List of V Bomber dispersal bases

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In its early years, the British V bomber force relied on the concept of aircraft dispersal to escape the effects of an enemy attack on their main bases. There were 22 such bases in 1962, in addition to the ten main bases a total of 32 bases available for the V bomber force.[1]

In times of heightened international tension the V bomber force, already loaded with their nuclear weapons, could be flown to the dispersal bases where they could be kept at a few minutes readiness to take-off. The bases were situated around the United Kingdom in such a way that a nuclear strike by an attacking state could not be guaranteed to knock out all of Britain's ability to retaliate. However, except during exercises, the dispersal bases, capable of taking two to four aircraft each, were never used. During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan declined to order the dispersal of the V-Force because he believed the Soviets would view this as provocative. The bombers were instead held at 15-minute readiness at their main bases.

The dispersal bases are mentioned in the opening titles of the 1965 Peter Watkins documentary The War Game.

Types[edit]

Dispersal types include:[2]

  • Operational Readiness Platform (ORP): Usually a group of 4 aircraft pans attached to the runway where aircraft can taxi in and out without the use of a tug[3]
  • Dispersal Airfield: Group of 4 aircraft pans where aircraft can taxi in and out without the use of a tug, usually with additional support buildings
  • Home Station "H": Group of 4 aircraft pans in the shape of the letter "H" where aircraft cannot taxi in and out without the use of a tug
  • Home Station Looped "H": Group of 4 aircraft pans in the shape of the letter "H" where aircraft can taxi in and out without the use of a tug, usually with additional support buildings

Main bases[edit]

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Base Location Co-ordinates Dispersal type Notes
RAF Coningsby Lincolnshire, England 53°05′45″N 000°08′55″W / 53.09583°N 0.14861°W / 53.09583; -0.14861 ORP & Home Station "H" [4]
RAF Cottesmore Rutland, England 52°44′36″N 000°38′09″W / 52.74333°N 0.63583°W / 52.74333; -0.63583 ORP & Home Station "H" & Home Station Looped "H" [4]
RAF Finningley South Yorkshire, England 53°29′05″N 000°59′59″W / 53.48472°N 0.99972°W / 53.48472; -0.99972 ORP & Home Station "H" & Home Station Looped "H" [4]
RAF Gaydon Warwickshire, England 52°11′11″N 001°28′59″W / 52.18639°N 1.48306°W / 52.18639; -1.48306 ORP & Home Station "H" [4]
RAF Honington Suffolk, England 52°20′37″N 000°47′27″E / 52.34361°N 0.79083°E / 52.34361; 0.79083 ORP & Home Station Looped "H" [4]
RAF Marham Norfolk, England 52°39′13″N 000°33′58″E / 52.65361°N 0.56611°E / 52.65361; 0.56611 ORP & Home Station Looped "H" [4]
RAF Scampton Lincolnshire, England 53°18′56″N 000°32′17″W / 53.31556°N 0.53806°W / 53.31556; -0.53806 ORP & Home Station "H" & Home Station Looped "H" [4]
RAF Waddington Lincolnshire, England 53°10′33″N 000°30′59″W / 53.17583°N 0.51639°W / 53.17583; -0.51639 ORP & Home Station "H" [4]
RAF Wittering Cambridgeshire, England 52°36′55″N 000°27′32″W / 52.61528°N 0.45889°W / 52.61528; -0.45889 ORP & Home Station "H" [4](HQ RAF Bomber Command)
RAF Wyton Cambridgeshire, England 52°21′28″N 000°05′31″W / 52.35778°N 0.09194°W / 52.35778; -0.09194 ORP & Home Station "H" & Home Station Looped "H" [4]

Dispersal bases[edit]

Scotland[edit]

Base Location Co-ordinates Dispersal type Notes
Prestwick Airport Ayrshire, Scotland 55°30′41″N 004°35′10″W / 55.51139°N 4.58611°W / 55.51139; -4.58611 2 bay ORP [2][5]
RAF Machrihanish Argyll and Bute, Scotland 55°26′01″N 005°39′54″W / 55.43361°N 5.66500°W / 55.43361; -5.66500 2 bay ORP [2]
RAF Kinloss Moray, Scotland 57°38′39″N 003°34′09″W / 57.64417°N 3.56917°W / 57.64417; -3.56917 4 bay ORP [2]
RNAS Lossiemouth Moray, Scotland 57°42′53″N 003°19′27″W / 57.71472°N 3.32417°W / 57.71472; -3.32417 Dispersed Airfield & 2 bay ORP [2](later transferred to the RAF)
RAF Leuchars Fife, Scotland 56°22′25″N 002°52′48″W / 56.37361°N 2.88000°W / 56.37361; -2.88000 2 x 2 bay ORP [2]

Northern Ireland[edit]

Base Location Co-ordinates Dispersal type Notes
RAF Aldergrove Country Antrim, Northern Ireland 54°39′04″N 006°13′05″W / 54.65111°N 6.21806°W / 54.65111; -6.21806 Nil [2]
RAF Ballykelly County Londonderry, Northern Ireland 55°03′50″N 007°00′19″W / 55.06389°N 7.00528°W / 55.06389; -7.00528 4 bay ORP [2]

England[edit]

