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Flying Boat Station, Pembroke Dock;Sunderland Flying Boat Base

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NPRN308217
Map ReferenceSM90SE
Grid ReferenceSM9619403650
Unitary (Local) AuthorityPembrokeshire
Old CountyPembrokeshire
CommunityPembroke Dock
Type Of SiteAIRFIELD
PeriodModern
Description
Much of the former area of the Flying Boat Station at Pembroke Dock is now utilised by the ferry terminius. The two C-type hangars and the T2 hangar have been demolished (see NRPN 127657-8) , but the slipway up which the flying boats were hauled is still insitu. However, sources appear to differ as to what actually remains (e.g. 2 hangars remain, and the slipway is built over).

Event and Historical Information:
The station opened on 1 January 1930 and developed into a flying boat centre which played an important role against u-boat attacks. The first flying boats based at Pembroke Dock were Supermarine Southamptons assigned to squadrons 210 and 230. The engine maintenance work was undertaken within a Blister hangar which was later demolished to be replaced by B type hangars by September 1935. Other maintenance work was undertaken at a floating dock. A T2 hangar was also built for storage and to accommodate smaller flying boats. A building in Georgian style was constructed for an officers' mess. The aircraft moorings were a quarter mile north of the station, with aircraft also being dispersed along both banks of the river to the east. A RAF seaplane tender was used to tow the aircraft to moorings or to the take off paths.
In 1931, 201 Squadron was reformed and based at Pembroke Dock with Southampton Is. In October 1935, it was again based at Pembroke Dock and re-equipped with Rangoon I flying boats. In 1936, the Squadron returned to be equipped with Southampton IIs. At the beginning of World War II, 228 and 201 Squadrons were both based at Pembroke Dock and both were equipped with Sunderlands. In all, some 10 Sunderland squadrons were based at Pembroke during the war period and just after ? 10, 95, 201, 210, 228 422, 461 and 4 Operational Training Unit (renumbered to 235 Operational Conversion Unit or OCU in July 1947). By the end of October 1943, a T hangar had been erected for 78 Maintenance Unit (MU) and the station had a satellite station at Angle where the Coastal Command Development Unit was based. In February 1957, the Sunderlands were retired from service and Pembroke Dock was closed and placed on a care and maintenance basis with ownership reverting to the Admiralty. Permission was granted for the Short Sunderland Trust to preserve ML284 at the former base from 1961-1976 when the aircraft was acquired by RAF Museum at Hendon.

Sources include:
Defence of Britain Project
Drivr, T. 2007. Pembrokeshire Historic Landscapes from the Air. RCAHMW, 218-219
Jones, I, 2007, Airfields and Landing Grounds of Wales: West, pg82-95
Phillips, Alan, 2006, Military Airfields Wales, pg 162-73
Smith, David J, 1982, Action Stations 3: Military Airfields of Wales and the North West, pg 129-131

RCAHMW, May 2008.
Resources
DownloadTypeSourceDescription
application/pdfDAT - Dyfed Archaeological Trust ReportsDigital report on 'Twentieth Century Military Sites: Airfields. A Threat-Related Assessment 2011-2012'. Compiled by DAT for Cadw. Report No: 2011/48. Project Record No: 102416.
application/pdfDAT - Dyfed Archaeological Trust ReportsDigital interim report on Twentieth Century Military Sites: Airfields - Dispersed Sites and Defences: Threat Related Assessment 2012-2013. Produced by D.A.T. for Cadw: Report No. 2012/70; Project No. 103632.