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RAF Leuchars

Beskrivelse

Royal Air Force Leuchars or RAF Leuchars (IATA: ADX, ICAO: EGQL) was a Royal Air Force station located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland.

On 4 September 1939, a Lockheed Hudson of No. 224 Squadron attacked a Dornier Do 18 over the North Sea with inconclusive results but became the first British aircraft to engage the enemy in the Second World War. Leuchars was not to secure the romantic image of a Battle of Britain station, but rather settled to the routine of hour upon hour of maritime patrol which played a crucial part in Britain's ultimate victory.

In February 1940, another No. 224 Squadron Hudson located the German prison ship the Altmark which allowed for its interception by HMS Cossack and the liberation of over 200 British prisoners.

On 2 December 1943, a pigeon called Winkie became one of the first birds or animals to be awarded the Dickin Medal for helping rescue the crew of a ditched bomber from the station. During Second World War, British Overseas Airways Corporation formed in November 1939 from Imperial Airways, and British Airways Ltd operated a wartime route from RAF Leuchars to Stockholm.

From 1943 BOAC used civilian-registered Mosquito aircraft. Noted for the carrying of ball-bearings from Sweden to the UK, the route also returned RAF aircrew who had diverted to or made crash-landings in Swedish airfields during operations over Europe. Other aircraft types were used.
Prior to the outbreak of World War II the squadron re-equipped with Hawker Hurricane Mk.Is.

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