South African Air Force Station transferred to Admiralty
control.
OPENED
COMMISSIONED
Previously on books of AFRIKANDER
01.07.1942 as
MALAGAS
CLOSED
PAID OFF
31-05.1946 to C & M
C.O.
Commander J. Friar July 1942
Captain M. Farqahar
August 1942
Captain H. J. Haynes D.S.C., D.S.O. December
1944
FUNCTION
6 squadron station for disembarked squadrons, and
squadrons working up, capacity 75 a/c.
Fighter and T.B.R. facilities.
Fleet Requirements Unit,
R.N. Air Repair Yard capacity 150 a/c.
ADDRESS
R.N. Air Station
Wingfield,
P.O. Box 2301, Cape Town,
South Africa.
LOCALITY
The airfield lies 1n the NE. suburbs of Cape Town, 4½
miles E. of the harbour and on the N. side of the road
and railway running E. from the city to Belville.
LANDMARKS
Cape of Good Hope, the W. entrance point of False Bay,
distant 27 miles S.
The city of Cape Town with its
artificial harbour, on the S. side of Table Bay.
Table mountain rising from the Atlantic coast immediately
S. of Cape Town.
Note: Brooklyn airfield ¾ mile from
the SE. shore of Table Bay lies 1½ miles W. of R.N.A.S.
Wingfield.
ROAD AND RAIL ACCESS
The main road to Cape Town harbour passes the S. side of the
airfield. Railway line from Cape Town runs
½ mile S. of the airfield with two
stations less than ¾ mile (R) from the airfield, which
is also served by a rail siding connected to the Cape Town
line.
Adequate harbour
facilities at Cape Town with numerous cranes, including one
60 ton floating crane.
CONTROL
Control Building in the SW. corner of the landing area,
adjacent to the perimeter track. Runway control in force
at all times when flying is in progress.
Left-hand
circuits to embrace both Brooklyn and Wingfield
airfields are in force; no aircraft may make tight
circuits or cross between the two airfields.
Special caution ids to be taken when the line of
approach passes over or close to Brooklyn as, due to the
varying runway directions, the tracks of aircraft
approaching to land, and those of aircraft taking off
may cross. A.D.D.L.s may be in progress.
ELEVATION
55' above M.S.L.
RUNWAYS
Four
00/18 QDM. 001°
-180°
.... 1000 x 30 yds.
02/20 QDM. 024°
-204°
.... 1420x 30 yds.
05/23 QDM. 046°
-226°
.... 1050 x 30 yds.
14/32 QDM. 136°
-316°
.... 1000 x 30 yds.
Sommerfeld tracking, to a depth of 30' is
laid along the side of all runways.
TRACKS
40' perimeter tracks. A 25' track leads from the N. side
of the landing area to the Repair Yard and Storage Area.
OBSTRUCTIONS
Navigation
Table mountain (3565') distant 5 miles SW.
Tygerberg
mountain rang (1366') distant 4 mile NE.
W/T masts (300') distant 2 miles NNW.
Circuit
None.
Approach
W/T mast (about 80') in SW. corner of airfield.
High
tension cables (32') border the main road 430 yds. S. of
the perimeter track.
APPROACH
Recommended sector of approach mean QDM. 000 and 160.
WIND INDICATOR
Windsock on the water tower in SW. corner of the the
airfield.
Windsocks in the NE. and NW. corners of the
airfield, outside the perimeter track.
HOMING - VISUAL
By day
None.
By night
Landmark beacon in SE. corner of the airfield flashing
(red) the letter 'W'.
HOMING--RADIO
D/F
H/F, V/HF.
Beacons
25 LMS, YG and YJ.
APPROACH - VISUAL
By day
None.
By night
Airfield light (Naval) installed.
APPROACH - RADIO
93S. and 257S. beam approach.
COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT
M/F & H/F
5 transmitters, 5 receivers.
VH/F
6 transmitters, 6 receivers.
GROUND RADAR
Fighter direction using G.C.I, G.C.I. interrogator
with low and medium cover radar with interrogator.
