MOD Sealand

Last updated

MOD Sealand
Queensferry, Flintshire in Wales
Sealand-Spitfire-TD248.jpg
Spitfire LF16 gate guardian on display at RAF Sealand's East Camp in 1975. [1]
Wales location map.svg
Red pog.svg
MOD Sealand
Shown within Wales
Coordinates 53°13′28.4″N002°59′37.4″W / 53.224556°N 2.993722°W / 53.224556; -2.993722
TypeMilitary base
Site information
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator Defence Equipment and Support
Controlled by DE&S Deca
ConditionOperational
Site history
Built1916 (1916) (as RFCS Shotwick)
In use
Battles/wars European Theatre of the Second World War (RAF)

MOD Sealand (formerly RAF Sealand), is a Ministry of Defence installation in Flintshire, in the northeast corner of Wales, close to the border with England.

Contents

It was a Royal Air Force station, active between 1916 and 2006. Under defence cuts announced in 2004, RAF Sealand was completely closed in April 2006. All remaining RAF units were moved to RAF Leeming.

The site is now operated as a tri-service MOD installation and is home to DE&S Deca.

History

RAF Sealand on a target dossier of the German Luftwaffe, 1940 Target Dossier for Sealand, Flintshire, England - DPLA - 6137117fc2df8901ec2a32b031f8f477 (page 1).jpg
RAF Sealand on a target dossier of the German Luftwaffe, 1940

Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust says the site is nationally important as it became home in 1916 to a flying school which, during World War I, was requisitioned by the War Office becoming RAF Sealand in 1924. The report said: "The site of the former Dutton's Flying School is an incredibly important historical location, effectively the origin point of the initial Royal Flying Corps and later RAF as a fighting force. "The degree to which any traces of Dutton's aerodrome survive as sub-surface deposits is currently unknown as there have been no investigative works." [2]

"Map of Air Routes and Landing Places in Great Britain, as temporarily arranged by the Air Ministry for civilian flying", published in 1919, showing "North Shotwick" as a "civil station", and as a stop on the route between Hounslow, near London, and Baldonnel, near Dublin. Aerial travel for Business or Pleasure - Thos Cook & Son - 1919 - pp 16+ (map).jpg
"Map of Air Routes and Landing Places in Great Britain, as temporarily arranged by the Air Ministry for civilian flying", published in 1919, showing "North Shotwick" as a "civil station", and as a stop on the route between Hounslow, near London, and Baldonnel, near Dublin.

It was originally a civilian airfield and was taken over by the military in 1916 for training. Two twin hangars, which were built in 1917, were used by the newly formed Royal Flying Corps. Originally named RFCS Shotwick and later RAF Shotwick, the station was finally named RAF Sealand in June 1924. [2]

Immediately before World War II and in the early years of that war, it was the home of No. 5 Flying Training School RAF (5 FTS), equipped with Airspeed Oxfords. During the war, the Flying Training Schools provided what was in effect intermediate training for pilots who had received ab initio training and flown solo at an EFTS (Elementary Flying Training School) and who had subsequently been inducted into the RAF. Pilots thus arrived at No. 5 FTS RAF Sealand as APOs (Acting Pilot Officers) and upon satisfactory completion of intermediate training became Pilot Officers (POs), and were prepared for posting to a squadron or OTU (Operational Training Unit). Kenneth Cross spent time at No. 5 FTS as an instructor in the early 1930s. From 5 August 1940, the CFI (Chief Flying Instructor) was Edward Mortlock Donaldson. Amongst the pilots who trained at 5 FTS, RAF Sealand was Johnnie Johnson. [3]

No. 30 Maintenance Unit RAF was formed there in 1937. [4] In 1941 No. 19 Elementary Flying Training School RAF equipped with Tiger Moths was located at RAF Sealand. [5]

