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RAF Turnhouse
Edinburgh in Scotland
RAF TurnhouseShown withinShow map of the City of Edinburgh council areaRAF TurnhouseRAF Turnhouse (the United Kingdom)Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	55°57′00″N 003°22′21″W / 55.95000°N 3.37250°W / 55.95000; -3.37250
Type	Sector Station
Code	TS
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Fighter Command
Site history
Built	1915 (1915) & 1939
In use	1915-1996 (1996)
Battles/wars	First World War European theatre of World War II Cold War
Airfield information
Elevation	30 metres (98 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 13/31 1,796 metres (5,892 ft) Concrete 08/26 799 metres (2,621 ft) Concrete 00/00  Concrete

Royal Air Force Turnhouse, or more simply RAF Turnhouse, is a former Royal Air Force Sector Station located in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is now Edinburgh Airport.

History

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A landing ground was first established at Turnhouse in 1915. The airfield was greatly expanded in the 1930s, with three concrete runways being laid in 1939/40. RAF Turnhouse closed in 1996 and its remaining facilities were acquired by Edinburgh Airport. The following units were located at Turnhouse at various times:

First World War

• No. 26 Reserve Squadron
• No. 26 Training Squadron
• No. 73 Training Squadron
• No. 84 (Canadian) Reserve Squadron
• No. 89 (Canadian) Reserve Squadron

Squadrons

• No. 3 Squadron RAF
• No. 44 Squadron RAF
• No. 63 Squadron RAF
• No. 64 Squadron RAF
• No. 65 Squadron RAF
• No. 77 Squadron RAF
• No. 81 Squadron RAF
• No. 83 Squadron RAF
• No. 104 Squadron RAF
• No. 122 Squadron RAF
• No. 123 Squadron RAF
• No. 141 Squadron RAF
• No. 151 Squadron RAF
• No. 164 Squadron RAF
• No. 165 Squadron RAF
• No. 197 Squadron RAF
• No. 207 Squadron RAF
• No. 232 Squadron RAF
• No. 241 Squadron RAF
• No. 242 Squadron RAF
• No. 243 Squadron RAF
• No. 245 Squadron RAF
• No. 253 Squadron RAF
• No. 263 Squadron RAF
• No. 268 Squadron RAF
• No. 289 Squadron RAF
• No. 290 Squadron RAF
• No. 303 Squadron RAF
• No. 309 Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron
• No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF
• No. 329 (Free French) Squadron RAF
• No. 340 (Free French) Squadron RAF
• No. 341 (G.C.III/2 'Alsace') Squadron RAF
• No. 598 Squadron RAF
• No. 603 Squadron RAF
• No. 607 Squadron RAF
• No. 666 Squadron RAF
• 801 Naval Air Squadron
• 807 Naval Air Squadron
• 808 Naval Air Squadron
• 848 Naval Air Squadron
• 882 Naval Air Squadron
• 884 Naval Air Squadron
• 886 Naval Air Squadron
• 895 Naval Air Squadron

Units

• No. 4 Aircraft Delivery Flight RAF (January 1942 – July 1943
• No. 6 Gliding School RAF (January 1946 – May 1951)
• Detachment of No. 7 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF (March – April 1941)
• No. 12 Air Experience Flight RAF
• No. 13 Group Anti-Aircraft Cooperation Flight RAF (May – August 1941)
• No. 17 Group Communication Flight RAF (January 1942 – September 1945)
• No. 18 Group Communication Flight RAF (November 1959 – May 1960 & October 1964)
• No. 24 (Edinburgh) Group, Royal Observer Corps
• No. 59 Operational Training Unit RAF (December 1940 – February 1941)
• No. 66 Group Communication Flight RAF (September 1946 – October 1952)
• No. 66 (Scottish Reserve) Group RAF (August 1946 – August 1950) became No. 66 (Scottish) Group RAF (August 1950 – November 1954)
• No. 71 (Signals) Wing Calibration Flight RAF
• No. 72 (Signals) Wing Calibration Flight RAF
• No. 88 Group Communication Squadron RAF (May – June 1945)
• No. 129 (RAF) Wing RAF (May 1945)
• No. 130 Wing RAF (May – June 1945)
• No. 132 (Norwegian) (Fighter) Wing RAF (May – June 1945)
• No. 661 Volunteer Gliding School RAF (January 1958 – January 1964)
• No. 1353 (Anti-Aircraft Cooperation) Flight RAF (February – June 1946)
• No. 1968 Reserve Air Observation Post Flight RAF
• No. 2753 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 2770 Squadron RAF Regiment
• No. 3508 Servicing Unit RAF (December 1943 – March 1945)
• Aircraft Flight of Caledonian Sector HQ RAF (October 1951 – November 1957)
• Edinburgh University Air Squadron (January 1941 – December 1945 & October 1946 – January 1969) became East Lowlands University Air Squadron (January 1969 – February 1996)
• Fighter Flight, Shetlands RAF (December 1939)
• Midlothian Sector HQ RAF (1945 – April 1946)
• Detachment of Northern Communication Squadron RAF
• Scottish Sector HQ RAF (November 1949 – May 1950)
• Detachment of S.C.R.584 Training Unit RAF (May 1945)

Current use

The site is now used by Edinburgh Airport.

References

Citations

1. ^ Falconer 2012, p. 198.
2. Laming, Tim (2000). UK airports and airfields: a spotter's guide. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publications. p. 78. ISBN 1853109789.
3. Smith, David John (1989). Action stations. 7: Military airfields of Scotland, the North-East and Northern Ireland / David John Smith (2. ed.). Cambridge: Stephens. p. 211. ISBN 1852603097.
4. ^ "Turnhouse (Edinburgh)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
5. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 49.
6. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 163.
7. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 71.
8. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 179.
9. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 182.
10. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 242.
11. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 184.
12. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 175.
13. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 322.
14. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 323.
15. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 169.
16. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 129.
17. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 271.
18. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 86.
19. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 307.
20. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 120.
21. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 226.
22. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 228.
23. ^ Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 270.

Bibliography

• Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
• Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.

• Royal Air Force stations in Scotland
• Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom