A Satellite Landing Ground (SLG) is a type of British Royal Air Force (RAF) aviation facility that typically consists of an airfield with one or two grass runways which is designed throughout to be hidden from aerial observation by blending into forests and other natural features to hide the presence of aircraft and associated buildings. The landing grounds were mainly used by RAF Maintenance Units (MU) which used the areas to disperse aircraft to reduce the likelihood of attacks from the air. Some improvements and upgrades to aircraft were performed at these sites but overall it was kept to a minimum. Some support buildings came about by using requisitioned buildings on the land.[citation needed]
A satellite station is not the same as a Satellite Landing Ground.
Satellite Landing Grounds
edit| Number | Name | Location | County | Dates when used as a SLG | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 SLG | RAF Slade Farm | 51°53′48″N 001°15′46″W / 51.89667°N 1.26278°W | Oxfordshire | 1 December 1940–10 January 1946 | Used by No. 39 MU RAF Colerne |
| No. 2 SLG | RAF Starveall Farm | 51°51′18″N 001°20′42″W / 51.85500°N 1.34500°W | Oxfordshire | 14 June 1941–29 September 1945. | Satellite to No. 39 MU RAF Colerne |
| No. 3 SLG | RAF Middle Farm | 52°00′01″N 001°05′00″W / 52.00028°N 1.08333°W | Oxfordshire | 1 April 1941–10 January 1946 | Used by 8 MU RAF Little Rissington |
| No. 4 SLG | RAF Rudbaxton | 51°53′00″N 004°56′00″W / 51.88333°N 4.93333°W | Pembrokeshire | 1941–1943 | Used by 38 MU[1] |
| No. 5 SLG | RAF Berrow | 52°00′15″N 002°16′45″W / 52.00417°N 2.27917°W | Worcestershire | 1941–1945 | No. 5 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Kemble between March 1941 and late 1941. No. 20 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Aston Down between 1941 and August 1942. |
| No. 6 SLG | RAF St Brides | 51°26′00″N 003°35′00″W / 51.43333°N 3.58333°W | Glamorgan | 1941–September 1945 | No. 19 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF St Athan between 15 December 1940 and July 1945. |
| No. 7 SLG | RAF Chepstow | 51°39′13″N 002°41′19″W / 51.65361°N 2.68861°W | Monmouthshire | 3 May 1941–December 1944 | No. 19 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF St Athan from 13 May 1941 and 21 February 1942. No. 38 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Llandow from 21 February 1942.[2] |
| No. 8 SLG | RAF Hutton in the Forest | 54°34′00″N 002°49′00″W / 54.56667°N 2.81667°W | Cumberland | June 1941–August 1945 | No. 22 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Silloth |
| No. 9 SLG | RAF Hornby Hall | 54°39′25″N 002°39′50″W / 54.65694°N 2.66389°W | Cumberland | March 1941–July 1945 | No. 18 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Dumfries between July 1940 and September 1940. No. 22 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Silloth. No. 12 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Kirkbride.[3] |
| No. 10 SLG | RAF Wath Head | 54°49′04″N 003°06′40″W / 54.81778°N 3.11111°W | Cumberland | 1941–1 December 1945 | No. 12 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Kirkbride between early 1941 and 12 January 1944. No. 18 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Dumfries between 12 January 1944 and September 1945. |
| No. 11 SLG | RAF Low Eldrig | 54°49′00″N 004°58′00″W / 54.81667°N 4.96667°W | Wigtownshire | 1 July 1941–September 1942 | No. 18 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Dumfries. |
