RAF Fairwood Common, Former Royal Air Force station in Gower Peninsula, Wales.
RAF Fairwood Common was a military airfield on the Gower Peninsula near Swansea, featuring three runways of varying lengths to support different aircraft operations. The layout allowed for efficient coordination of fighter squadrons stationed across the base during active operations.
The airfield opened in June 1941 under RAF No. 10 Group with Hawker Hurricane fighters as the first operational unit. It later evolved into a multipurpose base before transitioning to civilian use as Swansea Airport in 1957.
The station became home to Polish pilots from No. 317 Squadron, who formed a tight-knit community while flying defensive missions across the Irish Sea during wartime operations.
The site sits on the Gower Peninsula south of Swansea and is accessible by public transport from the city center. Visitors should note that portions of the former military base remain in private use, so access to certain areas may be restricted.
Pilots trained with a mobile engine pulled along abandoned railway tracks, practicing attacks on moving train targets using rockets and machine gun fire.
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