ACCOMMODATION
Living quarters in "Wingfield" and "Goodwood"
camps at the W. and S. sides of the airfield.
Capacity:
Officers:
Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings:
320
W.R.N.S. Officers:
W.R.N.S. Chiefs, P.O.s and ratings;
ARMOURIES
To accommodate 6 squadrons.
COMPASS BASE
Two, 70' diameter.
DISPERSAL
Three large concrete aprons on the on the E. and W.
sides of the airfield.
HANGARS
Squadron Hangars on SE. and SW. sides of the airfield,
Aircraft Repair Yard adjacent N. side and Storage
Hangars 2,000 yds. NNE.
Number /Type
Size
Door Height
Door Width
SE. side
2 x squadron
150' x 95'
26'
95'
1 x Winged target
125' 95'
26'
90'
SW. side
2 x squadron
250' x 95'
26'
90'
1 x squadron
125' x 114'
26'
90'
1 x squadron
140' x 95'
20'
109'
1 x squadron
140' x 110'
30'
97'
NNE. side
7 x storage
125' x 95'
26'
90'
38 x storage
95' x 45'
17'
45'
Note: Repair Yard hangars not included
above.
MEDICAL
Sick Quarters in camp on N. side of airfield. There is
also an airfield surgery.
METEOROLOGICAL
Office in the control building. Full service from Naval
personnel.
FUEL AND OIL
Aviation -
36,000 gallons (100 Octane) with additional storage
under construction (1945) .
4.00 gallons (87
Octane).
M/T -
4.000 gallons.
Oil -
4,000 gallons (Aero Shell 100)
TEST BASE
Aircraft radar base available, N. side of airfield.
TEST BUTT
Test butt available, suitable for cannon.
WORKSHOPS
R.N. Aircraft Repair Yard facilities, at present (Aug
1945) reduced to 4 - 6 squadron workshop scale.
Torpedo workshop and large armoury.
VISITORS
No special park allocated but visiting aircraft are
normally parked on concrete hardstandings on SW corner
of the airfield.
EXPLOSIVES
BOMBING AND FIRING RANGES
Air to air
Two, A - B lines and C -D lines.
Air to ground
One
R. p. Firing
One, at Melkbosch.
Dive bombing (land)
Two, one at Belville, one at Blauwberg.
Practice bombing (sea)
One
Torpedo
False Bay suitable for A.L.T.s
Strafing
One, with truck targets for R.P., low level
bombing and front gun.
Puff range
One.
Information taken from CB 4368 B. 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
789
Fleet Requirements Unit
Formed here 01.07.42
Disbanded here 25.11.45
Equipment included: Anson, Beaufighter II,
Defiant, Harvard, Kingfisher, Martinet, Skua, and
Walrus. Other aircraft types were loaned from other
squadrons.
799
Pool Squadron. [Aircrew refresher training]
Formed
here 10.09.43. Disbanded here 20.06.44.
Equipped with Albacore Is.
804
Single Seat Fighter Squadron
Formed here 01.09.44
Embarked in
H.M.S. AMEER 06.12.44.
Equipped with 24 Hellcat FB.II.
810
Torpedo, Bomber, Reconnaissance Squadron
Disembarked from H.M.S. ILLUSTRIOUS 11.08.44 to
13.10.44.
Roger I hope I am not too late to contact you on this. My father also Royal Marine Lawrence Gregg served at Wingfield on photographic Interpretation for SEAC Aircrew intelligence updates.He was able only to return with one aerial photo of Wingfield which I have. I would be fascinated to learn of your fathers service and experiences there and have been searching for Wingfield Photos and information on the net for years!
I have a mint condition Ships Company Dance ticket from 1946, a couple of aerial photos etc. As my Dad was stationed there. No idea what to do with them as having a clear out.
Roger. i do hope I'm not too late on this. My father RM Lawrence Gregg was also there late 45-46 until closure. He gave to me the only memento he managed to come away with: an aerial photo of Wingfield, that should've been shredded with all the rest! I am trying to put together as much as I can find out about Wingfield and would be fascinated if you could tell me about your fathers service and experiences there!
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