In 1951 the station was taken over by the United States Air Force. The 30th Air Depot Wing was located at Sealand, but plans were made to relocate it to RAF Brize Norton, both in the UK. [6] Most assigned personnel of the 30th Air Depot Group were reassigned to the 7558th Air Depot Group of the 59th Air Depot Wing, effective from 26 November 1951. All staff sections of the 30th Air Depot Wing were dissolved, and a Consolidated Adjutant and Military Personnel Section was formed. 30th Air Depot Wing was relieved from assignment to the 59th Air Depot Wing effective 27 November 1951. 30th Air Depot Wing began operating as a tenant organization at RAF Sealand, with base support for the wing being provided by the 7558th Air Depot Group as of 27 November 1951. Jurisdiction of RAF Sealand was transferred from the 30th Air Depot Wing to the 7558th Air Depot Wing on 27 November 1951. It was handed back to the RAF in 1957. [7]

Sealand became a communications support base for RAF operations around the world. It functioned as a third-line repair station for avionics equipment for all three services. The Royal Air Force Almanac 1995 said that No. 30 Maintenance Unit RAF was at the time the main unit for airborne electronic and instrument equipment. [4]

No. 631 Volunteer Gliding Squadron RAF, initially operating the Slingsby T.21 "Sedbergh" glider and then, more recently, flying the Viking TMk1 conventional winch-launched glider, operated at Sealand from 1963. [8]

The gate guardian at the main gate until 1988 was Spitfire TD248. It was restored to flying condition in the 1990s. [9] [10]

In March 2006, No. 631 VGS relocated to RAF Woodvale to operate the Grob109b 'Vigilant' self-launched motorglider. [11]

The Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA) took over the site in 2006 and handed it over to its successor organisation, the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA), in 2015. [12]

The MOD has previously contemplated using the site for several purposes, one of the most controversial of which was the idea to turn RAF Sealand into an emergency prison to cope with overcrowded prisons in England and Wales. [13]

Permission was given in 2012 for a 5,000 job employment site, along with 1,000 homes. [14] In 2015, the Welsh government agreed to fund a link road to the community so that building could start. [15] [16]

In 2019, DECA was granted a new Gate Guardian, to replace the Spitfire with a GR4 Tornado, Tail Number ZA607, due to the long standing relationship that the DECA site has with the Tornado aircraft [17]

Current use

MOD Sealand is a global repair hub for maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade services for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft. [18]

In 2023, the DECA was subsumed into the wider Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) to become DE&S Deca, whose role is dedicated to maintenance, repair, overhaul, upgrade, procurement and managed services provision across Defence electronics, components and general equipment support. [19]

Facilities at MOD Sealand include clean rooms, faraday cages, radar chambers, calibration laboratory, cryptographic facility, storage and warehousing, 3d printing capability, aircraft components bay and cryogenics bay. Major customers include Ministry of Defence, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Thales, Rolls Royce, Raytheon, L3 Wescam, United States Department of Defence, Lockheed Martin, MBDA and more. [20]

The MOD is set to establish an Advanced Technology Research Centre (ATRC) at MOD Sealand. The ATRC will conduct research in areas such as cybersecurity, software engineering, space, radio frequency, advanced sensing technologies, and next-generation propulsion. [21]

Sealand Ranges are still used for shooting, where units from the forces and civilian target shooting clubs come to compete or practice shooting. [22]

The RAF base lent its name to the 1981 song "Sealand" by Wirral band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Kenley</span> Former Royal Air Force flying base in Surrey, England

Royal Air Force Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley is a former airfield station of the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War and the RAF in the Second World War. It played a significant role during the Battle of Britain as one of the three RAF stations specifically tasked with the defence of London. It is located near Kenley on the edge of Greater London. The site remains in use with the Ministry of Defence, as Kenley Airfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Woodvale</span> Royal Air Force station in Merseyside, England

