Airfields Used By NZ Squadrons During WW 2, RAF Llanbedr

RAF Llanbedr

Image Source

52^48’18” N, 04^7’38” W

RAF Llanbedr is now a general aviation airport located in the Snowdonia National Park, near the village of Llanbedr, Gwynedd, Northwest Wales.

Opened in June 1941 as part of No 12 Group, RAF Fighter Command.

Intended for use as a protection from raiders in the Irish Seas.

During its life it has also been known as RAF Llanbedr, until 1957,
RAE Llanbedr until 1992,
T&EE Llanbedr, [Test & Evaluation Establishment] until 1995,
DTEO Llanbedr [Defense Test & Evaluation Organisation] until 1997,
DERA Llanbedr until 2001, when it became QinetiQ

The first Squadron to call Llanbedr home was No 74 Squadron, flying Spitfires, from October 1941

Image Source

From Spring 1942 the Station became an operational Station for Towed Target gunnery training.

In 1943, it became the home for No 12 RAF Fighter Gunnery School,

One of the Squadrons that were there for a very short stay of 3 days was No 485 [NZ] Squadron.flying Spitfire Mk Vbs

During the war years Llanbedr was home for 32 different Squadrons on rotation, who flew a great variety of Aircraft.

No Squadron stayed for very long, as the Station was used as a gunnery training Station, particularly leading up to
D-Day.

A matter of days after the D-Day invasion had fully got underway, Llanbedr became very quiet and saw out the rest of the war holding a number of RAF Regiment Squadrons.

This was not the end for the Station as in May 1945, No 631 Squadron was transferred from Towyn.

Anti-Aircraft co-operation had come to the fore and lasted under a series of commands, until No 5 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit left for Woodvale on 1st January 1958.

By now, Llanbedr had become established with what became its best known use, a base for pilot less drones under the supervision of the RAE [Royal Aircraft Establishment].

Types such as the Fairey Firefly, Gloster Meteor and most of all, the specifically designed and trolley-launched Fairey Jindivick, as they offered targets on the firing ranges.

Image Source

Fairey Firefly AS Mk 7

Image Source

Gloster Meteor

Image Source

Jindivick

This continued right up to 2004, when operations finally ceased due to official cutbacks.

Once full closure had occurred in early 2005, Llanbedr looked set for a most uncertain future, but it retained its supporters, and reopened 9 years later as a General Aviation Airport.

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner