WWII Staffordshire: RAF Tatenhill - technical site - combined AML Bombing Teacher & Turret Gunnery Trainer (1)

Image: © Mike Searle Taken: 23 Jun 2019

It was usual for bombing and gunnery training to be conducted in separate dedicated buildings rather than combining them as here, under one roof. The building is in two halves, the LH end was for the Air Ministry Laboratory Bombing Teacher, the RH end the Turret Gunnery Trainer. The airfield at RAF Tatenhill (which is still in use today as a private flying club) was constructed in 1941 as an RLG for RAF Burnaston, and later as a satellite of 27 OTU RAF Lichfield, flying Wellingtons and Avro Ansons on night-bomber training. After the airfield was later considered unsuitable for Wellingtons, it was placed into Care & Maintenance until November 1942 when it was loaned as a Flying Training Unit to 15 (P) AFU equipped with Airspeed Oxfords. Further role changes occurred with the departure of 15 (P) AFU and the arrival of 'E' Flight of 5 (P) AFU who flew from Tatenhill with Miles Masters specialising in navigation and night flying training from 1943 - 1944. From January 1944 the airfield came under 21 (P) AFU, again with Airspeed Oxfords. From 1944 after the RAF Fauld explosives disaster it was the home of 21 MU, and from 1945-47 the RAF School of Explosives. The airfield was closed for military use in 1947. Image

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