RAF Inverness

Royal Air Force Inverness or more simply RAF Inverness is a former Royal Air Force station located by the Moray Firth in Highland, Scotland. It was also known as RAF Longman and previously Longman Airfield.

RAF Longman
RAF Inverness
Inverness, Highland in Scotland
RAF Inverness is located in Highland
RAF Inverness
RAF Inverness
Shown within Scotland Highlands
RAF Inverness is located in the United Kingdom
RAF Inverness
RAF Inverness
RAF Inverness (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates57°29′20″N 4°13′07″W
TypeRoyal Air Force station
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command
ConditionDemolished, now Industrial Estate
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
In use1940-1945 (1945)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Garrison information
GarrisonNo. 13 (Fighter) Group

History

Longman Airfield was built in 1933 by the local council as a civilian airport for Highland Airways to link Orkney and Wick to Inverness and its major rail links. The airfield was converted to a Royal Air Force base at the Outbreak of World War II, but didn't officially become an RAF base until 1941. The airfield was identified by German reconnaissance units which incorrectly noted it as a seaplane base, which probably saved Inverness from any major bombing by the Luftwaffe.[1]

During the war, Scottish Airways, the successor to Highland Airways, continued to use the airfield for intensive civilian operations supporting the Orkney and Shetland Isles.[2]

Under the command of No. 13 (Fighter) Group, it hosted No. 70 (Signals) Wing Calibration Flight between 17 February 1941 and 25 August 1945.[3]

Operational Squadrons & Aircraft
UnitFromToAircraftVersionNotes
No. 241 Squadron RAFSep 1940Apr 1942Westland LysanderMK. IIFormed from 'A' Flight of 614 Squadron.
No. 289 Squadron RAF1 May 1939Sep 1939Avro Anson ?
No. 309 Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance SquadronSupermarine SpitfireMk. I
No. 526 Squadron RAFJune 19431 May 1945Airspeed OxfordMK. IAbsorbed into 527 Squadron
No. 527 Squadron RAF1 May 19458 Nov 1945de Havilland Dominie
No. 598 Squadron RAF1 Dec 194312 Mar 1945Airspeed OxfordMk. II
No. 614 Squadron RAF 'A' flight8 Jun 19405 Mar 1941Westland LysanderMk. IIBecame 241 Squadron
782 Naval Air Squadron[4]

Other units
  • No. 14 Group Target Towing Flight RAF (October – November 1941)[5] became No. 1491 (Target Towing) Flight RAF (December 1941)[6]
  • No. 1 (Coastal) Engine Control Demonstration Unit RAF (October – November 1943)[7]
  • No. 1 Radio Servicing Section Calibration Flight RAF (November 1940 – February 1941)[8] became No. 70 Wing Calibration Flight RAF (February 1941 – June 1943)[9]
  • No. 13 Group Communication Flight RAF (July 1943 – December 1945)[10]
  • No. 14 Group Communication Flight RAF (July 1940 – July 1943)[10]
  • Detachment of No. 1479 (Anti-Aircraft Cooperation) Flight RAF (August & November 1943)[11]
Longman Aerodrome c.1947, Junkers Ju 52 in mid right

Following the war it was converted to general use under the title Longman Airfield until Inverness Airport at Dalcross became the primary hub in 1947, due to Longman being regarded as too small for safe operations. Prior to its closure, it was served by British European Airways, and its fleet of captured ex-Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 52. It is believed that for some time Hitler's personal Ju 52 (registration D-2600) was stored at Longman after the war.

References

Citations
  1. "Forgotten airfields". forgottenairfields.com. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  2. Lo Bao, Phil; Hutchison, Iain (2002). BEAline to the Islands. Erskine, Scotland: Kea Publishing. p. 99. ISBN 0951895842.
  3. RAFWeb.org (Retrieved 30 September 2009)
  4. "Longman (Inverness)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  5. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 188.
  6. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 136.
  7. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 94.
  8. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 254.
  9. Lake 1999, p. 290.
  10. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 182.
  11. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 134.

Bibliography
  • Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  • Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.
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