ACQUISITION

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.

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.

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.