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Description
Black and white vertical aerial photograph taken by the RAF on 07/07/1946 centred on SN10021079 at a scale of 1:10000. The photograph includes part of Templeton community in Pembrokeshire.
Sections of the old concrete runways and the perimeter track are still visible. Other remaining built structures include a few Nissen huts and the firing butts. The T2 type hangar amd its engineering facilities, the watchtower and accommodation huts have been removed.
Event and Historical Information:
Templeton was built in over the winter of 1942-3 incorporating waste from Reynotlon Quarry. The airfield was used as a satellite landing ground to Haverfordwest. It was occupied by 306 Ferry Training Unit in January 1943 who began the training of Bristol Beaufort pilots in long distance flying. The unit was transferred to Northern Ireland in June 1943, to be replaced by `O' flight from 3 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Haverfordwest equipped with Avro Ansons. 3 OTU trained aircrew in the use of heavier types of bombers such as Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys, Vickers Wellingtons and Warwicks, and Handley Page Halifax bombers. In January 1944, Templeton was abandoned when 3 OTU moved on. By August 1944, 595 Squadron began to use the airfield for Miles Martinets and Supermarine Spitfires to tow new glider targets. Trials continued until the squadron moved to Aberporth in February 1945. The airfield was used by the De Havilland Mosquitoes and Supermarine Spitfires of `A' Flight of 8 OTU from January-February 1945. The engineering crews from 8 OTU remained until the airfield was officially closed in August 1945. The airfield was placed on the disposal list in December 1945. The majority of buildings were demolished in the 1950s. The airfield remained the property of the Ministry of Defence until the 1960s.
Sources include:
Defence of Britain Project
Jones, I, 2007, Airfields and Landing Grounds of Wales: West, pg46-53
Phillips, Alan, 2006, Military Airfields Wales, pg 235-40
Smith, David J 1982 Action Stations 3: Military Airfields of Wales and the North West, pg 189-90
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