Talk:List of Royal Air Force Satellite Landing Grounds

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What is a "satellite station"?

@Gavbadger Apologies for dropping another bomb on your doorstep; take it as a compliment that I consider you a knowledgeable source. And most certainly one with access to a more comprehensive reference library than myself.

So, this article says;

A satellite station is not the same as a Satellite Landing Ground.

Good to know, except the first problem is the link takes us to a radio or TV broadcast communication station. I'm sure that was not quite what was intended.

But where is there any definition of what constitutes a "satellite station" in RAF terms? So far, the internet has failed me, and it is beginning to look as if it is simply an informal term, defined only by simple common understanding.

can you confirm if that is the case?
if so, can we add a simple definition here on Wikipedia, or is that WP:OR ?

Whilst you and I may well understand what it means, surely it is the sort of term that deserves an explanation for everyday readers, but currently there is nothing to link it to.

WendlingCrusader (talk) 14:53, 1 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

WendlingCrusader I am developing an article that explains fully, what an RAF station is. The section below is what I have written about non-operational airfields under the heading of other airfields. I have removed some references as they are short footnotes and will not link though the references section.

“

Broadly speaking, these fall into three categories; satellite landing ground, a relief landing ground, and a scatter airfield (or satellite station). The idea of a relief landing ground (RLG) developed during wartime when aerodromes were necessary for training and the available space to practice landing and taking-off in aircraft became paramount. An RLG did not have the same amount of effort put into it as a standard aircraft operating base, with less attention paid towards the built estate and drainage. This carried on after the war, with the various elementary flying schools needing RLGs, such as RAF Mona for RAF Valley, and RAF Dishforth and RAF Church Fenton for Linton-on-Ouse.^[1] After the cessation of flying training at RAF Church Fenton in 1994, it became an RLG for flights from nearby RAF Linton-on-Ouse. It was designated as an Enhanced Relief Landing Ground until the station was closed completely in 2013.

Satellite landing grounds (not to be confused with satellite stations) were sites that were used either for aircraft maintenance or for the storage of airframes. All were on the western side of Britain, away from the range of most enemy aircraft. Typically, the base would have been a large parkland or country estate requisitioned into service and possessed a small complement of hangars.

A satellite station station was a dispersal airfield where aircraft could be flown to and thus, the squadrons assets were spread out and not contained all in one area in case of aerial attack. Initially, the satellite airfield was used this way, but it also became a good way of easing overcrowding on bases. In 1939, upon the outbreak of war, the Wellingtons of No. 115 Squadron based at RAF Marham were dispersed to the satellite/scatter airfield of RAF Barton Bendish (described by one writer as "rudimentary"), as per the Bomber Command Scatter Plan, hence the name of Scatter Airfield.^[2]^[3]

”

The above is still rough text and I haven't proof-read it yet. Regards. The joy of all things (talk) 16:38, 1 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

@The joy of all things Most excellent; I feared for a short while that I was going to find myself writing a new article, something I desperately wish to avoid.

Is it the case that 'satellite station' is a thing of the past, in that the remaining examples have all been upgraded to RLG status? I was thinking about RAF Cranwell, which had RAF Harlaxton until 1957, and still uses RAF Barkston Heath today.

In fact RAF Barkston Heath doesn't even get a listing at https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/ , and you cannot search for it either, although it is mentioned under RAF Cranwell.

The only other examples I can bring to mind are RAF Tern Hill (for RAF Shawbury) and Predannack (for RNAS Culdrose). The Wiki article on Predannack uses satellite and RLG interchangeably.

I noticed a small typo; I'm sure you would have picked it up anyway; "A satellite station station was...", or was that simply a plain text rendition of a wikilink?

Looking forward to you rolling out the new article.

p.s. I do hope you are also able to resolve the classic problem of what happened on 1st April 1918, when various RFC air stations suddenly came under RAF control. The history books are often vague, and hence I have had some interesting discussions in the past about this...

WendlingCrusader (talk) 17:54, 1 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks WendlingCrusader. No, not a typo, was as in past tense. And the Barkston Heath; you cannot trust the website as it states that 100 Squadron still operate from RAF Leeming [1]; they disbanded in March 2022! As to your final point, I am afraid I do not follow I do hope you are also able to resolve the classic problem of what happened on 1st April 1918, when various RFC air stations suddenly came under RAF control. What problem? Regards. The joy of all things (talk) 18:32, 1 January 2025 (UTC)[reply]

References

^ Jackson, Paul (1995). Royal Air Force. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0-7110-2338-7.
^ Bowman, Martin W. (2010). "1: Battle of the Bight". Bombs away! Dramatic first-hand accounts of British and Commonwealth bomber aircrew in WWII. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-84884-187-1.
^ Bowyer, Michael (1979). Action stations 1: wartime military airfields of East Anglia. Cambridge, Eng: P. Stephens. p. 149. ISBN 0850593352.

[1] Jackson, Paul (1995). Royal Air Force. Shepperton: Ian Allan. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0-7110-2338-7.

[2] Bowman, Martin W. (2010). "1: Battle of the Bight". Bombs away! Dramatic first-hand accounts of British and Commonwealth bomber aircrew in WWII. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-84884-187-1.

[3] Bowyer, Michael (1979). Action stations 1: wartime military airfields of East Anglia. Cambridge, Eng: P. Stephens. p. 149. ISBN 0850593352.

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