RAF Pembroke Dock
RAF · Pembrokeshire · Wales · United Kingdom
RAF Pembroke Dock
The town of Pembroke Dock in the south of Wales was originally established as a Royal Navy (RN) shipyard in 1814. In 1930 the Royal Air Force (RAF) established a flying boat base here, using many of the facilities of the old dockyard that had been closed in 1926. During the Second World War ten separate Coastal Command squadrons including 10 and 461 Squadrons RAAF, operated from Pembroke Dock for varying periods. At the peak of operations, Pembroke Dock was the largest flying boat base in the world and was home to 100 aircraft and 1000 personnel. Aircraft operating from Pembroke Dock were predominately employed on patrols over the south-western Atlantic approaches to the United Kingdom. Both the town and dock facilities were subjected to numerous German bombing raids, particularly during 1940, and over 200 houses were destroyed. The RAF closed the flying boat base in 1959. (The Australian War Memorial)
RAF Pembroke Dock
RAF Pembroke Dock
A lovely film of Sunderland´s, Pembroke Dock and the Heritage Centre.
RAF Pembroke Dock
Air Ministry plan for 1944.
A.M.W.D. PD678 1944
RAF Pembroke Dock
Flying Boat & Marine Craft Facilities.
RAF Coastal Command.
Hangars:
2 x 'B' type Flight sheds.
1 x T2 Hangar.
Aircraft Servicing: facilities for 1st & 2nd line.
Many stone buildings probably left over from the Navy's occupation of the site.
Air 10/7393 Airfields & Flying Boat Bases
RAF Pembroke Dock
The Garrison Chapel in 1940.
In the background a Sunderland flying boat is parked on its beaching trolley. Note the blackouts on the car headlamps.
I had to add this picture of an almost bucolic atmosphere
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RAF Pembroke Dock
26 - Sergeants Mess for 300 - PD607.
27 - Single Officers Quarters - C.A.2/5.
RAF Pembroke Dock
26 - Sergeants Mess for 300 - PD607.
27 - Single Officers Quarters - C.A.2/5.
The original RN Dock entrance inside with Single Officers Quarters on left and Sergeants Mess on right.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
The original RN Dock entrance. on the left the Sergeants Mess and right Officers Quarters.
PD1956
RAF Pembroke Dock
From the furthest to the nearest:
27. Single Officers Quarters.
28. Sick Quarters (RAF) & Admiralty Building.
29. Single Officers Quarters.
30. Commanding Officers House.
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RAF Pembroke Dock
The Officers Mess.
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RAF Pembroke Dock
28. Sick Quarters (RAF) & Admiralty Building.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
2. Station HQ Office.
3. Post Office & Central Technical Office.
They are lovely stone buildings.
RAF Pembroke Dock
3. Post Office & Central Technical Office.
In the Navy´s time this may have been an important building.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
12. Sqn. Offices, Crew Pilots, W/T. Link Trainer. Rear view
Sqn. Offices: each Squadron would have maintained an office to manage all its about 200 members.
Crew Pilots, this is where crew and pilots would keep their flying equipment and there would be a drying room to dry out damp flying clothing.
W/T: radio room would link the station to its immediate HQ and to all the planes within range.
Link Trainer: wonderful piece of kit. A model of a plane sat on a gimbal. pilot would sit inside and an instructing officer at a control table. The pilot would then fly the Link as if it was a real plane and he controller could input different scenarios.
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RAF Pembroke Dock
12. Sqn. Offices, Crew Pilots, W/T. Link Trainer. At the front.
Lovely stone faced buildings.
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RAF Pembroke Dock
13 - Main stores & Central heating plant - 2355/34, 7/1-3-4. Drawing number.
This building I believe had a clock tower that burnt down.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
A really good view along the water front.
Aerial view of part of the dock and hangars used by 10 Squadron RAAF while operating with RAF Coastal Command at Pembroke Dock, Wales. Three Short Sunderland flying boats can be seen anchored on the water. The Australians arrived in England just prior to the war to collect some Sunderland's to take home and to be used in Australian coastal waters. But the war changed everything and they were badly needed here. And continued to work the cold waters of the Atlantic.
Australian War Memorial 1939
RAF Pembroke Dock
129 - No.2 Hangar & Offices, Inc. Squadron Offices. - 5041/36.
A 1936 Type 'B' aeroplane shed.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
129 - No.2 Hangar & Offices, inc. Squadron Offices - 5041/36
A short building but quite tall, allowing a Sunderland to be accommodate completely inside.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
Not all engineering could be done in lovely hangars, so the engine covers opened up and became like scaffolding for the engine fitters. Everything has to be brought out by tender, a small motor boat.
RAF Pembroke Dock
129 - No.2 Hangar & Offices, inc. Squadron Offices - 5041/36
A nice side on view of a 1936 Type 'B' aeroplane shed.