Royal Air Force Woodvale or more simply RAF Woodvale is a Royal Air Force Station located 4 mi (6.4 km) next to the towns of Formby and Ainsdale in an area called Woodvale which is located to the south of Southport, Merseyside. Woodvale was constructed as an all-weather night fighter airfield for the defence of Liverpool. However, it did not open until 7 December 1941 which was just after the Liverpool Blitz which peaked in May of that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Digby</span> Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England

Royal Air Force Digby otherwise known as RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station located near Scopwick and 11.6 mi (18.7 km) south east of Lincoln, in Lincolnshire, England. The station is home to the tri-service Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Joint Forces Intelligence Group of Joint Forces Command. Other units include the RAF Aerial Erector School, No. 54 Signals Unit and No. 591 Signals Unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Barkston Heath</span> Royal Air Force station near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England

Royal Air Force Barkston Heath or RAF Barkston Heath is a Royal Air Force Relief Landing Ground under the command of RAF Cranwell near Grantham, Lincolnshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Henlow</span> Royal Air Force support station in Bedfordshire, England

Royal Air Force Henlow or more simply RAF Henlow is a Royal Air Force station in Bedfordshire, England, equidistant from Bedford, Luton and Stevenage. It houses the RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine and the Joint Arms Control Implementation Group (JACIG), and was home to the Signals Museum, which closed in June 2024. It formerly hosted light aircraft flying and 616 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. The Ministry of Defence announced on 6 September 2016 that the base is set to be closed. As of January 2024, the closure and disposal of the station is expected to take place from 2026. Flying activity ceased in July 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Chivenor</span> Former Royal Air Force station in Devon, England

Royal Air Force Chivenor, or more simply RAF Chivenor, was a Royal Air Force station located on the northern shore of the River Taw estuary, on the north coast of Devon, England. The nearest towns are Barnstaple and Braunton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Linton-on-Ouse</span> Royal Air Force base in Yorkshire, England

Royal Air Force Linton-on-Ouse or more simply RAF Linton-on-Ouse is a former Royal Air Force station at Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire, England, 10 miles (16 km) north-west of York. It had satellite stations at RAF Topcliffe and Dishforth Airfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Shawbury</span> Royal Air Force base in Shropshire, England

Royal Air Force Shawbury, otherwise known as RAF Shawbury, is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Shawbury in Shropshire in the West Midlands of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Syerston</span> Royal Air Force training station in Nottinghamshire, England

Royal Air Force Syerston, commonly known simply as RAF Syerston, is a Royal Air Force station in the parish of Flintham, near Newark, Nottinghamshire, England. Opened in 1940, it was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a bomber base during the Second World War, operating Vickers Wellingtons, Avro Manchesters, and the Avro Lancaster heavy bombers. Post-war, it became home to Jet Provosts of the 2 Flying Training School. It is now home to the Royal Air Force Central Gliding School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Wittering</span> Royal Air Force air combat support station in Cambridgeshire, England

Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Tern Hill</span> Former Royal Air Force station in Shropshire, England

Royal Air Force Tern Hill, or more simply RAF Tern Hill, was a Royal Air Force station at Ternhill in Shropshire, England, near the towns of Newport and Market Drayton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sealand, Flintshire</span> Village in Flintshire, Wales

Sealand is a community in Flintshire and electoral ward, north-east Wales, on the edge of the Wirral peninsula. It is west of the city of Chester, England, and is part of the Deeside conurbation on the Wales-England border. At the 2001 Census, it had a population of 2,746, increasing to 2,996 at the 2011 census. The community includes the villages of Garden City and Sealand, and the settlements of Higher Ferry, Sealand Manor and Sealand Road.

MDP Wethersfield is a Ministry of Defence facility in Essex, England, located north of the village of Wethersfield, about 6 mi (9.7 km) north-west of the town of Braintree. Originally an RAF station, the site was later used as the headquarters and training centre of the Ministry of Defence Police until 2022. It now houses asylum seekers.

