RFC Aerodromes and Landing Grounds around the Forth in WWI
RFC Training Aerodromes
In 1914 and 1915 there were very few military pilots in existence, and the flimsy planes of the day were largely confined to reconnaissance operations over the front lines in France. As planes became more robust, they became suited to more aggressive roles as bombers and defensive fighters.
In 1916 The Royal Flying Corps built a number of training aerodromes across the country. One of these was Turnhouse aerodrome at Edinburgh which opened in 1915, and another was Stirling Aerodrome also known as Raploch Aerodrome which opened in 1916 situated directly to the west of the famous castle, on the land of Falleninch Farm.
These aerodromes provided repair and maintenance services, as well as flight facilities for pilots in training.
RFC Home Defence Aerodromes
In 1780, more than a century before the Wright brothers’ first heavier-than-air flight, the Mongolfier brothers were experimenting with lighter-than-air balloons. These evolved into airships – able to be propelled, steered and manoeuvred, and to carry weapons.
By 1916, Zeppelin raids were reaching the north-east of England and into Scotland. Edinburgh was attacked on 2nd and 3rd of April 1916, with 13 people killed.
Zeppelin Air Raid on Edinburgh 1916 | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)
In response to this, the RFC formed 77 Squadron as a Scottish home defence unit, headquartered in Edinburgh. Detachments were formed at Turnhouse, and at Whiteburn (Grant’s House) and New Haggerston near Berwick-upon-Tweed (both of these are off this map).
This meant the squadron’s bases were spread over some 50 miles.
RFC Landing Grounds
The squadron’s landing grounds were created in case engine failure or bad weather prevented an aeroplane from returning to one of its more permanent bases. When the squadron was flying the farmer on whose land the strip lay would be warned by telephone to clear animals from the landing area!
Most of these were created in 1916 and 1917 with the last at Kilconquhar in 1918. (There was a short-lived, never-used landing ground at Donibristle in 1917, before it became RNAS Donibristle.)
The squadron flew Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2s, (see above) which by 1916 were no match for enemy front-line fighters in France, but were very successful as home defence anti-Zeppelin fighters.
77 Squadron disbanded at RAF Turnhouse on 13 June 1919.
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