Paved runways at RAF Lossiemouth
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Location: Livingston, Scotland
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Paved runways at RAF Lossiemouth
Various online sources talk of the first paved runways first being built at Lossiemouth (along with a control tower) in late 1942, apparently by USAAF engineers. Is anyone able to tie that down more closely in terms of what was built and when?
"However, by the winter of 1941 the airfield had become so muddy that the Wellingtons of No. 20 OTU were temporarily relocated to RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk."
would suggest that Lossie hadn't acquired hard runways by that stage.
Although not an answer for you, the North/South short runway was certainly in use in 1944, as the following tale relates.
8 Sqn formed at Kinloss with AEW Shackletons, with the intention of moving to Lossiemouth once the RN moved out. As such our second line servicing was set up there straight away, and we had to ferry ac back and forth. Almost as soon as the RAF took control they decided to resurface the two main runways, leaving just the short (3000ft give or take) 01/36 runway available. I was tasked to take an ac over with a very experienced co pilot, as it was a bit short even for a very light Shack. As we turned downwind, my co started reminiscing about his time on the Halifax OCU in 1944, and his last approach to 01. As we turned finals he went quite quiet, so the inevitable question was what happened? About 200 ft he finally answered - 'I crashed - I was this high then as well!'
No chance of landing as the whole crew dissolved into laughter, so after an overshoot and a much lower approach we got in quite happily.
8 Sqn formed at Kinloss with AEW Shackletons, with the intention of moving to Lossiemouth once the RN moved out. As such our second line servicing was set up there straight away, and we had to ferry ac back and forth. Almost as soon as the RAF took control they decided to resurface the two main runways, leaving just the short (3000ft give or take) 01/36 runway available. I was tasked to take an ac over with a very experienced co pilot, as it was a bit short even for a very light Shack. As we turned downwind, my co started reminiscing about his time on the Halifax OCU in 1944, and his last approach to 01. As we turned finals he went quite quiet, so the inevitable question was what happened? About 200 ft he finally answered - 'I crashed - I was this high then as well!'
No chance of landing as the whole crew dissolved into laughter, so after an overshoot and a much lower approach we got in quite happily.
Action Stations 7 (2nd edition) says "acquired runways in 1942".
That's followed by "finally built in 1942".
It goes on to say it was decided to extend the runways and "a USAAF engineer battalion arrived in November 1942 and in 3 weeks had extended the north/south runway".
That's followed by "finally built in 1942".
It goes on to say it was decided to extend the runways and "a USAAF engineer battalion arrived in November 1942 and in 3 weeks had extended the north/south runway".
