RAF Bramcote

RAF Bramcote
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Bramcote
Coordinates	52°29′23″N 001°23′57″W
Map
RAF Bramcote Location in Warwickshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 00/00 0 0 Concrete 00/00 0 0 Concrete 00/00 0 0 Concrete

RAF Bramcote was a Royal Air Force station near Nuneaton in Warwickshire during World War II. It later became HMS Gamecock and then Gamecock Barracks.

RAF operations

The Station opened in 1939. The main user No.18 Operational Training Unit (OTU) moved from nearby Hucknall in June 1940, to train crews on the Vickers Wellington but later moved out in March 1943.

In 1940 four Polish squadrons (300, 301, 304 and 305) were formed at Bramcote with the Fairey Battle.

From April 1943 to October 1945 the station was used by No.105 OTU, Transport Command. Initially training crews used the Wellington and later the Douglas Dakota.

The RAF Station was closed in November 1946 and the airfield transferred to the Royal Navy.

Royal Navy operations

Supermarine Seafire F.47s of 1833 Squadron RNVR based at Bramcote in 1953.

RNAS Bramcote was given the ships name HMS Gamecock following RN normal practice and it was used by flying units of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve between August 1947 and October 1955. The first unit to be based was 1833 Squadron equipped with Supermarine Seafire fighters. Initially the Seafire F15 and F.17 were used, but from June 1952, the unit became the only RNVR squadron to be equipped with the Seafire FR.47, fitted with contra-rotating propellers. These were replaced by the Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 in February 1954. The jet-powered Supermarine Attacker was received in October 1955, and because these required better runway facilities, the squadron then moved to nearby RAF Honiley.

The Midland Air Division was formed on 1 July 1953 to control Bramcote-based squadrons. 1844 Squadron formed at Bramcote on 15 February 1954, being equipped with Fairey Firefly AS.6 anti-submarine aircraft. Grumman Avenger AS.5 aircraft replaced the Fireflies in March 1956. Both squadrons ceased to exist on 10 March 1957 when all of the United Kingdom's reserve flying units were disbanded as an economy measure.

Gamecock Barracks

In 1959 the airfield was transferred to Army as Gamecock Barracks. The Barracks were home to the Junior Leaders' Regiment Royal Artillery, between the 1960s and the 1990s. This was an Army training establishment for the future NCO's of the Royal Artillery. It was one of many different types of Junior establishments for "Boy Soldiers" serving from the age of 15 to 17 years (until the school leaving age was raised to 16). After completing their military and trade training, which initially took 2 years, but was latterly reduced to 12 months, they would muster to their designated Regular Army Artillery Regiments.

Currently occupied by the Royal Corps of Signals. The site may be rented from the Ministry of Defence for TV/film purposes.

Units and aircraft

• No. 151 Squadron RAF (1940) Hawker Hurricane I then Boulton Paul Defiant
• No. 215 Squadron RAF (1939) Vickers Wellington I
• No. 301 (Polish) Squadron RAF (1940) Fairey Battle
• No. 301 (Polish) Squadron RAF (1940) Fairey Battle
• No. 304 (Polish) Squadron RAF (1940) Fairey Battle then Vickers Wellington IC
• No. 305 (Polish) Squadron RAF (1940) Fairey Battle then Vickers Wellington IC
• No. 18 Operational Training Unit RAF (1940–1943) Vickers Wellington
• No. 105 Operational Training Unit RAF (1943–1945) Vickers Wellington then Douglas Dakota
• No. 1833 Squadron RNVR
• No. 1844 Squadron RNVR

References

• Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE,BA,RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
• Sturtivant, Ray (1994). The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.

External links

• RAF Bramcote at controltowers.co.uk