RAF Felixstowe

RAF Felixstowe
Felixstowe, Suffolk
A Consolidated Model 28-5 (P9630) moored
RAF Felixstowe
Coordinates	51°56′42″N 1°19′16″E / 51.945°N 1.321°E
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Controlled by	Royal Air Force
Site history
In use	1918-1962
Battles/wars	First World War Second World War

Royal Air Force Felixstowe or more simply RAF Felixstowe is a former Royal Air Force station located 2.7 miles (4.3 km) northeast of Harwich, Essex, England and 10.7 miles (17.2 km) southeast of Ipswich, Suffolk.

History

RNAS Felixstowe (1919)

F.2B Flying Boats at Felixstowe

Felixstowe was commissioned 5 August 1913 under the command of Captain C. E. Risk, RM as Seaplanes, Felixstowe followed by Lieutenant C. E. H. Rathborne, RN in 1914 and Lieutenant-Commander John Cyril Porte, RN 1915. RNAS Felixstowe was created soon after the outbreak of World War I following the formation of the Royal Naval Air Service, 1 July 1914.

On formation of the Royal Air Force 1 April 1918, the unit was renamed the Seaplane Experimental Station, Felixstowe and disbanded in June 1919. 'C', 'D' and 'E' Boat Seaplane Training Flights were all formed on 8 August 1918 and were disbanded during 1919 with no known aircraft operated while at Felixstowe.^[1][2][3]

RAF Felixstowe closed 21 June 1962.

The following units were posted here at some point:

• No. 22 Squadron RAF.^[4]
• No. 209 Squadron RAF.^[5]
• No. 210 Squadron RAF.^[5]
• No. 230 Squadron RAF.^[6]
• No. 231 Squadron RAF.^[6]
• No. 232 Squadron RAF.^[6]
• No. 247 Squadron RAF.^[7]
• No. 4 Communications Squadron.^[8]
• No. 26 Air/Sea Rescue Marine Craft Unit.^[9]
• No. 33 Air/Sea Rescue Marine Craft Unit.^[9]
• 76th (Operations) Wing.^[9]
• No. 85 Maintenance Unit RAF.^[9]
• No. 327 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[10]
• No. 328 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[10]
• No. 329 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[10]
• No. 330 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[10]
• No. 333 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[10]
• No. 334 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[10]
• No. 335 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[10]
• No. 336 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[10]
• No. 337 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[11]
• No. 339 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[11]
• No. 341 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF.^[11]
• No. 442 (Seaplane) Coastal Flight RAF.^[12]
• No. 1103 Marine Craft Base Unit RAF.^[9]
• No. 1103 Marine Craft Unit RAF.^[9]
• America School RAF.^[9]
• Far East Flight RAF.^[13]
• Flying Boat Development Flight RAF.^[14]
• High Speed Flight RAF.^[15]
• Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment (MAEE).^[16]
• Marine Aircraft Experimental Unit.^[17]

Current use

The site is now the Port of Felixstowe.^[9]

See also

• Seaplane Experimental Station
• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Citations

1. Lake 1999, p. 41.
2. Lake 1999, p. 56.
3. Lake 1999, p. 57.
4. Jefford 1988, p. 32.
5. Jefford 1988, p. 70.
6. Jefford 1988, p. 74.
7. Jefford 1988, p. 77.
8. Lake 1999, p. 52.
9. "Felixstowe". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
10. Lake 1999, p. 73.
11. Lake 1999, p. 74.
12. Lake 1999, p. 77.
13. Lake 1999, p. 66.
14. Lake 1999, p. 101.
15. Lake 1999, p. 130.
16. Lake 1999, p. 136.
17. Lake 1999, p. 137.

Bibliography

• Jefford MBE, Wg Cdr 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.
• Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.

External links