Beginnings aircraft, Ford Aerodrome, Sussex, 1918 An site adjacent to
Yapton village was inaugurated as an airfield for the
Royal Flying Corp (RFC) and subsequently the Royal Air Force (RAF) as well as the
United States Army Air Service (USAAS) training squadrons in March 1918, and it became known as Ford Junction military aerodrome. In 1920, the airfield was closed, and it was not until 1933 that it reopened for
civil flying. In 1936, the
Air Ministry took ownership of the site, and in 1937, RAF Ford was reactivated.
HMS Peregrine (1939–1940) On 24 May 1939, as part of the
Fleet Air Arm moving to the
Royal Navy, four airfields were transferred from the Air Ministry to the Admiralty:
RAF Donibristle,
RAF Lee-on-Solent, RAF Ford, and
RAF Worthy Down, the airbase became known as
Royal Naval Air Station Ford, (
RNAS Ford) and commissioned as '
HMS Peregrine'''
, with Captain(A) R.de H. Burton, RN, as the initial Royal Navy commanding officer of the airbase. The RN Observer School was formed out of the disbanded School of Naval Cooperation RAF at HMS Peregrine'' and its aircraft were allocated across three new Fleet Air Arm Squadrons which were also formed on that day.
RAF Ford (1940–1945) III of
No. 19 Squadron RAF based at Ford, 1944 The Air Ministry oversaw the development of the station during the war. In 1941, two tarmac
runways were constructed, measuring in the southwest/northeast direction and in the northwest/southeast direction. Additionally, extensive new
taxiways were established to the west of the original airfield. The construction included
blast pens and several
Blister hangars strategically placed around the perimeter track to complement the existing
Bellman hangars.
Recommissioned as HMS Peregrine (1945–1948) RNAS Ford was re-commissioned as HMS
Peregrine in August 1945. At that point, 746 Naval Air Squadron, the Night Fighter Interception Unit, was still stationed here, however, it relocated to
RAF West Raynham on the 23 of the same month. Additionally, on 1 August, the long-established RN Photographic Flight was elevated to squadron status, resulting in the formation of the
720 RN Photographic Squadron at this location. TF Mk. IV On 1 September
813 Naval Air Squadron was reestablished as a Torpedo Strike Squadron, utilising
Blackburn Firebrand TF.IV aircraft. Shortly thereafter, on 6 September,
708 Naval Air Squadron, designated as the Firebrand Tactical Trials Unit, arrived at the airbase from
RNAS Gosport (HMS Siskin), equipped with Blackburn Firebrand TF.III. The commanding officer and several pilots from this unit became the core of 813 Naval Air Squadron, as they possessed the most extensive experience with the Firebrand, having previously addressed numerous issues associated with this aircraft model.
On the books of Daedalus (1948–1950) HMS
Peregrine was decommissioned on 30 June 1948, at which point its accounts were transferred to the records of
HMS Daedalus, while a major refurbishment took place with operations under the supervision of
Commander J.F.R. Crewes, , RN. The undertaken projects encompassed the resurfacing of runways and taxiways, the installation of a substantial concrete hard-standing, and the construction of three new hangars. Additionally, the technical and domestic areas underwent a thorough cleanup and partial reconstruction.
Third commission as HMS Peregrine (1950-1958) FB.11; and example of the type used by 807 Squadron On 1 February 1950, RNAS Ford recommissioned as HMS
Peregrine the commanding officer was Captain H.C.P. Sears, RN. Flying operations resumed the following month. The first unit to be based at the station was
703 Naval Air Squadron, a Service Trials Unit, which flew in on 19 April after relocating from RNAS Lee-on-Solent, it bought with it a representative range of front-line aircraft then in service. == Prison recent history ==