| No. 12 SLG | RAF Beechwood Park | 51°49′23″N 000°29′04″W / 51.82306°N 0.48444°W | Hertfordshire | 1943–March 1946 | No. 15 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Wroughton from mid 1943. |
| No. 13 SLG | RAF Tatton Park | 53°19′47″N 002°22′32″W / 53.32972°N 2.37556°W | Cheshire | August 1941–May 1943 | No. 48 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Hawarden No. 51 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Lichfield. |
| No. 14 SLG | RAF Overley Park | 51°44′00″N 002°01′00″W / 51.73333°N 2.01667°W | Gloucestershire | 1941–1944 | For No. 20 MU until 1942, used by 10 MU in 1944. |
| No. 15 SLG | RAF Bodorgan | 53°11′06″N 004°25′45″W / 53.18500°N 4.42917°W | Gwynedd | 1940–1944 | For No. 48 MU |
| No. 16 SLG | RAF Ballywalter | 54°33′08″N 005°29′07″W / 54.55222°N 5.48528°W | Down | 1941–1945 | For No. 23 MU |
| No. 17 SLG | RAF Maydown | 55°02′00″N 007°14′23″W / 55.03333°N 7.23972°W | Londonderry | 1941–1941 | Used by 23 MU, developed into a full size airfield. |
| No. 18 SLG | RAF St Angelo | 54°24′56″N 007°39′05″W / 54.41556°N 7.65139°W | Fermanagh | April 1941–September 1941 | Used by 23 MU RAF Aldergrove but not used. Later became a fighter sector station. |
| No. 19 SLG | RAF Murlough | 54°15′00″N 005°54′00″W / 54.25000°N 5.90000°W | Down | 1941–1945 | Used by No. 23 MU |
| No. 20 SLG | RAF Langford Lodge | 54°37′02″N 006°18′11″W / 54.61722°N 6.30306°W | Antrim | 1941–1942 | Used by No. 23 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Aldergrove.[4] developed in a full size airfield. |
| No. 21 SLG | RAF Ollerton | 52°49′59″N 002°30′27″W / 52.83306°N 2.50750°W | Shropshire | 1941–1942 | Used by 29 MU, 37 MU and 27 MU from RAF Shawbury. Transferred to the Navy and renamed Hinstock/HMS Godwit. |
| No. 22 SLG | RAF Barnsley Park | 51°46′00″N 001°53′23″W / 51.76667°N 1.88972°W | Gloucestershire | 1941–1945 | Used by 6 MU then 5 MU |
| No. 23 SLG | RAF Down Farm | 51°35′00″N 002°15′00″W / 51.58333°N 2.25000°W | Gloucestershire | 1941–1946 | Used by 10 MU |
| No. 24 SLG | RAF Methven | 56°24′39″N 003°32′05″W / 56.41083°N 3.53472°W | Perthshire | 1941–1944 | Used by 44 MU |
| No. 25 SLG | RAF Findo Gask | 56°22′29″N 003°36′33″W / 56.37472°N 3.60917°W | Perthshire | 1941–1942 | No. 44 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Edzell. Developed into a full size airfield. |
| No. 26 SLG | RAF Stravithie | 56°18′00″N 002°45′00″W / 56.30000°N 2.75000°W | Fife | 1941–1942 | No. 44 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Edzell. |
| No. 27 SLG | RAF Lennoxlove | 55°55′59″N 002°45′08″W / 55.93306°N 2.75222°W | East Lothian | 1941–1946 | No. 18 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Dumfries.[5] |
| No. 28 SLG | RAF Barton Abbey | 51°55′13″N 001°20′03″W / 51.92028°N 1.33417°W | Oxfordshire | 1943–1945 | No. 39 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Colerne until March 1943. No. 6 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Brize Norton from 1943. |
| No. 29 SLG | RAF Hodnet | 52°50′27″N 002°34′28″W / 52.84083°N 2.57444°W | Shropshire | 1941–1945 | Used by 24 MU, 37 MU, 51 MU and 27 MU from RAF Shawbury |
| No. 30 SLG | RAF Brockton | 52°37′00″N 002°25′00″W / 52.61667°N 2.41667°W | Shropshire | 1941–1945 | Used by 9 MU |
| No. 31 SLG | RAF Everleigh | 51°18′00″N 001°44′00″W / 51.30000°N 1.73333°W | Wiltshire | 1941–1945 | Used by 15 MU and 33 MU from RAF Lyneham from September 1942. |
