RAF Bradwell Bay

RAF Bradwell Bay is a former Royal Air Force station located 9.5 miles (15.3 km) east of Maldon, Essex, England and 3.1 miles (5 km) south west of West Mersea, Essex.

RAF Bradwell Bay
RCAF Douglas Boston Mk III taxiing at RAF Bradwell Bay in 1942
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex
Built	1940
In use	1941-1946
Elevation AMSL	30 ft / 9 m
Coordinates	51°44′07″N 000°54′06″E
Map
RAF Bradwell Bay Location in Essex
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 04/22 0 0 Concrete 10/28 0 0 Concrete 16/34 0 0 Concrete

The memorial to aircrews from the airfield who were lost during World War 2. The reason for the Mosquito aeroplane is that many squadrons based at the airfield during WW2 had re-equipped with the type.

History

The central area of the current airfield was first laid down before WW2 as a grass-surfaced landing ground for the nearby Dengie firing ranges off the coast before being rebuilt from 1940 onwards as an enlarged RAF station with concrete runways, hangars and ancillary buildings.[1] The station is unique as it was the only fighter station where the Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO) was used.[2]

Based units

• No. 418 Squadron RCAF[3]
• No. 23 Squadron RAF[4]
• No. 29 Squadron RAF[5]
• No. 157 Squadron RAF[6]
• No. 247 Squadron RAF[7]
• No. 56 Squadron RAF[8]
• No. 198 Squadron RAF[9]
• No. 488 Squadron RAF[10]
• No. 605 Squadron RAF[11]
• No. 219 Squadron RAF[12]
• No. 278 Squadron RAF[13]
• No. 124 Squadron RAF[14]
• No. 501 Squadron RAF[15]
• No. 151 Squadron RAF[16]
• No. 287 Squadron RAF[17]
• No. 2 Armament Practice Station[18]
• No. 3 Fighter Command Servicing Unit[18]
• No. 5 Fighter Command Servicing Unit[18]
• No. 111 Wing RAF[18] (as a transport one)
• No. 134 (Czechoslovak) Wing RAF[18] (as a fighter one)
• No. 150 Airfield[18]
• No. 2727 Squadron RAF Regiment[18]
• No. 2730 Squadron RAF Regiment[18]
• No. 2739 Squadron RAF Regiment[18]
• No. 2831 Squadron RAF Regiment[18]
• No. 2840 Squadron RAF Regiment[18]

Current use

An area of the northern part of the site is occupied by the remains of the Bradwell nuclear power station, the Magnox element of which is currently being decommissioned. Several of the hangars are still used as storage by the local farmers and the control tower is now a private house. Agricultural buildings, built in the '70s and '80s on runways one and two, are now home to several local businesses. [19]

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Citations

1. "RAF Bradwell Bay airfield". Control Towers. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
2. "RAF Bradwell Bay". Wartime Memories. Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
3. Jefford 1988, p. 91.
4. Jefford 1988, p. 32.
5. Jefford 1988, p. 34.
6. Jefford 1988, p. 63.
7. Jefford 1988, p. 77.
8. Jefford 1988, p. 42.
9. Jefford 1988, p. 67.
10. Jefford 1988, p. 94.
11. Jefford 1988, p. 99.
12. Jefford 1988, p. 72.
13. Jefford 1988, p. 82.
14. Jefford 1988, p. 58.
15. Jefford 1988, p. 95.
16. Jefford 1988, p. 62.
17. Jefford 1988, p. 83.
18. "Bradwell Bay". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
19. "RAF Bradwell Bay". English Heritage - Pastscape. Retrieved 4 May 2012.

Bibliography

• Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons: A Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of All RAF Squadrons and Their Antecedents Since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6. OCLC 17981231.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

External links

• https://www.rafbradwellbay.co.uk
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/BradwellBay/
• https://broodyswar.wordpress.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/BradwellBayUtd/