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RAF Lossiemouth
Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or RAF Lossiemouth (IATA: LMO, ICAO: EGQS) is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.
Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and known for its close proximity to flight training areas in Scotland and its favourable local flying conditions. Since the closure of RAF Leuchars in 2015, Lossiemouth is the only operational RAF station in Scotland and is one of two main operating bases for the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 in the United Kingdom. It is home to four front-line fast jet units which operate the Typhoon: No. 1 Squadron, No. 2 Squadron, No. 6 Squadron and No. 9 Squadron. All four Squadrons contribute to the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) North capability which provides continuous protection of UK airspace.
The station is also home to No. 120 Squadron and No. 201 Squadron, both flying the Poseidon MRA1 in the maritime patrol role. No. 8 Squadron will operate the RAF's new fleet of three Boeing Wedgetail AEW1 airborne early warning and control aircraft, with aircrew training expected to commence in 2025. No. 42 Squadron is the operational conversion unit for the Poseidon and Wedgetail. There are a number of non-flying units at RAF Lossiemouth including No. 5 Force Protection Wing and an RAF Mountain Rescue Service team.
The airfield opened in 1939 and was operated by the RAF, predominantly as part of Bomber Command, until 1946 when it transferred to the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) and became known as RNAS Lossiemouth or HMS Fulmar. Lossiemouth was used as a training station by the FAA until it was handed back to the RAF in September 1972, after which it has largely operated as a fast-jet base.
Construction started during the summer of 1938, when 220 hectares (540 acres) of agricultural land was acquired to accommodate the airfield. Five farms were requestioned: Newlands, Coulardbank, Greens, Smithfield and Kinnedar. The land was cleared of vegetation and buildings and by the spring of 1939 several wooden huts were present. Group Captain P.E. Maitland was the first station commander and took up post in March 1939, with the station formally opening on 1 May 1939.
The first unit to take up residence at Lossiemouth was No. 15 Flying Training School (No. 15 FTS), initially equipped with thirteen Airspeed Oxfords and five Hawker Harts. Aircraft were stored in the open until the first hangars were completed in August 1939. That same month tragedy struck when three crew members were killed during a mid-air collision between two Oxfords.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, a detachment of Seaforth Highlanders was sent to Lossiemouth to guard the station, and anti-aircraft defences were installed. Flying activity increased, with No. 15 FTS receiving further aircraft, including Oxfords and Harts; the introduction of the North American Harvard; and eleven Fairey Battles delivered for storage. The first front-line aircraft to operate from Lossiemouth were a detachment of twelve Vickers Wellington medium bombers belonging to No. 99 Squadron. The squadron arrived in November 1939 to take part in attack missions targeting the German cruiser Deutschland, which was operating between Iceland and the Shetland Isles. January 1940 saw detachments from No. 44 Squadron and No. 50 Squadron operating the Handley Page Hampden medium bomber arriving to take part in offensive patrols over the North Sea. However, the operation was short-lived as a result of bad weather, with the aircraft departing in mid-February.
A detachment of No. 9 Squadron spent a short period operating Wellingtons during April 1940, before their replacement by No. 107 Squadron and No. 110 Squadron, both equipped with the Bristol Blenheim light bomber. The first loss to enemy action of an aircraft operating from Lossiemouth occurred during this period, when three Blenheims were shot down over Norway.
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RAF Lossiemouth
Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or RAF Lossiemouth (IATA: LMO, ICAO: EGQS) is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.
Lossiemouth is one of the largest and busiest fast-jet stations in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and known for its close proximity to flight training areas in Scotland and its favourable local flying conditions. Since the closure of RAF Leuchars in 2015, Lossiemouth is the only operational RAF station in Scotland and is one of two main operating bases for the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 in the United Kingdom. It is home to four front-line fast jet units which operate the Typhoon: No. 1 Squadron, No. 2 Squadron, No. 6 Squadron and No. 9 Squadron. All four Squadrons contribute to the Quick Reaction Alert (Interceptor) North capability which provides continuous protection of UK airspace.
The station is also home to No. 120 Squadron and No. 201 Squadron, both flying the Poseidon MRA1 in the maritime patrol role. No. 8 Squadron will operate the RAF's new fleet of three Boeing Wedgetail AEW1 airborne early warning and control aircraft, with aircrew training expected to commence in 2025. No. 42 Squadron is the operational conversion unit for the Poseidon and Wedgetail. There are a number of non-flying units at RAF Lossiemouth including No. 5 Force Protection Wing and an RAF Mountain Rescue Service team.
The airfield opened in 1939 and was operated by the RAF, predominantly as part of Bomber Command, until 1946 when it transferred to the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) and became known as RNAS Lossiemouth or HMS Fulmar. Lossiemouth was used as a training station by the FAA until it was handed back to the RAF in September 1972, after which it has largely operated as a fast-jet base.
Construction started during the summer of 1938, when 220 hectares (540 acres) of agricultural land was acquired to accommodate the airfield. Five farms were requestioned: Newlands, Coulardbank, Greens, Smithfield and Kinnedar. The land was cleared of vegetation and buildings and by the spring of 1939 several wooden huts were present. Group Captain P.E. Maitland was the first station commander and took up post in March 1939, with the station formally opening on 1 May 1939.
The first unit to take up residence at Lossiemouth was No. 15 Flying Training School (No. 15 FTS), initially equipped with thirteen Airspeed Oxfords and five Hawker Harts. Aircraft were stored in the open until the first hangars were completed in August 1939. That same month tragedy struck when three crew members were killed during a mid-air collision between two Oxfords.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, a detachment of Seaforth Highlanders was sent to Lossiemouth to guard the station, and anti-aircraft defences were installed. Flying activity increased, with No. 15 FTS receiving further aircraft, including Oxfords and Harts; the introduction of the North American Harvard; and eleven Fairey Battles delivered for storage. The first front-line aircraft to operate from Lossiemouth were a detachment of twelve Vickers Wellington medium bombers belonging to No. 99 Squadron. The squadron arrived in November 1939 to take part in attack missions targeting the German cruiser Deutschland, which was operating between Iceland and the Shetland Isles. January 1940 saw detachments from No. 44 Squadron and No. 50 Squadron operating the Handley Page Hampden medium bomber arriving to take part in offensive patrols over the North Sea. However, the operation was short-lived as a result of bad weather, with the aircraft departing in mid-February.
A detachment of No. 9 Squadron spent a short period operating Wellingtons during April 1940, before their replacement by No. 107 Squadron and No. 110 Squadron, both equipped with the Bristol Blenheim light bomber. The first loss to enemy action of an aircraft operating from Lossiemouth occurred during this period, when three Blenheims were shot down over Norway.