Royal Air Force Bramcote, or more simply RAF Bramcote, is a former Royal Air Force station located 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south-east of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England used during the Second World War. It was later transferred to the Admiralty and was known as Royal Naval Air Station Bramcote, (RNAS Bramcote), and when commissioned became HMS Gamecock. When it subsequently transferred to the British Army from the Admiralty, it was called Gamecock Barracks.[2]
During April 1943 No. 105 (Transport) Operational Training Unit formed at the airfield flying Vickers Wellingtons, which were supplemented with Douglas Dakotas in March 1945. Between November 1944 and July 1945 Bitteswell was used as a satellite providing some relief for the busy station before the unit was renamed 1381 (T) Conversion Unit in August 1945 and moved out to RAF Desborough.[2]
The gap was somewhat filled by 1510 BAT Flight using the Oxford who arrived during July 1946. However, after four months the flight moved out. With the airfield being transferred to the Royal Navy being renamed HMS Gamecock.[2]
Royal Navy operations
Supermarine Seafire F.47s of 1833 Squadron RNVR based at Bramcote in 1953.
On 1 December 1946 the airbase was transferred from No. 4 Group RAF to the Admiralty, and then known as Royal Naval Air Station Bramcote, (RNAS Bramcote). A couple of days later, on 3 December, it was commissioned as HMS Gamecock.[9]
RNAS Bramcote was given the ships name HMS Gamecock following normal Royal Navy practice and it was used by flying units of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve between August 1947 and October 1957. The first unit to be based was 1833 Naval Air Squadron which was equipped with Supermarine Seafire, a navalised version of the Supermarine Spitfire single engine fighter aircraft. IInitially the F15 and F17 variants of Supermarine Seafire were used, but from June 1952, the unit became the only RNVR squadron to be equipped with the Supermarine Seafire FR47 version, which was fitted with contra-rotating propellers. These were replaced by Hawker Sea Fury FB.11, a single-seat fighter aircraft, in February 1954. The jet-powered Supermarine Attacker single-seat fighter aircraft was received in October 1955, and because these required better runway facilities, the squadron then moved to nearby RAF Honiley.[10]
The Midland Air Division was formed on 1 July 1953 to control Bramcote-based squadrons. 1844 Naval Air Squadron formed at Bramcote on 15 February 1954, being equipped with Fairey Firefly AS.6 anti-submarine aircraft. Grumman Avenger AS.5 aircraft replaced the Fireflies in March 1956. Both squadrons ceased to exist on 10 March 1957 when all of the United Kingdom's reserve flying units were disbanded as an economy measure.[10]
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