RAF Templeton

Royal Air Force Templeton, or more simply RAF Templeton, is a former Royal Air Force station located 9.75 miles (15.69 km) south east of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire and 10 miles (16 km) north east of Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

[4] Templeton airfield was constructed during 1942, waste from Reynalton Colliery being utilised in the build,[5] and was officially opened in January 1943.

In the middle of the triangular runway layout was a hill limiting all-round vision.

Workshops, offices and classrooms were built close by, with a standard RAF Watchtower.

306 Ferry Training Unit (Bristol Beaufort) formed at the station in January 1943, later departing to Maghaberry in Northern Ireland.

3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (Avro Anson[9]) moved in from nearby Haverfordwest, staying until December 1943.

[8] From December 1943 to May 1944, the station hosted an American unit, using British-built aircraft, 1st Gunnery and Tow Target Flight, VIII USAAF, (Westland Lysander and Miles Master) towing targets for the fighters at the American training base at RAF Atcham, Shropshire.

[8] In January 1945, No 8 OTU moved into Haverfordwest, and "A" Flight was detached to Templeton, training aircrew on photo-reconnaissance aircraft including the Supermarine Spitfire and de Havilland Mosquito.

They only stayed until March but a small engineering unit remained at Templeton to carry out aircraft repairs.

The Ministry of Defence leased it back and is now used militarily as a Dry Training Area for various equipment trials.

[10] In January 1943 it began the training and preparation of aircrew for long distance ferry flights.

Initially two aircrews were fully trained, and two aircraft successfully flew to RAF Portreath, and then onto Egypt, on the 13 April 1943.

[11] The unit operated out of Templeton for around six months and was then transferred to Northern Ireland in June 1943,[5] based at RAF Maghaberry.

17 Group RAF,[11] and was tasked with the training of aircrew for general reconnaissance and particularly the use of Leigh Lights.

The T2 hangar was used for the repair and maintenance of the unit's Supermarine Spitfire and de Havilland Mosquito aircraft, which operated out of Haverfordwest.

1607 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF[17] On 14 December 1943 the 1st Gunnery and Tow Target Flight, of the United States Army Air Forces, Eighth Air Force arrived at RAF Templeton.

[18] This unit moved from RAF Warton for a spell at Templeton equipped with Republic P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft which were used as target tugs, with thirty-foot (9.1 m) sleeves used because of the introduction of Gyro gunsight and deflection shooting.

Usage is shared with a number of other activities, including agriculture, storage and model aircraft flying.

The remains of one of RAF Templeton's runways
The remains of RAF Templeton's Bomb Fusing Shed
Royal Air Force Coastal Command, Bristol Beaufort Mark I, of the type used by 306 FTU
Avro Anson 652A Mk I, an example of the type flown by 'O' Flight No 3 (C) OTU
de Havilland Mosquito PR Mk XVI, an example of the type used by No. 8 (C) OTU
Miles M.25 Martinet TT MkI, an example of the type flown by No 595 Sqn
RAF Templeton southern taxiing road in 2007
The remains of RAF Templeton's Standard Beam Approach blind landing radio navigation system walled enclosure