Latitude 52°49'59"N Longitude 02°30'27"W


ACQUISITION	Transferred from R.A.F. for satellite airfield to RNAS Stretton 13 August 1942 [1]
OPENED
COMMISSIONED	14 June 1943 as an independent command bearing the ship’s name 'GODWIT' with accounts carried in H.M.S. “BLACKCAP” 01 April 1944 as H.M.S. GODWIT
PAID OFF	28 February 1947
CLOSED	28 February 1947
COMMANDING OFFICER	Commander RNVR (P) J. B. W. Pugh, OBE, AFC 14 June 43
FUNCTION	Central Naval Instrument Flying Training School, with accessory training.
TENDERS	R.N.A.S. Hinstock has the temporary use of two airfields in connection with Instrument Flying Training:- 1. Weston Park (by arrangement with M.A.P. ) situated 12 miles S.E. Of Hinstock and 8 miles N.W. of Wolverhampton. 2. Bratton (by arrangement with Air Ministry) situated 6½ miles S.S.W. of Hinstock and 8 miles E. of Shrewsbury.
ADDRESS	R.N. Air Station, Hinstock, Market Drayton, Shropshire. England
LOCALITY	The airfield lies 4 miles S. by W. of Market Drayton and 1¾ miles W. of the village of Hinstock. Stoke on Trent lies 13 miles N.E. and Shrewsbury 11½ miles S.W. Birmingham lies 30 miles S.E.
LANDMARKS	The Shropshire Union canal, running from Birmingham, through Market Drayton to Chester, passes 2½ miles N.E.; the river Tern, flowing S. towards its junction, 10½ miles S.W., with the Severn, passes ¾ mile W. The G.W.R. line to Market Drayton runs 2 miles W. of the airfield.
ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS	Secondary road to Hodnet, and to Hinstock amend the main Market Drayton road. Hodnet railway station, 2¼ miles W.N.W., on the G.W.R. line to Market Drayton, where there is a junction with the L.M.S.


CONTROL	Control building on NW, side of landing area. Keeps watch on Naval Safety wavelength. Combined Control with adjacent R.A.F. Stations by tie-line and combined left-hand circuits with R.A.F. Peplow.
SIGNALS	Ground signals area close S. of Control building. Sodium lighting for fog conditions.
ELEVATION	265' above M.S.L.
RUNWAYS /LANDING AREA	One, heavy steel track. 04/22 QDM. 037°/217° .... 1,400 X 50 yds. The airfield is grass surfaced with dimensions N./S. 1,600 yds. N.E./S.W. 1,100 yds. (Part only serviceable.)
TRACKS	A 25 ft. perimeter track (to be widened to 40 ft.) bounds the landing area from the centre of its W. side, round the N. end and down the E. side. It gives access to all station buildings and hangars. Extension of perimeter track in progress.
OBSTRUCTIONS	Navigation: Circuit: Approach:	None. Avoid crossing R.A.F. Peplow, lying I mile S.S.E. 90 ft. W/T. masts at S.E. extremity of the airfield.
APPROACH	Not known
WIND INDICATOR	Windsock on the E. side of the landing area, near the compass base.


HOMING - VISUAL	By day: By night:	Not known Not known
HOMING--RADIO	D/F: Beacon:	One H/F (second H/F, also VHF to be installed).
HOMING--RADIO	Navigational:	YG Beacon. 251M. Beacon. Std. Beam Approach. Type 93 (Naval B.A.). Type 257 (BABS) to be installed
APPROACH - VISUAL	By day:	Not known
APPROACH - VISUAL	By night:	Portable equipment (2 floodlights) on demand.
APPROACH - RADIO	Not known
COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT	W/T and R/T: VH/F:	I line M/F. (not yet available). 2 H/F Control channels (" A " and " B "). VHF (to be installed). 2 lines H/F.
GROUND RADAR	Not known

ACCOMMODATION

Officers quarters at Hinstock Hall, 1¾ miles E.
Ratings quarters at Childs Ercall,½ mile S.
W.R.N.S. quarters at Steppes farm, Childs Ercall.