Royal Air Force Montrose or more simply RAF Montrose is a former Royal Air Force station in Forfarshire in Scotland. It became the first operational military aerodrome to be established in the United Kingdom on 26 February 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defence Aviation Repair Agency</span>

The Defence Aviation Repair Agency, better known as DARA, was an executive agency of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, responsible for the maintenance and repair of Royal Air Force, Army and the Royal Navy's aircraft. It became part of the Defence Support Group from 1 April 2008. Part of the Defence Support Group (DSG) was sold to Babcock on 31 March 2015 while the remainder became the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA) on 1 April 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Spink</span> Royal Air Force Air Marshal (born 1946)

Air Marshal Clifford Rodney Spink, is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer, who is now a Spitfire display pilot on the national air display circuit. The first Spitfire he ever flew belonged to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, during his tenure as Station Commander of RAF Coningsby. He also served as the 23rd Commandant of the Royal Observer Corps, the last but one officer to hold the post.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 2 Flying Training School RAF</span> Flying Training School of the Royal Air Force

No.2 Flying Training School is a Flying Training School (FTS) of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It is part of No. 22 (Training) Group that delivers glider flying training to the Royal Air Force Air Cadets. Its headquarters is located at RAF Syerston in Nottinghamshire and gliding takes places from several sites throughout the UK using the Grob Viking T1. The RAF Central Gliding School is also under its command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DE&S Deca</span> UK defence organisation

DE&S Deca, formerly the Defence Electronics and Components Agency (DECA), is an operating centre within Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S). It was formed as an executive agency of the UK Ministry of Defence in April 2015 from the air division of the Defence Support Group, which was retained when the rest of the group was sold to Babcock International. In April 2023 it ceased to be an executive agency and was merged into DE&S.

No. 6 Flying Training School RAF is a Flying Training School (FTS) within No. 22 (Training) Group of the Royal Air Force that delivers flying training to University Air Squadrons and Air Experience Flights.

References

  1. ↑ "Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVIe – TD248/CR-S". touchdown-aviation.com. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  2. 1 2 "RAF Sealand jobs and homes enterprise park plan gets go ahead". BBC News. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  3. ↑ Sarkar, Dilip (2011). Spitfire Ace of Aces: The True Wartime Story of Johnnie Johnson. Amberley Publishing. p. 21. ISBN   978-1-4456-0475-6.
  4. 1 2 March, Peter R., ed. (1995). The Royal Air Force Almanac 1995. RAF Fairford: Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund Enterprises. p. 18. ISBN   0-9516581-8-2.
  5. ↑ Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 62. ISBN   1-84037-086-6.
  6. ↑ "Airforce History".
  7. ↑ "United States Air Force Base, Sealand (Closure)". Hansard. 11 April 1957. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "Sealand (North & South) (Shotwick)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  9. ↑ "Supermarine Spitfire LF Mk XVIe – G-OXVI". touchdown-aviation.com. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  10. ↑ Restored Spitfire TD248 in flight on YouTube
  11. ↑ "Welcome to 631 Volunteer Gliding Squadron" . Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  12. ↑ "Buyer chosen for MoD's Defence Support Group". BBC News. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
  13. ↑ "Opposition to prison on former RAF site". 9 November 2007.
  14. ↑ "Deeside Northern Gateway project gets green light from Flintshire planners". 18 April 2012.
  15. ↑ "5,000 job Deeside project kick-started by Welsh Government". 5 February 2015.
  16. ↑ "The Northern Gateway, Flintshire". Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  17. ↑ "New Tornado Gate Guardian". 25 February 2019.
  18. ↑ "UK chosen as a global F-35 repair hub – News stories – GOV.UK". gov.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  19. ↑ "DE&S Deca". 18 January 2023.
  20. ↑ "DE&S Deca". Aerospace Wales. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  21. ↑ "UK Government pledges up to £10m for defence-focused centre of excellence in Deeside". Deeside.com. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  22. ↑ "Public access to military areas". 19 October 2022.
  23. ↑ "Architecture & Morality". OMD. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.