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RAF Pembroke Dock
129 - No.2 Hangar & Offices, inc. Squadron Offices - 5041/36
March past on church parade 461Sqn RAAF.
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RAF Pembroke Dock
129 - No.2 Hangar & Offices, inc. Squadron Offices - 5041/36
Engineering offices.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
129 - No.2 Hangar & Offices, inc. Squadron Offices - 5041/36
It would be nice to think all the doors open.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
129 - No.2 Hangar & Offices, inc. Squadron Offices - 5041/36
More side offices.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
129 - No.2 Hangar & Offices, inc. Squadron Offices - 5041/36
It looks as if the doors still work.
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RAF Pembroke Dock
80 - Flight Shed (Flying Boats) 160' x 180' - 107-9/34.
Plus 80a - Annex Offices & Workshops, Flight Offices - 1456-8/34, 32/1.
The annex now removed, was made of red brick.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
80 - Flight Shed (Flying Boats) 160' x 180' - 107-9/34.
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
The last Empire Air Day before the start of WW2.
Empire Air Day 20 May 1939 P D Heritage Centre
RAF Pembroke Dock
79 - Church & Cinema (Unconsecrated) - C.A.1/9 PD660
Now its Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre.
https://www.sunderlandtrust.com
15 March 2009
RAF Pembroke Dock
138. Officers Quarters CRV RAF.
RAF Pembroke Dock
67 - WAAF Sick Quarters for N.C.O. - 1518/32.
Before and after the war these would have been Warrant Officers married quarters. But in wartime they were used as sick quarters for WAAF's.
RAF Pembroke Dock
Something completely different.
Yes the Millennium Falcon, it was built here for the film The Empire Strikes Back. Better than this it shows what the hangar looks like inside.
1979 Sunderland Trust
RAF Pembroke Dock
Slip No's 13 & 12 and hangar no.129.
With the downfall of the Dutch nation in 1940 eight Fokker T.VIIIW sea planes escaped and were stationed at Pembroke Dock. They did a very useful service in the early war years until the aircraft became unserviceable due to lack of spare parts.
RCAHMW Digitised Records C632491
RAF Pembroke Dock
16 January 1943, 95 Squadron RAF Short Sunderland 1 L5802 (SE-F) was written off in a night landing accident at Alness, Ross & Cromarty, there were no fatalities. Aeroplane seen here at Pembroke docks in February 1941.
R Eisele on X
RAF Pembroke Dock
1940 Luftwaffe air photo
Aerial view of part of the dock and hangars plus the oil storage either side of the port. In 1940 it was very badly bombed.
1940 Luftwaffe air photo
RAF Pembroke Dock
1940 Luftwaffe air photo
A closer look and you can see many aircraft in the water.
1940 Luftwaffe air photo
RAF Pembroke Dock
No. 461 Squadron RAAF Short Sunderland.
16 February 1944
RAF Pembroke Dock
This image is showing the T2 hangar located on the eastern side of the camp.
RAF Pembroke Dock
Norman Wilkinson 1878 - 1971.
Norman Wilkinson was an artist in oil, watercolour and drypoint, usually of marine subjects. Illustrator and poster artist, he also made an important contribution in both World Wars in the field of dazzle camouflage.
06 May 1945n.
RAF Pembroke Dock
Norman Wilkinson 1878 - 1971.
Norman Wilkinson was an artist in oil, watercolour and dry point, usually of marine subjects. Illustrator and poster artist, he also made an important contribution in both World Wars in the field of dazzle camouflage.
“Norman Wilkinson” painted by his son Rodney Wilkinson
RAF Pembroke Dock
U-426 attack
The role of a Sunderland (Specification R.2/33) was to be an ocean reconnaissance plane. And in the role it excelled. Crewed by seven men and then increased to eleven with more defensive armament, up to 16 guns and anti-submarine electronics. They could carry a Leigh light (search light) to light up a submarine for attack at night, ASV Mark II radar and later Mk III was introduced. Plus bombs, mines or depth charges. When a submarine was sighted, the pilot pressed a klaxon and all the crew came to battle stations. Bombs run out and the plane dived down to attack. The front gunner and fixed (up to four .303 m/g) would fire at the submarine crews to keep them off the deck and then drop bombs/depth charges. The picture is of an attack on U-426.
Wiki
RAF Pembroke Dock
RAAF Sunderland flying boat [461E Emu T9114] assisted in the rescue of the crews of two other aircraft in the Bay of Biscay.
Just showing another role the Sunderland carried out and that is rescue. Many a seamen and aircrew were picked up out of the sea. On 21 September 1939, two Sunderland's rescued the entire 34-man crew of the torpedoed merchantman Kensington Court from the North Sea. One incident in the retreat from Crete, one carried as many as 82 passengers. (not sure if that was in one trip??)
RAF Pembroke Dock
Consolidated PBY Catalina.
The Catalina was another of the very successful planes that were based here.
RAF Pembroke Dock
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RAF Pembroke Dock
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