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GOSPORT AIRFIELD

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

HMS SISKIN

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A military airfield used in both World Wars. The military airfield began in 1914 as a Royal Navy Air Service station, initially consisting of canvas hangars and a tented camp. In the late 1930s the airfield was expanded as the threat of another war grew. Originally the airfield had tarmac runways used for practising carrier landings but these were removed to provide larger grass runways.
During the Battle of Britain in 1940, it was sometimes used by the heavily engaged 11 Group Royal Air Force, but principally by Royal Navy aircraft operating in defence of Southampton and Portsmouth. During the battle the airfield was heavily attacked by German aircraft: a particularly severe raid was launched by Stukas operating from the Caen area. Later in the war the base was used by a mixture of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Units, experimenting with the use of torpedoes and training crews.
Post-war the site was also known as HMS Siskin. After 1956 the site was developed for Navy housing. It is situated to the south-east of HMS Daedulus, a another more famous naval air station.

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A military airfield used in both World Wars. The military airfield began in 1914 as a Royal Navy Air Service station, initially consisting of canvas hangars and a tented camp. In the late 1930s the airfield was expanded as the threat of another war grew. Originally the airfield had tarmac runways used for practising carrier landings but these were removed to provide larger grass runways. During the Battle of Britain the airfield was heavily attacked by German aircraft, a particularly severe raid was launched by Stukas operating from the Caen area. Later in the war the base was used by a mixture of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Units, experimenting with the use of torpedoes and training crews. Post-war the site was designated as HMS Siskin. After 1956 the site was developed for Navy housing. (1)

Gosport Airfield, SU 586010. Landing surfaces in World War Two were tarmac and grass. Temporary accommodation was provided for personnel and the wartime airfield had a variety of aircraft hangars including Type C, Bellman, Bessonneau and Blister hangars. (2)

Information on the site including a plan and details of the squadrons based at Gosport can be accessed from this source: The Military Airfields of Britain; Southern England. (3)

RAF Gosport was actually principally a Royal Navy airfield in World War Two, and Royal Navy fighters were permanently stationed here in defence of Southampton and Portsmouth. During the Battle of Britain RAF units were detached to this airfield suring the Battle of Britain. (4)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) General reference

Brooks, RJ: 2003: "Hampshire Airfields in the Second World War", Countryside Books, pp 68-76.

(2) Steve Willis and Barry Holliss 1987 Military airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945

Page(s)90

(3) KEN DELVE 2005 THE MILITARY AIRFIELDS OF BRITAIN; SOUTHERN ENGLAND, KENT, HAMPSHIRE, SURREY AND SUSSEX

Page(s)111-115

(4) World Wide Web page

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