Brawdy
BRAWDY: Military RAF aerodrome later Royal Naval Air Station, returning later to the RAF
(1948 Books of HMS HARRIER later HMS VULTURE)
Note: The second picture of a SEPCAT Jaguar at BRAWDY is from a postcard, and kindly sent to me by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection of aviation postcards. See; www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
The third and fourth pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: WW2: RAF Coastal Command 19 Group
'V' Bomber dispersal airfield
1950s: RNAS (de Havilland Vampires, Boulton-Paul Balliols, Percival ‘Piston’ Provosts)
1960s: RNAS Advanced Flying Training and Operational Training
738 & 759 Sqdns (Hawker Hunter T8 & GA X1)
1980s: 79 & 234 Sqdns (Hawks) 202 Sqdn (Sea Kings)
Gliding: 1981 Preseli Gliding Club (RAFGSA)
Location: N of A487, 9nm NW of Haverfordwest
Period of operation: 1944 to 1996
Runways: WW2: 15/33 1837x46 hard 08/26 1298x46 hard
02/20 1828x46 hard
NOTES: From the end of WW2 RNAS BRAWDY become a considerable training base.
In 1972 BRAWDY was listed to become an OCU for RAF Jaguars but it seems this plan was abandoned, as were most military plans it seems during that era.
In 1977 the Auster J/1N Alpha G-AIGF was based here.
WHY?
I suppose it has to be asked just why the military need to have such vast facilities to support their purpose? Since WW2, and certainly after the 'Cold War' period there would seem no justification to have such huge bases? If you compare major UK airline bases, operating highly complex aircraft 24/7 every week of the year, they need only a fraction of the space and buildings to accomplish their task.
I suppose it would appear that the military forces are, by and large, a self-serving 'empire' which certainly needs to be examined. And indeed, in recent years, their ambitions have been curtailed.
MORE HISTORY OF INTEREST
In December 2021 I was very kindly contacted by Mr P McDermott. He tells us that RAF BRAWDY operated from the 1st February 1944 until the 31st March 1996. It was a RNAS Station from 1946 until the early 1970s, then reverting to the RAF. It appears that British Aerospace Hawk trainers operated from BRAWDY as what would eventually become known as No.1 Tactical Weapons Unit.
RAF search and rescue (SAR) helicopters also carried out missions for many years, and, at a similar period, the United States Navy established an oceanographic research centre. So, presumably, USN aircraft would have paid visits from time to time?
No.1 TWU disbanded in August 1992 and the SAR Westland Sea Kings left by July 1994. He also tells us that a good history of BRAWDY can be found at:
https://abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/brawdy
F.Middlebrook
This comment was written on: 2020-01-03 06:21:05I and 2 other Air Radio Mechs commenced the installation of The GCA station at Brawdy. It was American built by Gilfilan Bros. Installed and commissioned in about a month.
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