RAF Lee-on-Solent airfield

1942 Naval pattern Watch Office 2006 (© Lt Cmdr Graeme Stringer)

RNAS Lee-on-Solent airfield - HMS Daedalus

1. Not known
2. Fort Type Watch Office with Tower 1959/34 (brick) built in 1938
3. Navy type with Air Watch Office (AL15/42; 566/42; AL10-11/50) built in 1942

1. Demolished
2. Destroyed in August 1940 bombing raid
3. In use

Other Buildings:

11/1917 to 31/03/1918, Royal Naval Air Service seaplane base with slipways and hangars.
01/04/1918 to 12/1919, RNAS now part of RAF and Lee-on-Solent became No. 209 Training Depot Station. Station then closed.
06/1920 to 1938, School of Naval Co-operation and Air Navigation. Commissioned as HMS Daedalus 05/1939.
Airfield extended and rebuilt many times, 1934; Grass airfield built to north and site extended, 1938; RAF Watch Office, 'C' Type hanger and two 'H' barrack blocks built, 1940-43; 3 runways built, 1939-40; 4 Bellman hangars added, 1942; new Naval pattern control tower built, another landing ground added at Cowdray Park. During the war many Fleet Air Arm Sqns based and formed here including the United States Navy VCS7 with Seafires.
1945-55; Used by many RN fixed wing Squadrons, 1955-96; used by RN helicopters, 1970; Fleet Air Arm Naval Air Command HQ transferred to Yeovilton.

RNAS Lee-on-Solent airfield - HMS Daedalus

2006 (© Lt Cmdr Graeme Stringer)

Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, HMS Daedalus

Seaplane base, airfield

25+ of many different types

4 miles NW of Portsmouth

RNAS Lee-on-Solent - HMS Daedalus

RNAS Lee-on-Solent airfield - HMS Daedalus

Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, HMS Daedalus
Airfield:	Seaplane base, airfield
Opened:	11/1917
Closed:	04/1996
Code:	?
USAAF Station:	N/A
Runways:	3x tarmac
Hangars:	25+ of many different types
County:	Hampshire
Location:	4 miles NW of Portsmouth
OS Ref:	SU562020
©:	All photographs copyright © as stated
RNAS Lee-on-Solent - HMS Daedalus

RNAS Lee-on-Solent airfield - HMS Daedalus
Airfield Today:	Not known
Tower Types:	1. Not known 2. Fort Type Watch Office with Tower 1959/34 (brick) built in 1938 3. Navy type with Air Watch Office (AL15/42; 566/42; AL10-11/50) built in 1942
Towers:	1. Demolished 2. Destroyed in August 1940 bombing raid 3. In use
Other Buildings:	Not known
History:	11/1917 to 31/03/1918, Royal Naval Air Service seaplane base with slipways and hangars. 01/04/1918 to 12/1919, RNAS now part of RAF and Lee-on-Solent became No. 209 Training Depot Station. Station then closed. 06/1920 to 1938, School of Naval Co-operation and Air Navigation. Commissioned as HMS Daedalus 05/1939. Airfield extended and rebuilt many times, 1934; Grass airfield built to north and site extended, 1938; RAF Watch Office, 'C' Type hanger and two 'H' barrack blocks built, 1940-43; 3 runways built, 1939-40; 4 Bellman hangars added, 1942; new Naval pattern control tower built, another landing ground added at Cowdray Park. During the war many Fleet Air Arm Sqns based and formed here including the United States Navy VCS7 with Seafires. 1945-55; Used by many RN fixed wing Squadrons, 1955-96; used by RN helicopters, 1970; Fleet Air Arm Naval Air Command HQ transferred to Yeovilton.
RNAS Lee-on-Solent airfield - HMS Daedalus


2006 (© Mark James)