RAF Docking

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name = Royal Air Force Station Docking


caption = Station crest
dates = July 1940 – 1958
country = United Kingdom
branch = Royal Air Force
command_structure =
type = Flying station
role = Bomber / Coastal Command
size =
current_commander =
garrison = Norwich, Norfolk, England
garrison_label = Based near
ceremonial_chief =
ceremonial_chief_label =
colonel_of_the_regiment =
colonel_of_the_regiment_label =
nickname =
motto =
colors =
colors_label = Royal Air Force Ensign
march = Royal Air Force March Past
mascot =
equipment = Avro Anson,
Airspeed Oxford,
Gloster Gladiator,
Bristol Beaufighter,
Vickers Wellington,
Lockheed Hudson,
Lockheed Ventura
Supermarine Spitfire,
Hawker Hurricane
battles =
notable_commanders =
identification_symbol =
identification_symbol_label = Station crest heraldry
anniversaries =

RAF Docking was a RAF Station of the Second World War a few miles from Bircham Newton in Norfolk.

It was a satellite airfield for the RAF Coastal Command station at RAF Bircham Newton and was mostly used for overflow from there.

A grass airfield, with eight blister hangars and one A1 hangar, was laid out soon after the outbreak of war and the first squadron to operate from there was No. 235 Squadron RAF using Bristol Blenheims for convoy escort and anti-shipping operations in the North Sea. These were then replaced by the Lockheed Hudson.

A meteorological observation unit No. 405 Flight of Bomber Command was set up as part of the effort to gain important weather information. When Coastal Command took over all the meteorological units this became No. 1401 (Met) Flight and received a greater variety of aircraft. As well as Blenhiems it operated Spitfires, Gloster Gladiator biplanes and Hawker Hurricanes. These aircraft were all used to take measurements of temperature nd humidity; from 40,000 ft downwards in precise areas. In August 1942 the Flight was made into a Squadron - No. 521 - with Hudsons Hampdens, Mosquitos and Venturas. The squadrons Mosquitos would operate deep into occupied Europe to take measurements over target areas; known as "PAMPA". In 1944 the squadron moved to the other stellite for Bircham Newton, RAF Langham

Docking Aicraft

Several types of aircraft have operated out of Docking, among these:
*Avro Anson
*Airspeed Oxford
*Gloster Gladiator
*Bristol Beaufighter
*Vickers Wellington
*Lockheed Hudson
*Lockheed Ventura
*Supermarine Spitfire
*Hawker Hurricane

Docking Squadrons

* No. 206 Squadron RCAF
* No. 235 Squadron RAF
* No. 500 Squadron RAF
* No. 407 Squadron RCAF
* No. 320 Squadron RAF
* No. 415 Squadron RCAF
* No. 521 Squadron RAF

References

*"Norfolk Airfields in the Second World War" Graham Smith, Countryside Books, 1997.
* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/D/Docking.htm Control Towers - RAF Docking]
* [http://airfieldarchaeology.fotopic.net/c1480866.html Airfield Archeology - RAF Docking]
* [http://www.rafbnmp.org.uk/langham.htm Bircham Newton Memorial Project]

ee also

*Royal Air Force station
*List of RAF stations
*List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons