RAF Catfirth on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
RAF Catfirth was a First World War seaplane base located on the island of
*300 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF was formed at Catfirth on 18 June 1918 operating the
Mainland
Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or dem ...
in the Shetland Islands, Scotland. The base was under the control of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), and later Royal Air Force (RAF)
History
RAF Catfirth was built by the Air Construction Service and the work was started in November 1917 for the RNAS, and was transferred to the RAF when it was formed on 1 April 1918. The purpose of the base was to house and maintain Felixstowe F3 flying boats, which patrolled seas round Shetland, looking for German submarines. Though intended to house and maintain 25 flying boats, this was never required as the base was only operational from June 1918 until just after the Armistice on 11 November of that year. RAF Catfirth was closed on 15 April 1919 and the site was returned to open land, though much of the base can still be seen to this day, 100 years later.Sturtivant 2007, p. 114 RAF Catfirth was also the site of the first ever flight to Shetland. The aeroplane was a Porte Boat, number 9807, and the pilot was Lieutenant Arnold B. Massey AFC. The flight started from RAF Killingholme in Lincolnshire, called at Dundee and RAF Houton on Orkney before completing the 700 mile flight around 8 June 1918. The aeroplane was wrecked in a severe storm a week after arriving, while secured on the concrete apron at the base.
*300 (Flying Boat) Flight RAF was formed at Catfirth on 18 June 1918 operating the Felixstowe F.3
The Felixstowe F.3 was a British First World War flying boat, successor to the Felixstowe F.2 designed by Lieutenant Commander John Cyril Porte RN at the naval air station, Felixstowe.
Design and development
In February 1917, the first pro ...
flying boat, it was disbanded around March 1919.Stutivant/Page 1992, p. 448
It was intended that 301 to 305 Flights would also be formed at Catfirth with the Felixstowe F.3
The Felixstowe F.3 was a British First World War flying boat, successor to the Felixstowe F.2 designed by Lieutenant Commander John Cyril Porte RN at the naval air station, Felixstowe.
Design and development
In February 1917, the first pro ...
but the plan was abandoned in September 1918.
See also
*List of seaplane bases in the United Kingdom
This article lists both active and historic seaplane bases in the United Kingdom, many of which were either used for, or planned to be used for, the defence of the UK.
A seaplane base may be anything from a stretch of water where seaplanes were ...
References
Citations
Bibliography
* Ray Sturivant, ''RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912'', Air-Britain (Historians), England, 2007, * Ray Sturtivant and Gordon Page ''Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units 1911–1919''Air-Britain Air-Britain, traditionally sub-titled "The International Association of Aviation Enthusiasts", is a non-profit aviation society founded in July 1948. As from 2015, it is constituted as a British charitable trust and book publisher.
History
Air-Brit ...
, 1992.
* Simon Gunn "RAF Catfirth 1918" published by (Bassman Books) 2018.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Catfirth, RAF
Airports in Shetland
Catfirth
Catfirth
Catfirth
Mainland, Shetland