RAF Milltown

RAF Milltown
HMS Fulmar II
IATA: noneICAO: none
Summary
Airport type Military
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator Royal Air Force
Royal Navy
Location Elgin, Moray
Built 1941
In use 1941-1946
Royal Air Force use
1946-1977
Royal Navy use
1977 – present
Ministry of Defence use
Elevation AMSL 16 ft / 5 m
Coordinates 57°40′12″N 003°14′04″W / 57.67000°N 3.23444°W / 57.67000; -3.23444Coordinates: 57°40′12″N 003°14′04″W / 57.67000°N 3.23444°W / 57.67000; -3.23444
Map
RAF Milltown

Location in Moray

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
00/00 0 0 Asphalt
00/00 0 0 Asphalt
00/00 0 0 Asphalt

Royal Air Force Station Milltown or RAF Milltown is a former Royal Air Force station located south of the Moray Firth and 3.6 miles (5.8 km) north east of Elgin, Scotland.

Flying stopped in 1977 but the site is still used by the Ministry of Defence.

History

RAF Milltown, lying to the southeast of Lossiemouth on the Moray Firth, began life as a bombing decoy for nearby RAF Lossiemouth.[1] Between 1941 and 1943, three runways and two hangars were constructed and the airfield became a satellite of RAF Lossiemouth.[1]

In July 1946, along with RAF Lossiemouth, Milltown was officially handed over to the Royal Navy as HMS Fulmar II, a Deck Landing Training School.[2]

Closed for flying in 1977, the site was developed as a communications station, and has some 50 masts visible. It has been an RAF signals transmitter station transmitting RAF VOLMET (using a 600W transmitter) and RAF STCICS. Since the award of the MOD HF signals contract to VT Communications the site is surplus but will be retained by the MOD for services use.

Squadrons and aircraft

Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 224 Squadron RAF September 1944-July 1945 Consolidated Liberator V, VI and VIII Coastal Command.[3]
No. 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF 1945 Consolidated Liberator Coastal Command
No. 20 Operational Training Unit RAF 1943-1945 Vickers Wellington Satellite with main base at RAF Lossiemouth
No. 111 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF 1945-1946 Consolidated Liberator During the late 40s-early 50s Mosquito bombers also operated from Milltown. Satellite with main base at RAF Lossiemouth
No. 663 (Volunteer) Gliding Squadron RAF 1974-1977 Air Training Corps glider training

RNAS HMS FULMAR gliding club and Highland Gliding Club.

Current use

The majority of the runways and taxiways are intact but a number of the aircraft stands have been removed.

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 "RAF Milltown" (wiki). Secret Scotland. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
  2. "RN Air Station Milltown". Military Genealogy. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
  3. Jefford 1988, p. 73.

Bibliography

  • Jefford, C.G, MBE,BA ,RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
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