USAF Runway in 1956

I can remember turning up at Ringway to find four white Vulcans parked at the end of the runway. I thought it was earlier than 64-65 though.

Regards

I can remember turning up at Ringway to find four white Vulcans parked at the end of the runway. I thought it was earlier than 64-65 though.

Regards

Thanks for the info you guys all good stuff there. The location is actually Burtonwood. Using the info I might now move into the early 60s. Depends on the availability of suitable a/c for AI. Have just ordered a copy of Aldon P Ferguson’s book for more pics.

Mike Dews
Team SDB

Thanks for the info you guys all good stuff there. The location is actually Burtonwood. Using the info I might now move into the early 60s. Depends on the availability of suitable a/c for AI. Have just ordered a copy of Aldon P Ferguson’s book for more pics.

Mike Dews
Team SDB

With schools and homes, Class I airfields assigned to Vs were Akrotiri, plus p01’s 10. Bomber/Strike Command mounted dispersal Q from 1/2/62 to 30/6/69 (Wynn,P.554). Detached duty to FEAF/Butterworth/Tengah was undertaken by Victor 1/Vulcan 2, 8/12/63-8/71.

Dispersal is not so straightforward. Aircraft armed with US weapons could not be dispersed, armed. So, for example, 90 Sqdn/Valiant exercised dispersal to Yeovilton, but could not do so with its weapon. The first British weapons, Blue Danube, Violet Club and Yellow Sun Mk.1 were not intended for dispersal. Sites prepared in the period 1961-64 with Operational Readiness Platforms for 2 or 4 aircraft with Blue Steel, WE177B, or Yellow Sun Mk.2 were assigned thus:
for Coningsby’s Vulcan 2: Burtonwood (early-1963-11/64);
for Cottesmore’s Vulcan 2: Ballykelly, MoA Boscombe Down, Leconfield, MoA Llanbedr, Lyneham, MoA Pershore, St.Mawgan, Thorney Is., Valley, RNAS Yeovilton;
for Scampton’s Vulcan 2: RNAS Brawdy, Kinloss, Leeming, RNAS Lossiemouth, MoA Bedford;
for Waddington’s Vulcan 2: BAC Filton, Leuchars, Machrihanish, Manston, Wattisham;
for Wittering’s Victor 2: Bruntingthorpe, Coltishall.

There was some joint-use between Wings, inc. Victor B.1/Honington to 6/11/65.
Elvington and Middleton St.George (to 1966), RAFC Cranwell, MoA Farnborough/W.Freugh/(FRL) Tarrant Rushton, and after 4/65 ex-USAF/SAC sites Brize Norton/Fairford/Greenham Common/Upper Heyford all exercised dispersal. Major Servicing was by 19 and 32 MUs/ St.Athan, which could have supported dispersal.
Hi-profile visits to such civil runways as Prestwick, Ringway, Stansted, offered shell-game decoy-QRA.
NEAF practised dispersal to Masirah/Oman, Mashhad & Mehrabad/Iran and Peshawar/Pakistan, which were also havens for ex-UK sorties.

With schools and homes, Class I airfields assigned to Vs were Akrotiri, plus p01’s 10. Bomber/Strike Command mounted dispersal Q from 1/2/62 to 30/6/69 (Wynn,P.554). Detached duty to FEAF/Butterworth/Tengah was undertaken by Victor 1/Vulcan 2, 8/12/63-8/71.

Dispersal is not so straightforward. Aircraft armed with US weapons could not be dispersed, armed. So, for example, 90 Sqdn/Valiant exercised dispersal to Yeovilton, but could not do so with its weapon. The first British weapons, Blue Danube, Violet Club and Yellow Sun Mk.1 were not intended for dispersal. Sites prepared in the period 1961-64 with Operational Readiness Platforms for 2 or 4 aircraft with Blue Steel, WE177B, or Yellow Sun Mk.2 were assigned thus:
for Coningsby’s Vulcan 2: Burtonwood (early-1963-11/64);
for Cottesmore’s Vulcan 2: Ballykelly, MoA Boscombe Down, Leconfield, MoA Llanbedr, Lyneham, MoA Pershore, St.Mawgan, Thorney Is., Valley, RNAS Yeovilton;
for Scampton’s Vulcan 2: RNAS Brawdy, Kinloss, Leeming, RNAS Lossiemouth, MoA Bedford;
for Waddington’s Vulcan 2: BAC Filton, Leuchars, Machrihanish, Manston, Wattisham;
for Wittering’s Victor 2: Bruntingthorpe, Coltishall.