An Avro Vulcan B1A V bomber parked on one of the rapid dispersal points at Filton during a public air display in the 1960s
Base Location Co-ordinates Dispersal type Notes
RAE Bedford Bedfordshire, England 52°14′03″N 000°26′35″W / 52.23417°N 0.44306°W / 52.23417; -0.44306 Dispersed Airfield [2]
A&AEE Boscombe Down Wiltshire, England 51°09′15″N 001°44′02″W / 51.15417°N 1.73389°W / 51.15417; -1.73389 Dispersed Airfield & ORP [2]
RAF Bruntingthorpe Leicestershire, England 52°29′55″N 001°06′52″W / 52.49861°N 1.11444°W / 52.49861; -1.11444 Nil [2]
RAF Burtonwood Cheshire, England 53°24′57″N 002°37′54″W / 53.41583°N 2.63167°W / 53.41583; -2.63167 4 bay ORP [2]
RAF Carnaby East Riding of Yorkshire, England 54°03′36″N 000°15′20″W / 54.06000°N 0.25556°W / 54.06000; -0.25556 Nil [2]
RAF Cranwell Lincolnshire, England 53°01′42″N 000°28′45″W / 53.02833°N 0.47917°W / 53.02833; -0.47917 2 x 2 bay ORP & Dispersed Airfield [2]
RAF Coltishall Norfolk, England 52°45′45″N 001°21′56″E / 52.76250°N 1.36556°E / 52.76250; 1.36556 2 x 2 bay ORP [2]
RAF Elvington North Yorkshire, England 53°55′25″N 000°58′20″W / 53.92361°N 0.97222°W / 53.92361; -0.97222 Nil [2]
Filton Airport Gloucestershire, England 51°31′28″N 002°34′40″W / 51.52444°N 2.57778°W / 51.52444; -2.57778 Dispersed Airfield [2]
RAF Kemble Gloucestershire, England 51°40′12″N 002°02′43″W / 51.67000°N 2.04528°W / 51.67000; -2.04528 Nil [2]
RAF Leconfield East Riding of Yorkshire, England 53°52′59″N 000°26′19″W / 53.88306°N 0.43861°W / 53.88306; -0.43861 2 x 2 bay ORP & Dispersed Airfield [2]
RAF Leeming North Yorkshire, England 54°17′18″N 001°32′11″W / 54.28833°N 1.53639°W / 54.28833; -1.53639 1 x 2 bay ORP & Dispersed Airfield [2]
RAF Lyneham Wiltshire, England 51°30′13″N 001°59′51″W / 51.50361°N 1.99750°W / 51.50361; -1.99750 Dispersed Airfield [2]
RAF Manston Kent, England 51°20′24″N 001°21′49″E / 51.34000°N 1.36361°E / 51.34000; 1.36361 Nil [2]
RAF Middleton St George County Durham, England 54°30′47″N 001°24′34″W / 54.51306°N 1.40944°W / 54.51306; -1.40944 2 x 2 bay ORP & Dispersed Airfield [2]
RRE Pershore Worcestershire, England 52°08′22″N 002°02′53″W / 52.13944°N 2.04806°W / 52.13944; -2.04806 2 x 2 bay ORP & Dispersed Airfield [2]
RAF Shawbury Shropshire, England 52°47′59″N 002°40′22″W / 52.79972°N 2.67278°W / 52.79972; -2.67278 Dispersed Airfield [2]
London Stansted Airport Essex, England 51°53′03″N 000°13′43″E / 51.88417°N 0.22861°E / 51.88417; 0.22861 Nil [2]
RAF St Mawgan Cornwall, England 50°26′29″N 005°00′24″W / 50.44139°N 5.00667°W / 50.44139; -5.00667 Nil [2]
RAF Tarrant Rushton Dorset, England 50°51′06″N 002°04′35″W / 50.85167°N 2.07639°W / 50.85167; -2.07639 Nil [2]
RAF Wattisham Suffolk, England 52°07′14″N 000°56′43″E / 52.12056°N 0.94528°E / 52.12056; 0.94528 2 x 2 bay ORP [2]
RNAS Yeovilton Somerset, England 51°00′31″N 002°37′52″W / 51.00861°N 2.63111°W / 51.00861; -2.63111 2 bay ORP [2]

Wales[edit]

Base Location Co-ordinates Dispersal type Notes
RNAS Brawdy Pembrokeshire, Wales 51°53′21″N 005°07′05″W / 51.88917°N 5.11806°W / 51.88917; -5.11806 2 bay ORP [2](later transferred to RAF)
RAE Llanbedr Gwynedd, Wales 52°48′51″N 004°07′50″W / 52.81417°N 4.13056°W / 52.81417; -4.13056 2 bay ORP [2]
RAF Valley Anglesey, Wales 53°14′26″N 004°31′19″W / 53.24056°N 4.52194°W / 53.24056; -4.52194 2 bay ORP [2]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Force V: The history of Britain's airborne deterrent, by Andrew Brookes. Jane's Publishing Co Ltd; First Edition 1 Jan. 1982, ISBN 0710602383, p.104.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Clarke 2008, p. 185.
  3. ^ Birtles 2012, p. 24.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Clarke 2008, p. 184.
  5. ^ "Prestwick International Airport; Monkton and Prestwick; AYRSHIRE; SCOTLAND". National Collection of Aerial Photography. Retrieved 16 December 2023.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Birtles, P. (2012). UK Airfields of the Cold War. Midland Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-346-4.
  • Clarke, B. (2008). The Archaeology of Airfields. Stroud, UK: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7524-4401-7.
  • Wynn, Humphrey - RAF Strategic Nuclear Deterrent Forces, their Origins, Roles and Deployment 1946-69 - HMSO London - 1994 - ISBN 0-11-772833-0 - p. 449
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