| No. 32 SLG | RAF Hoar Cross | 52°47′40″N 001°49′23″W / 52.79444°N 1.82306°W | Staffordshire | 1941–1945 | Used by 51 MU |
| No. 33 SLG | RAF Weston Park | 52°41′14″N 002°17′12″W / 52.68722°N 2.28667°W | Shropshire | 1941–1945 | No. 27 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Shawbury, transferred to the Royal Navy. |
| No. 34 SLG | RAF Woburn Park | 51°59′19″N 000°36′01″W / 51.98861°N 0.60028°W | Bedfordshire | 1941–1947 | Used by 6 MU and 8 MU |
| No. 35 SLG | RAF Blidworth | 53°06′21″N 001°06′51″W / 53.10583°N 1.11417°W | Nottinghamshire | 1941–1942 | Used by 51 MU |
| No. 36 SLG | RAF Winterseugh | 55°01′00″N 003°19′00″W / 55.01667°N 3.31667°W | Dumfriesshire | 1941–1942 | Used by 18 MU |
| No. 37 SLG | RAF Hardwick Park | 53°10′18″N 001°18′07″W / 53.17167°N 1.30194°W | Derbyshire | 1941–1943 | Used by 27 MU and 51 MU |
| No. 38 SLG | RAF Grove Park | 53°18′42″N 000°53′57″W / 53.31167°N 0.89917°W | Nottinghamshire | 1942–1945 | Used by 51 MU and 27 MU |
| No. 39 SLG | RAF Brayton Park | 54°46′26″N 003°18′04″W / 54.77389°N 3.30111°W | Cumberland | 1941–1946 | Used by 12 MU |
| No. 40 SLG | RAF Dornoch | 57°52′20″N 004°01′35″W / 57.87222°N 4.02639°W | Ross & Cromarty | 1941–1945 | Used by 45 MU |
| No. 41 SLG | RAF Kirkton | 57°57′23″N 004°01′51″W / 57.95639°N 4.03083°W | Sutherland | 1941–1945 | No. 45 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF.[6] |
| No. 42 SLG | RAF Black Isle | 57°37′37″N 004°09′37″W / 57.62694°N 4.16028°W | Ross & Cromarty | 1941–1945 | Also known as Black Stand [7] Used by 46 MU |
| No. 43 SLG | RAF Leanach | 57°29′00″N 004°02′00″W / 57.48333°N 4.03333°W | Invernessshire | 1941–1946 | Used by 46 MU |
| No. 44 SLG | RAF Bush Barn | 51°39′42″N 001°29′03″W / 51.66167°N 1.48417°W | Oxfordshire | 1941–1943 | Used by 5 MU, later used by Royal Navy |
| No. 45 SLG | RAF Townsend | 51°27′00″N 001°53′00″W / 51.45000°N 1.88333°W | Wiltshire | 1941–1943 | No. 33 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Lyneham until September 1942 No. 15 Maintenance Unit RAF from RAF Wroughton from September 1942. |
| No. 46 SLG | RAF Brinklow | 52°24′00″N 001°23′00″W / 52.40000°N 1.38333°W | Warwickshire | 1941–1944 | Used by 29 MU |
| No. 47 SLG | RAF Southgrove | 51°19′00″N 001°41′00″W / 51.31667°N 1.68333°W | Wiltshire | 1941 | Was for 5 MU but was not used. |
| No. 48 SLG | RAF Teddesley Park | 52°44′19″N 002°04′52″W / 52.73861°N 2.08111°W | Staffordshire | 1941–1946 | Used by 27 MU |
| No. 49 SLG | RAF Knowsley Park | 53°25′56″N 002°49′55″W / 53.43222°N 2.83194°W | Lancashire | 1941, 1942–1944 | Used by 37 MU until declared unfit, later 48 MU |
References
editCitations
edit- ^ "Twentieth Century Military Sites: Airfields" (PDF). Cambria.org. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "Chepstow Racecourse". RCHMW. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "RAF Hornby Hall: Satellite Landing Ground". Russell W. Barnes. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:". Ronald V. Archived from the original on 9 September 2013. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "Lennoxlove". East Lothian at War. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "Kirkton Airfield". Scotlands Places. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
- ^ "Black Isle, Blackstand Airfield, Satellite Landing Ground". Scotlands Islands. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
Bibliography
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