RAF Docking

Royal Air Force Docking or more simply RAF Docking is a former Royal Air Force station a few miles from Bircham Newton in Norfolk, England.

RAF Docking
Norwich, Norfolk in England
RAF Docking Shown within Norfolk
Coordinates	52°55′17″N 000°39′39″E
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Coastal Command
Site history
Built	1940
In use	July 1940-1958
Battles/wars	Second World War
Airfield information
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Grass

History

It was a satellite airfield for the RAF Coastal Command station at RAF Bircham Newton and was mostly used for overflow from there.

A grass airfield, with eight blister hangars and one A1 hangar, was laid out soon after the outbreak of war and the first squadron to operate from there was No. 235 Squadron RAF using Bristol Blenheims for convoy escort and anti-shipping operations in the North Sea. These were then replaced by the Lockheed Hudson.

A meteorological observation unit No. 405 Flight of Bomber Command was set up as part of the effort to gain important weather information. When Coastal Command took over all the meteorological units this became No. 1401 (Met) Flight and received a greater variety of aircraft. As well as Blenheims it operated Spitfires, Gloster Gladiator biplanes and Hawker Hurricanes. These aircraft were all used to take measurements of temperature and humidity; from 40,000 ft downwards in precise areas. In August 1942 the Flight was made into a Squadron - No. 521 - with Hudsons Hampdens, Mosquitos and Venturas. The squadron's Mosquitos would operate deep into occupied Europe to take measurements over target areas; known as "PAMPA". In 1944 the squadron moved to the other satellite for Bircham Newton, RAF Langham

Posted aircraft types

Several types of aircraft have operated out of Docking, among these:

• Avro Anson
• Airspeed Oxford
• Gloster Gladiator
• Bristol Beaufighter
• Vickers Wellington
• Lockheed Hudson
• Lockheed Ventura
• Supermarine Spitfire
• Hawker Hurricane

Posted units

Posted units:[1]

• No. 22 Blind Approach Training Flight RAF
• No. 27 Air Crew Holding Unit RAF
• No. 53 Squadron RAF
• No. 143 Squadron RAF
• No. 221 Squadron RAF
• No. 225 Squadron RAF
• No. 235 Squadron RAF
• No. 254 Squadron RAF
• No. 268 Squadron RAF
• No. 304 Polish Bomber Squadron
• No. 401 Meteorological Flight RAF
• No. 407 Squadron RAF
• No. 415 Squadron RAF
• No. 502 Squadron RAF
• No. 521 Squadron RAF
• No. 524 Squadron RAF
• 812 Naval Air Squadron
• 855 Naval Air Squadron
• No. 1401 Meteorological Flight RAF
• No. 1522 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF
• No. 1525 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF
• No. 1693 (General Reconnaissance) Flight RAF
• No. 2731 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 2749 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 2765 Squadron RAF Regiment
• Air Sea Rescue Training Unit RAF
• Warwick Training Unit RAF

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations
• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Citations

1. "Docking". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 April 2020.

Bibliography

• Norfolk Airfields in the Second World War Graham Smith, Countryside Books, 1997.

External links

• Control Towers - RAF Docking
• Airfield Archeology - RAF Docking
• Bircham Newton Memorial Project