16 Megawatts power for the national grid.

 

[Trila]

Went for a walk today round 'Boyndie Drome' the local name for the WW2 airforce base RAF Banff. This was situated on the north east coast of Scotland and initially was an advanced pilot training base. Later its role changed to the RAF strike wing, initially flying Mosquitoes and Beaufighter (torpedo bombers) against German shipping in the Norwegian fjords. The Beaufighters were moved to the neighbouring RAF Dallaghy leaving Banff as a Mosquito only base.

The personnel at these bases were drawn from the UK, commonwealth and Norwegian forces, They were in ...

• 333 / 334 Squadron Norwegian air force
• 489 Squadron Royal New Zealand air force
• 404 Squadron Royal Canadian air force
• 445 Squadron Royal Australian air force

Bristol Beaufighter at RAF Banff.
View attachment 207670

Note Banff in Canada is named after Banff in Scotland. The first president of the Canadian Pacific railroad came from Banff in Scotland and the city was named in his honour.

The base is now the site of a 'wind farm' generating 16 Megawatts power for the national grid.

That is so interesting!

 

[Capt Lightning]

Just off the village square is a small car repair business in an old looking corrugated iron building. This, I learnt , came originally from a WW 1 airfield. This was part of Royal Naval Air Service and flew airships for naval reconnaissance. This started my interest in looking out for disused wartime airfields and I was surprised at the number along the Scottish coast. I've marked RAF Banff which I mentioned in an earlier post.

These bases were a mix of training, maintenance, flying instruction, storage and in the war against the Germans in Norway.

A couple of points.. At the bottom left of the map, some bases are marked in green. These were shared UK and USA bases.
South of Glasgow, is Prestwick airport. This is the only place that Elvis set foot on British soil in March 1960 when returning from Germany.
Prestwick at that time was the home of 1631 USAF unit.




Elvis lands at Prestwick, Scotland