There was some joint-use between Wings, inc. Victor B.1/Honington to 6/11/65.
Elvington and Middleton St.George (to 1966), RAFC Cranwell, MoA Farnborough/W.Freugh/(FRL) Tarrant Rushton, and after 4/65 ex-USAF/SAC sites Brize Norton/Fairford/Greenham Common/Upper Heyford all exercised dispersal. Major Servicing was by 19 and 32 MUs/ St.Athan, which could have supported dispersal.
Hi-profile visits to such civil runways as Prestwick, Ringway, Stansted, offered shell-game decoy-QRA.
NEAF practised dispersal to Masirah/Oman, Mashhad & Mehrabad/Iran and Peshawar/Pakistan, which were also havens for ex-UK sorties.

Not sure if you are modelling an actual V bomber home base, dispersed base or an imaginery one of either?
With dispersed airfields there tended to be one large ASP (Aircraft Servicing Platform) for two or four aircraft, either one large pan or made up of existing dispersals, and two ORP (Operational Readiness Platforms) which were placed right at the entry point to the runway.
Only the main runway would have the ORP entry points and only at the predominant runway direction end.
Using St Mawgan as an example, the main runway was the 9,000×300 31-13 rw, and 31 was the dominant runway direction in use (usually this is given away by landing and nav aids etc). An ORP was sighted at the 31 threshold, and another one just further down at a seperated entry point from the taxiway and V dispersal, both of these were square concrete platforms built into the taxiways. The main dispersal was four of the existing spectacle loops modified with comms, rest and readiness buildings and all the kit needed for handling V Bombers.
An HTP Emergency Disposal Pit adjoins one of the ORPs at Mawgan, and I believe this was standard.
If modelling an imaginery base I would transpose relevant bits from say Elvington, which is still a superb example of a V dispersed airfield, a scan of a satellite image shows exactly what I mean and the distinctive ORPs show up really well. Same goes for other airfields such as Mawgan, Machrihanish, & Bedford etc.

Readiness for V bombers on parking areas were,

RS15, were the aircraft and crew had to be capable of taking off in 15 minutes. The crew could be in their rest room partly in flying suits, or further away with dedicated vehicle ready to go. This readiness could be held anywhere between a few hours, or on at least one excercise up to 30 days. The crews operated in 24hr shifts.

The next level was readiness on the ORPs and were,

RS05, the aircraft on the ORP with all electrical power on, and APU running. The crews were all fully suited and sat in their positions. The aircraft was to scramble within 5 minutes, and this readiness could be held for up to 5 hours. All four engines were capable of single point start up, ie not wasting time on seperate engines and systems to start and come on stream.

RS02 would have all engines running, and crews ready to go, all external supplies were dissconnected, this readiness would get the aircraft airborne in 2 minutes and would only be held for very short periods of time.

Class 1 airfields, All capable of accommodating four V bombers at readiness.
Coningsby
Cottesmore
Finningley
Gaydon
Honington
Marham
Scampton
Waddington
Wittering
Wyton

Dispersed airfields, capable of supporting 2, or 4 aircraft
RAF Aldergrove
RAF Ballykelly
RAE Bedford
RAF Boscombe Down
RAF Brawdy
Bruntingthorpe
RAF Burtonwood
RAF Coltishall
RAF Cranwell
RAF Elvington
Filton
RAF Kemble
RAF Kinloss
RAF Leconfield
RAF Leeming
RAF Leuchars
RAE Llanbedr
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Lyneham
RAF Machrihanish
RAF Manston
RAF Middleton St. George
Pershore
RAF St. Mawgan
Prestwick
RAF Shawbury
Stansted
Tarrant Rushton
RAF Valley
RAF Wattisham
RNAS Yeovilton

Unsure if any RAF airfields abroad had ORPs, but guessing that the likes of Luqa did.
I can’t tie down exact dates but it seemed that this readiness system ran from around 1959 to 1969.