Capacity:

Officers:	130
Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:	363
W.R.N.S. Officers:	7
W.R.N.S. Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;	144.

ARMOURIES

To accommodate 2 squadrons.

COMPASS BASE

One, tarmac. Diameter 70 ft.

DISPERSAL

5 bomber type A/C standings.

HANGARS

On E., S.E. and N.W. sides of the landing area.

Number /Type	Size	Door Height	Door Width
2 Pentad (Squadron)	185' x 110'	25'	100'
5 Mains (Squadron)	60' x 84'	17'	55'
1 Mains (Squadron)	60' x 70'	17'	55'
5 Super Blister (Squadron)	91' x 67' 5"	20' 4"	57' 23"

MEDICAL

Sick Bay at The Hall, Childs Ercall, ½ mile S. of the airfield. First Aid facilities at the airfield.

METEOROLOGICAL

Office in Control building. Full meteorological service by Naval personnel available .

FUEL AND OIL

Aviation:	24,000 gallons. Two further installations of 8,000 gallons each to be provided.
M/T:	2,000 gallons
Oil :	2,000 gallons

TEST BASE

A/c. Radar test base to be provided.

TEST BUTT

None.

WORKSHOPS

One large Reserve Servicing and one large A.R.S. hangar to be provided. Workshops to 2 3 squadron scale.

EXPLOSIVES

Explosives area at N. end of airfield.

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

Not known

Information taken from CB 4368 A. Admiralty Handbook of Naval Air Stations Aug. 45

List of first and second line squadrons, station flight and other flying units based at this location

702

Instrument Flying Training & Checking Squadron

Squadron reformed as an offshoot of No.758 Squadron at Hinstock on o1.06.11945.
Squadron personnel took passage to RNAS Schofields, Australia seven weeks later.
Equipped with. Oxfords and Harvards.

729

Instrument Flying Training squadron

Squadron formed as an offshoot of No.758 Squadron 0.011945.

Squadron personnel took passage to RNAMY Coimbatore, India on 16.p4.1945, without aircraft.

Equipped with. Oxfords and Harvards.

734

Engine Handling Unit.

Moved here from RNAS Worthy Down 21.08.45 Operated out of Hinstock's satellite at Peplow. disbanded on 21.02.1946.

Initial equipment Whitley GR.VIIS, planned to re-equip with Fortress and Lancaster

758

Naval Advanced Instrument Flying Training Unit.

Moved here from RNAS Donibristle on 15.08.1942. Disbanded at RNAS Peplow 14.05.1946, to become 'B' Flight of 780 Squadron.
Mainly equipped with Oxfords; also received Anson, Harvard IIb, Reliant, Tiger Moth, and Wellington XIs.

780

Advanced Flying Training Unit

Reformed at Hinstock on 28.03.1946. Based at the Peplow satellite.

On 14 May 1946 the remnants of No.758 Squadron were absorbed to form 'B' Flight; this moved to RNAS Crail on 17.121946.

780 squadron moved to RNAS Donibristle 27.031947

Equipped with Oxfords, Harvards, Fireflies, Tiger Moths, and Lancasters.

798

Advanced Single .Engine Conversion & Refresher Flying Training Unit.

Moved here from RNAS Halesworth 28.11.1945. Disbanded on 18.03.1946.
Equipped with an assortment of Barracudas, Fireflies, Harvards, Seafires, and Tiger Moths.

The airfield was built a secret Relief Landing Ground (RLG) for RAF Exeter and great trouble was

RN use of the airfield

By the time the airfield opened at the end of May 1942 the need for a secret RLG had passed

Commissioned as an RN Air Station

By the end of 1942 it was clear that the RAF had no use for the Charlton Horethorne RLG and the airfield was transferred to the Admiralty; the station commissioned as H.M.S. HERON II on New Year’s Day 1943.