West Freugh
WEST FREUGH: Military aerodrome (Aka LUCE BAY in WW1 - see seperate listing)
Military users: Pre 1940:
4 ATS
82 Sqdn (Bristol Blenheims)
WW2: RAF Flying Training Command 29 Group
4 AFU
4 ATC (Avro Ansons)
Post 1945: DTEO
Operated by: 1975: Royal Aircraft Establishment
2000: MoD (PE)
Location: S of A757 (now B7077?), NW of A715 (now B7084?), about 2nm E of the A716 today, SE of East Galdenoch, 4nm SE of Stranrear
Period of operation: 1936 to 2003
Note: This map is reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runways: WW2: 07/25 1372x46 hard 12/30 882x46 hard
1990: 06/24 1828x46 hard 12/30 871x23 hard
2000: 06/24 1841x41 hard 12/30 871x23 hard
NOTES: In 1985 used by the Royal Aircraft Establishment.
DAKOTAS
Rather charming to me at least, it seems the RAE in about 1975 were still operating two Dakotas, (TS423 and KG661*), which seem to have been based here. Many other RAE aircraft visited during this period and beyond of course, but just to satisfy my curiosity does anybody know what these two venerable Dakotas were employed to do? KG661 went on to become the ‘Dakota’ in the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, joining it in March 1993.
*In his book The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Jarrod Cotter explains the confusing history surrounding this aircraft. You might of course be excused for thinking that any reasonably numerate ten-year old could match up a serial number to an aircraft construction number, and you would be entirely correct. However, it now appears that the capabilities of so many RAF administrative staff cannot aspire to such lofty ideals of basic competence. No surprise there then!
“It was built as a C-47A Skytrain, 42-24338, at Long Beach, California, and delivered to the United States Army Air Force on 7 September 1943. A little over a week later it was transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as 661, and served mainly in Canada but in 1965 was used in Europe. It was declared surplus to requirements in 1969.”
“The Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) then purchased the aircraft, which was allocated the British military serial number KG661, as it had carried the RCAF serial number 661.” I simply cannot understand the logic employed here? “During the Dakota’s service with the RAE at West Freugh in Scotland, it was used on a variety of tasks and trials, including dropping test sonabuoys off the Scottish coast.”
“For some time, however, there had been some doubt about the aircraft’s allotted serial number. It transpired that KG661 had been another Dakota III that had crashed on take-off from Crosby-on-Eden, Cumberland, on 13 December 1944. Therefore, in July 1979 the aircraft was allotted the new serial number ZA947.” Blimey, only thirty years before the mistake was seen! (See 'Comment' below)
“In 1992 the Defence Research Agency, successor to the RAE, declared the Dakota surplus to requirements and offered it up for disposal. ZA947 was adopted by Strike Command and issued to the Flight in March 1993."
colin mc farlane
This comment was written on: 2018-04-03 16:51:44youasked the question what were the Dakotas used for. They were used for testing Sonar bouys
Keith
This comment was written on: 2018-05-29 16:29:47'thirty years before the mistake was seen!' It was less than 10. The aircraft only got the KG661 serial in 1971.
D.Kinder
This comment was written on: 2018-09-02 15:42:05My brother was chief pilot on the two dc3s at West Freugh and named ZA947 Port Patrick Princess. he dropped Sona Buoys out to sea.
Kevin Hamilton
This comment was written on: 2019-02-23 13:04:51My Grandfather worked here from 1957 to 1977..... he’s still got many good stories from his time there
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