Latitude 11°00'55"N Longitude 77°09'50"E

   

ACQUISITION

Transferred from Air Ministry June 1944.

 

COMMISSIONED

16 May 1944 as 'Non books of GARUDA'

February 1st 1945 as 'VAIRI'

   

PAID OFF

01 Apr1946

   

C.O. and O.I.C.

Commander G. R. Brown D.S.C. 16.5.1944

   

FUNCTION

Aircraft Storage Depot for 500 aircraft.

R.N. Air Communications Centre. Southern India

742 Communications Squadron

 

ADDRESS

R.N. Air Station,

Sulur,

Nr Coimbatore,

Southern India

 

LOCALITY

The airfield is situated on a bare, laterite plain, 74 miles W. of the coast of Southern India, and 2 miles E. of the village of Sulur.

R.N.A.S. Coimbatore lies 7 miles W.

The port of Cochin lies 90 mile SW,, and Dhanushkodii, the Ferry head to Ceylon lies 185 miles SE.

 

LANDMARKS

The Podanur Junction - Madras railway line ruining NE. to Madras, passes 2½ miles NW. of the airfield.

A road running E. from Sulur traverses the airfield and separates the technical area, to the N, and the runways and hangar area to the S.

 

ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS

Road, via Sulur, to Coimbatore, 15 miles (R); to Madras, 323 Mile (R); and to the hill station at Ootacamund, 62 miles (R).

Road to Sulur railway station 4 miles NW.  on the Sothern Indian Railway, giving access to Coimbatore, Ootacamund, Cochin, Dhanushkodii and Madras.

   
   

CONTROL

Control Building adjacent. of runway intersection.

 

ELEVATION

 1260' above M.S.L.

 

RUNWAYS

Two, concrete. All weather.


05/23 QDM. 052° 232° .... 2,200 x 50 yds. 

10/28 QDM. 101° 281° .... 1.600 x 50 yds.

 

TRACKS

50' perimeter track connects the ends of the runways, and 40' taxi tracks give access to Hangars, Workshops and aircraft standings.

 

OBSTRUCTIONS

Navigation

None.

 

Circuit

None.

 

Approach

None.

 

APPROACH

Distant approaches clear,. No special  sector recommended.

 

WIND INDICATOR

Two windsocks: One on the N. and one on S. side of runway intersection.

   
   

HOMING - VISUAL

By day

None.

By night

None.

HOMING--RADIO

D/F

None.

Beacons

None.

APPROACH - VISUAL

By day

None.

By night

Portable airfield lighting held.

 

APPROACH - RADIO & COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

None. The only radio equipment to be installed at Sulur will be that needed for local control of flying. For all other purposes, Coimbatore be used.

   

GROUND RADAR

None.

   
   

ACCOMMODATION

Living accommodation in camp 1½ miles E. of airfield.

 

Capacity:

   

Officers:

70

Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:

1,220

W.R.N.S. Officers:

None.

W.R.N.S.  Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;

None.

 

Nearest accommodation for W.R.N.S. is R.N.B. Coimbatore.

 

ARMOURIES

Three storage armouries.

 

COMPASS BASE

Three, one for each storage area; diameter of each 75'.

 

DISPERSAL

9 aircraft standings, 4 aprons, and 16 aircraft pens.

 

HANGARS

Storage hangars in three separate groups to N., NE., and E. of landing area, to house 300 aircraft (100 in each group).

 

Number /Type

Size

Door Height

Door Width

48 Mainhill (Storage)

60' x 84'

17'

55'

4 T2. (Storage)

I87' 6" x 113' 6"

25'

113' 6"

2 T2. (Storage)

239' 7" x 113' 6"

25'

113' 6"

2 T2. (Squadron)

I87' 6" x 113' 6"

25'

113' 6"

 

MEDICAL

Combined Sick Bay and Sick Quarters at E. end of camp.

 

METEOROLOGICAL

Full service by naval personnel will be provided later.

The climate is very dry.
A strong SW. wind blows nearly every afternoon, during July and August; the rainy season is during September and October.

 

FUEL AND OIL

Aviation -

26,000 gallons in tanks near fuel apron N. of Control building, and at Sulur Railway station.

100 and 91 Octane held.

Kerosine

 -

M/T -

4,000 gallons.

Oil -

4.000 Gallons. DPD. 109, 472 (B), and 472 (C) held.

   

TEST BASE

Three a/c Radar test bases, one for each storage area.

 

TEST BUTT

Test butt (for canon) and 25 yd. range.

 

WORKSHOPS

One large A.R.S. hangar, one E.R.S. and workshops to 2-3 Squadron scale.

 

EXPLOSIVES

Explosives area in SE, comer of airfild.

 

BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES

None.

 

Information taken from  CB..4368(B) Admiralty Handbook of Royal Naval Air Stations (Abroad,) August 1945

 

 

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

 

742

 

R.N. Air Transport Squadron

Moved here from RNAMY Coimbatore 01.02.1945. Moved to RNAS Katukurunda 26.02.1946.

Main equipment Expediter C.IIs and Beech AT-7s (also recovered small number of Anson, Reliant, Sea Otter, Swordfish and Walrus).


815

 

Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance squadron

Disembarked from SMITER 18.08.1945. Aircraft withdrawn, personnel embarked in FENCER 03.09.1945 for passage to UK..

Equipped with 12 Barracuda TR.III


817

Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance squadron

Disembarked from UNICORN 13.01.1945. Aircraft withdrawn, aircrew re-embarked in UNICORN 19.01.1945 for passage to UK, disbanding on arrival 21.02.1945.

Equipped with 12 Barracuda II


821

Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance squadron

Moved here from RNAMY Coimbatore 02.09.1945. Aircraft withdrawn, aircrew embarked in FENCER 04.09.1945 for passage to UK.

Equipped with 12 Barracuda II


824

Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance squadron

Moved here from RNAS Katukurunda  27.08.1945. Aircraft withdrawn, aircrew returned to RNAS Katukurunda 11.09.1845.

Equipped with 10 Barracuda II


1700

 

 

Air Sea Rescue squadron

Disembarked from KHEDIVE to RN Air Section Cochin, arrived Sulur 08.o211945

Moved to RAF Seaplane Base Koggala 04.04.1945

Equated with Sea Otter I.



 

 

 

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On books of GARUDA1944 - 45

 

No badge issued for VAIRI 1945 -46