Airfield search

Llanbedr

Major
Also known as: Llanbedr Aerodrome / RAE Llanbedr / RAF Llanbedr / RAF Station, Llanbedr / Snowdonia Aerospace Centre
County: Gwynedd
Current Status: Aviation
Date: Opened 15 June 1941
Current Use: Active
Used By: RAF / RAF (Czech) / RAF (Dutch) / RAF (French) / RAF (Norwegian) / RAF (Polish) / FAA / USAAF
Landing Surface Types: Paved
Aircraft Roles: Experimental / Fighter / General aviation

Earmarked as a fighter airfield once opened in June 1941, Supermarine Spitfires of No 74 Squadron which moved in the following October headed a steady stream of mostly similar units on convoy patrols. Aside from No 41 Squadron, at Llanbedr but with breaks elsewhere such as notably Tangmere between August 1942 and February 1943, no RAF fighter squadrons stayed particularly long. No 41 Squadron’s departure even then brought a long quiet spell here but the previous earlier flow of visitors suddenly became a flood from October 1943 when Nos 12 and 13 Armament Practice Camps appeared over the next month to provide realistic training. More Spitfire squadrons, plus to a degree Hawker Typhoon and North American Mustang ones, passed through Llanbedr until May 1944 as part of the build-up to making D-Day a success.

A matter of only days after the invasion had fully got under way Llanbedr became very quiet once again and saw out part of the rest of fighting holding a number of RAF Regiment squadrons. Yet this was not the end for the airfield by any means as No 631 Squadron transferred from Towyn in May 1945. Anti-aircraft co-operation had come to the fore and lasted under the control of different successor units until No 5 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit left for Woodvale on 1 January 1958.

By now Llanbedr had become established with what transpired to be its best known use, as a base for pilotless drones under the supervision of the Royal Aircraft Establishment. Types such as the Fairey Firefly, Gloster Meteor and most of all the specifically designed and trolley-launched Fairey Jindivik were familiar sights locally for many decades as they offered target facilities for firing ranges. This practice continued right up to 2004 when operations finally ceased due to official cutbacks.

Once full closure had occurred in early 2005, Llanbedr looked set for a most uncertain future but retained its supporters and, despite some vociferous local anti-airfield environmental opposition, perhaps unexpectedly reopened nine years later for civil general aviation duties. Various other plans have arisen in more recent years and now it is even being proposed along with several other British airfields as a spaceport.

 

The following organisations are either based at, use and/or have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield (as at 30/11/2018):

  • Dyffryn Ardudwy & Talybont Community Council
  • Jindivik Cafe
  • Llanbedr Community Council
  • QinetiQ
  • Snowdonia Aerospace LLP - operator
  • Welsh Government - owner

 

ABCT would like to thank the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales for the use of their images. Find out more here: www.rcahmw.gov.uk and search their database here: www.coflein.gov.uk.

Main unit(s) present:

  • No 5 CAACU

  • No 6 AONS
  • No 6 AOS
  • No 12 APC

  • No 13 APC
  • No 20 Sqn

  • No 41 Sqn

  • No 60 OTU

  • No 66 Sqn

  • No 74 Sqn

  • No 129 Sqn

  • No 131 Sqn

  • No 136 Airfield

  • No 164 Sqn

  • No 168 Sqn

  • No 183 Sqn
  • No 193 Sqn

  • No 198 Sqn

  • No 232 Sqn

  • No 268 Sqn

  • No 302 Sqn
  • No 306 Sqn

  • No 308 Sqn

  • No 310 Sqn
  • No 312 Sqn

  • No 315 Sqn

  • No 322 Sqn

  • No 329 Sqn

  • No 331 Sqn

  • No 332 Sqn

  • No 340 Sqn
  • No 341 Sqn
  • No 349 Sqn
  • No 350 Sqn
  • No 485 Sqn
  • No 504 Sqn
  • No 602 Sqn

  • No 609 Sqn
  • No 631 Sqn

  • No 704 Defence Sqn
  • No 776 Sqn

  • No 1013 Servicing Wing
  • No 1338 Wing RAF Regiment
  • No 1486 (Fighter) Gunnery Flight

  • No 2704 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2709 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2710 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2732 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2778 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2793 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2795 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2882 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2894 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 3206 Servicing Commando
  • No 3208 Servicing Commando
  • Fly Llanbedr Limited
  • Snowdonia Flight School
  • Station Flight, Llanbedr
001geograph-35665-by-John-Lomas.jpg

Hangars at Llanbedr, December 1968.

002geograph-419647-by-Peter-Humphreys.jpg

The runway at Llanbedr, 1 May 2001. © Peter Humphreys and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

003geograph-420891-by-Peter-Humphreys.jpg

Hangars and other airfield buildings at Llanbedr, 4 October 2004. © Peter Humphreys and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

004C840077.jpeg

Aerial view of Llanbedr airfield from the north-west, 17 May 2005. © Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales.

005C841227.jpeg

Aerial view of Llanbedr Airfield from the north-west, 27 July 2005. © Crown copyright: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales.

006geograph-193183-by-David-Medcalf.jpg

Buildings at Llanbedr, 28 June 2006.

007geograph-419640-by-Peter-Humphreys.jpg

The control tower at Llanbedr, 1 May 2007. © Peter Humphreys and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

008geograph-420619-by-Peter-Humphreys.jpg

Looking across the airfield at Llanbedr, 2 May 2007. © Peter Humphreys and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

009geograph-1077624-by-John-Lucas.jpg

Hangars at Llanbedr, 11 December 2008. © John Lucas and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

010geograph-1079344-by-John-Lucas.jpg

A hangar at Llanbedr, 11 December 2008.

011geograph-5409720-by-Mike-Searle.jpg

A pillbox at Llanbedr, 14 May 2017.

012geograph-5409691-by-Mike-Searle.jpg

The Battle Headquarters at Llanbedr, 14 May 2017.

Heavy landings by pilotless drones at Llanbedr in the 1950s. Courtesy of met453

The Fairey Fireflash guided missile being used by aircraft flying from Llanbedr, 1956. Courtesy of British Pathé

The RAE Jindivik pilotless aircraft at Llanbedr, 1966. Courtesy of British Pathé

Various photographs of Llanbedr. Courtesy of hqneo

A pilotless drone landing at Llanbedr in the summer of 2004. Courtesy of nr475

© 2024 ABCT All rights reserved.
Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust is registered in England and Wales. Registered Office: Suite 1, 7th Floor 50 Broadway, London, England, SW1H 0BL
Registered Company No. 08940364. Registered Charity No (England and Wales): 1156877. Registered Charity No (Scotland): SC041123