RNAS Burscough (HMS Ringtail)
Encyclopedia
RNAS Burscough was a former Fleet Air Arm
(FAA) naval air station
which was situated 1.5 statute miles south-west of Burscough
, Lancashire
. The Admiralty
acquired 650 acres (2.6 km²) of land in December 1942 and the airfield was built with four runways and several hangar
s, being commissioned on 1 September 1943.
fighter
squadrons
for their formation, training and working-up. Many FAA squadrons were based at Burscough for a period of a few weeks or months, before moving to front-line FAA bases or on to aircraft carrier
s for deployment in action in the European or Far Eastern war fronts.
One of the first FAA units to operate from HMS Ringtail was 809 Squadron FAA, equipped with Supermarine Seafire
s, it arrived from RAF Andover
on 19 December 1943, then departed on 29 December when it flew its aircraft aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Stalker
.
During the 1960s, civil cropduster agricultural aircraft
, both fixed wing and helicopter
s, used the now otherwise inactive airfield as an operating base for refuelling and filling the aircraft's spray tanks.
As of early 2009, four naval hangars still survive in use for non-aviation purposes with the Merseyside Transport Trust. These include 'Pentad' type hangars, and are located on the western edge of the old airfield, most of which has now been turned into an industrial eatate.
A link to the HMS Ringtail Facebook Group,
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
(FAA) naval air station
Naval Air Station
A Naval Air Station is a military airbase, and consists of a permanent land-based operations locations for the military aviation division of the relevant branch of their Navy...
which was situated 1.5 statute miles south-west of Burscough
Burscough
Burscough is a village and civil parish within West Lancashire in North West England, to the north of both Ormskirk and Skelmersdale.-Growth:...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. The Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
acquired 650 acres (2.6 km²) of land in December 1942 and the airfield was built with four runways and several hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
s, being commissioned on 1 September 1943.
Operational history
The air station was planned to accommodate FAA day, night and torpedoTorpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
squadrons
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
for their formation, training and working-up. Many FAA squadrons were based at Burscough for a period of a few weeks or months, before moving to front-line FAA bases or on to aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s for deployment in action in the European or Far Eastern war fronts.
One of the first FAA units to operate from HMS Ringtail was 809 Squadron FAA, equipped with Supermarine Seafire
Supermarine Seafire
The Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire.-Origins of the Seafire:...
s, it arrived from RAF Andover
RAF Andover
Andover Airfield is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station. The ICAO code for the airfield is EGWA and the IATA code is ADV...
on 19 December 1943, then departed on 29 December when it flew its aircraft aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Stalker
HMS Stalker
Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Stalker: A converted trawler An escort carrier previously USS Hamlin Landing Ship, Tank previously LST 3515...
.
Postwar operations
RNAS Burscough closed for flying in May 1946. Thereafter, the hangars were used for the storage of aircraft engines and other FAA equipment until the airfield was disposed of in 1957.During the 1960s, civil cropduster agricultural aircraft
Agricultural aircraft
An agricultural aircraft is an aircraft that has been built or converted for agricultural use - usually aerial application of pesticides or fertilizer ; in these roles they are referred to as "crop dusters" or "top dressers"...
, both fixed wing and helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, used the now otherwise inactive airfield as an operating base for refuelling and filling the aircraft's spray tanks.
As of early 2009, four naval hangars still survive in use for non-aviation purposes with the Merseyside Transport Trust. These include 'Pentad' type hangars, and are located on the western edge of the old airfield, most of which has now been turned into an industrial eatate.
Links
A link to the HMS Ringtail website,- http://www.hms-ringtail.co.uk/
A link to the HMS Ringtail Facebook Group,
- http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=163580260324697