As far as markings and lights, I think they were just standard in use at the time for the airfield, being similar to what has been used until recent times.
For the detail I can really recommend asking over at the Airfield Information Exchange.

Unfortunately my home internet is down so I can’t post up drawings etc at the mo!

Not sure if you are modelling an actual V bomber home base, dispersed base or an imaginery one of either?
With dispersed airfields there tended to be one large ASP (Aircraft Servicing Platform) for two or four aircraft, either one large pan or made up of existing dispersals, and two ORP (Operational Readiness Platforms) which were placed right at the entry point to the runway.
Only the main runway would have the ORP entry points and only at the predominant runway direction end.
Using St Mawgan as an example, the main runway was the 9,000×300 31-13 rw, and 31 was the dominant runway direction in use (usually this is given away by landing and nav aids etc). An ORP was sighted at the 31 threshold, and another one just further down at a seperated entry point from the taxiway and V dispersal, both of these were square concrete platforms built into the taxiways. The main dispersal was four of the existing spectacle loops modified with comms, rest and readiness buildings and all the kit needed for handling V Bombers.
An HTP Emergency Disposal Pit adjoins one of the ORPs at Mawgan, and I believe this was standard.
If modelling an imaginery base I would transpose relevant bits from say Elvington, which is still a superb example of a V dispersed airfield, a scan of a satellite image shows exactly what I mean and the distinctive ORPs show up really well. Same goes for other airfields such as Mawgan, Machrihanish, & Bedford etc.

Readiness for V bombers on parking areas were,

RS15, were the aircraft and crew had to be capable of taking off in 15 minutes. The crew could be in their rest room partly in flying suits, or further away with dedicated vehicle ready to go. This readiness could be held anywhere between a few hours, or on at least one excercise up to 30 days. The crews operated in 24hr shifts.

The next level was readiness on the ORPs and were,

RS05, the aircraft on the ORP with all electrical power on, and APU running. The crews were all fully suited and sat in their positions. The aircraft was to scramble within 5 minutes, and this readiness could be held for up to 5 hours. All four engines were capable of single point start up, ie not wasting time on seperate engines and systems to start and come on stream.

RS02 would have all engines running, and crews ready to go, all external supplies were dissconnected, this readiness would get the aircraft airborne in 2 minutes and would only be held for very short periods of time.

Class 1 airfields, All capable of accommodating four V bombers at readiness.
Coningsby
Cottesmore
Finningley
Gaydon
Honington
Marham
Scampton
Waddington
Wittering
Wyton

Dispersed airfields, capable of supporting 2, or 4 aircraft
RAF Aldergrove
RAF Ballykelly
RAE Bedford
RAF Boscombe Down
RAF Brawdy
Bruntingthorpe
RAF Burtonwood
RAF Coltishall
RAF Cranwell
RAF Elvington
Filton
RAF Kemble
RAF Kinloss
RAF Leconfield
RAF Leeming
RAF Leuchars
RAE Llanbedr
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Lyneham
RAF Machrihanish
RAF Manston
RAF Middleton St. George
Pershore
RAF St. Mawgan
Prestwick
RAF Shawbury
Stansted
Tarrant Rushton
RAF Valley
RAF Wattisham
RNAS Yeovilton

Unsure if any RAF airfields abroad had ORPs, but guessing that the likes of Luqa did.
I can’t tie down exact dates but it seemed that this readiness system ran from around 1959 to 1969.

As far as markings and lights, I think they were just standard in use at the time for the airfield, being similar to what has been used until recent times.
For the detail I can really recommend asking over at the Airfield Information Exchange.

Unfortunately my home internet is down so I can’t post up drawings etc at the mo!

re;

Try aerial pics of East Kirkby, it still has the huge pan.

re;

Try aerial pics of East Kirkby, it still has the huge pan.