Royal Air Force Mona, or more simply RAF Mona, is a Royal Air Force station near Bodffordd on the island of Anglesey, Wales. It is primarily used as a relief landing ground for RAF Valley.

RAF Mona is also the home of Mona Flying Club who operate some evenings and most weekends.

History

First World War

thumb|left|[[SS class airship]]

This location was first used for aviation during the First World War when the Royal Naval Air Service opened an airship base here named Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Anglesey (also known as RNAS Bodffordd, RNAS Gwalchmai and RNAS Llangefni).

The airships communicated by radio with a relay station at Llaneilian on the north coast of Anglesey, whose operators contacted the airship station by telephone.

Experimental work conducted at RNAS Anglesey during the First World War included the use of hydrophones suspended under airships to detect submarines, the use of phosphorus to create smoke screens at sea, and the use of hydrogen from the airship envelope to fuel the engine.

At the end of the First World War, Major Thomas Elmhirst, the commanding officer of the station, celebrated the armistice by successfully piloting an SSZ airship under the Menai Suspension Bridge.

The base was intended to be used by No. 6 Air Gunnery School (AGS), but this unit was not established and RAF Mona was instead used by 3 AGS, which transferred from RAF Castle Kennedy in south-west Scotland in December 1942. 3 AGS was initially equipped with 48 Blackburn Botha torpedo bombers, 6 Fairey Battle light bombers and 8 Miles Martinet target tug aircraft. These were subsequently replaced by Avro Anson multi-role aircraft. in October 1943, 3 AGS returned to RAF Castle Kennedy.

  • No. 3 Air Gunners School RAF (December 1942 - November 1943)
  • Satellite of No. 4 Flying Training School RAF (August 1960 - )
  • Detachment of No. 5 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF (February - March 1943)
  • Relief Landing Ground for No. 7 Flying Training School RAF (June 1954 - August 1960)
  • No. 8 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit RAF (November 1943 - June 1945)
  • No. 63 Gliding School RAF (June - December 1946)
  • Relief Landing Ground for No. 202 Advanced Flying School RAF (July 1951 - June 1954)
  • No. 255 Squadron RAF
  • No. 521 (Special Duty) Flight (June - August 1918)
  • No. 522 (Special Duty) Flight (June - August 1918)
  • No. 577 Squadron RAF
  • Detachment of No. 1606 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF (January - February 1943 & February 1944)

Accidents and incidents

A Hawk aircraft crashed at RAF Mona in 2007. The pilot ejected safely and made a full recovery.

A Hawk aircraft overshot the runway on 13 September 2013. The aircraft was practising forced landings when it hit a goose while on the runway and ended up in the arresting safety net. Both instructor and pupil were unhurt.

In June 2016 a man was convicted of endangering aircraft by shining a powerful torch at pilots undertaking night-time fast jet training at RAF Mona.

See also

  • List of Royal Air Force stations
  • List of air stations of the Royal Navy

References

Bibliography

  • Mona Flying Club
  • UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Mona (EGOQ)