RAF Inverness

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RAF Longman RAF Inverness
Inverness, Highland in Scotland
RAF Inverness Shown within Scotland Highlands Show map of Highland RAF Inverness RAF Inverness (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	57°29′20″N 4°13′07″W / 57.48889°N 4.21861°W / 57.48889; -4.21861
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Fighter Command
Condition	Demolished, now Industrial Estate
Site history
Built	1940 (1940)
In use	1940-1945 (1945)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Garrison information
Garrison	No. 13 (Fighter) Group

Royal Air Force Inverness or more simply RAF Inverness is a former Royal Air Force station located by the Moray Firth in Highland, Scotland. It was also known as RAF Longman and previously Longman Airfield.

History[edit]

Longman Airfield was built in 1933 by the local council as a civilian airport for Highland Airways to link Orkney and Wick to Inverness and its major rail links. The airfield was converted to a Royal Air Force base at the Outbreak of World War II, but didn't officially become an RAF base until 1941. The airfield was identified by German reconnaissance units which incorrectly noted it as a seaplane base, which probably saved Inverness from any major bombing by the Luftwaffe.^[1]

During the war, Scottish Airways, the successor to Highland Airways, continued to use the airfield for intensive civilian operations supporting the Orkney and Shetland Isles.^[2]

Under the command of No. 13 (Fighter) Group, it hosted No. 70 (Signals) Wing Calibration Flight between 17 February 1941 and 25 August 1945.^[3]

Operational Squadrons & Aircraft[edit]

Other units[edit]

• No. 14 Group Target Towing Flight RAF (October – November 1941)^[5] became No. 1491 (Target Towing) Flight RAF (December 1941)^[6]
• No. 1 (Coastal) Engine Control Demonstration Unit RAF (October – November 1943)^[7]
• No. 1 Radio Servicing Section Calibration Flight RAF (November 1940 – February 1941)^[8] became No. 70 Wing Calibration Flight RAF (February 1941 – June 1943)^[9]
• No. 13 Group Communication Flight RAF (July 1943 – December 1945)^[10]
• No. 14 Group Communication Flight RAF (July 1940 – July 1943)^[10]
• Detachment of No. 1479 (Anti-Aircraft Cooperation) Flight RAF (August & November 1943)^[11]

Following the war it was converted to general use under the title Longman Airfield until Inverness Airport at Dalcross became the primary hub in 1947, due to Longman being regarded as too small for safe operations. Prior to its closure, it was served by British European Airways, and its fleet of captured ex-Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 52. It is believed that for some time Hitler's personal Ju 52 (registration D-2600) was stored at Longman after the war.

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
• Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.