Warbird Information Exchange

"By the spring of 1945, Germany’s once all-conquering submarine fleet, driven by allied forces from its bases in western France, had fled to the relative safety of the Norwegian fjords. In one of Hitler’s last stands, more than 100 U-Boats, flakships and other military vessels were gathered in the narrow fjords, laying up by day and sailing under the cover of darkness.
Tasked with the difficult job of eliminating this force were the Beaufighters and Mosquitos of RAF Coastal Command’s Strike Wings
based in Scotland.

Piloting the twin engine Beaufighter through the narrow fjords, hugging the cliff face at close to 300 mph and, with every enemy gun that could be brought to bear throwing up a wall of lead, these shipping strikes were not for the faint hearted. Shown here are Beaufighters of No 455 Squadron RAAF from the Dallachy Strike Wing as they skim the rugged rock face, exiting the target area after a successful rocket attack on shipping deep in a Norwegian fjord.
Throughout the last weeks of World War II the aircrews of 455 Squadron continued to pound the elusive enemy with great courage and determination, upholding their squadron motto – Strike and Strike Again." by Robert Taylor

RAF Banff is a former Royal Air Force station located 4.3 miles (6.9 km) west of Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland and 14.28 miles (22.98 km) northeast of Keith, Moray.

History:
The airfield was sited on land belonging to the Earls of Seafield since the 16th century. Construction of the airfield began in the middle of 1942. After it was turned down by RAF Bomber Command, it was officially opened in April 1943 as an airfield for the use No. 14 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit]] of RAF Flying Training Command. This unit used the airfield until August 1944, when it was disbanded and the airfield was handed over to RAF Coastal Command.

The following units were posted here at some point:

No. 14 Squadron RAF.
No. 65 Squadron RAF.
No. 143 Squadron RAF.
No. 144 Squadron RAF.
No. 235 Squadron RAF.
No. 248 Squadron RAF.
No. 279 Squadron RAF.
No. 281 Squadron RAF.
No. 333 Squadron RAF.
No. 334 Squadron RAF.
No. 404 Squadron RCAF.
No. 489 Squadron RNZAF.
No. 14 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF.
No. 1512 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF.
Aberdeen UAS.
No. 2749 Squadron RAF Regiment.

Current use:
The site is now Boyndie Wind Farm. A grass runway has been established at the Eastern end, operating as "Boyndie Airstrip"
Per Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Banff

All photos posted credited to:
DigitaltMuseum
More than 300 additional combat photos hosted in link below.
https://digitaltmuseum.no/search/?aq=to ... &o=0&n=320

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Wow.............that Mossie is really hugging the wave tops

WOW

Some more amazing snapshots from a moment in time.
Thanks as always Mark, for bringing the actions of these amazingly brave young men to light, for us all to see.

As I was looking at these images I was trying to imagine what it would have sounded like between the walls of those fjords.

Andy

wow! great pics! bet the fjords are stuffed full of aircraft waiting to be discovered!!

Look like Mosquitos to me......

Looks like both to me.....

"Tasked with the difficult job of eliminating this force were the Beaufighters and Mosquitos of RAF Coastal Command’s Strike Wings
based in Scotland."

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“Knowing what’s right, doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.”

Great Mark, thanks

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Beaufighters are clearly visible in photo #15 in the second post.
Great photos of very dangerous missions, and a now little-remembered part of WWII.
Thanks Mark Allen M!

Yes, an excellent selection of images.

By coincidence, last night's episode of Drain the Oceans (S2/E15 "Hitler's Killer Warships") on National Geographic Channel featured a minute or two of underwater video shot near Trondheim that showed the substantially intact remains of a British Handley Page Halifax bomber, presumably lost during a raid on the Tirpitz. Archaeologist Fredrik Søreide of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology is quoted as saying, "We believe that there are 40-50 plane wrecks resting on the bottom of this fjord."

And in photo's 16,17,18 & 19 of the second post.

And in photo's #3, 6, 12 & 13 of the first post.

Very dangerous missions indeed, on one mission I seem to recall they lost 9 out of 30 Beaufighters to flak and FW 190 fighters, 2 of which were shot down. One of the shot down attacking FW190's was later recovered and is now in the USA

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Martin
Wide open & turning left.

RAF Banff then and now (from the Flypast forum)

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Martin
Wide open & turning left.