Inaccurate performance data for BOB fighters in COD comparing to RL data

[NZtyphoon]

Originally Posted by Kurfürst

Secondly, about the two letters from December 1939. If we assume that the 24 Stations (if I counted right) listed there are indeed the ones that were said to be selected by ACAS in the March 1939 paper by the end of the year, that leaves a bit of problem, because there were about 60-odd fighter stations operated by Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain...

Wrong again: as of September 1940 there were 19 Sector stations and 23 Satellite aerodromes = 42 bases: * = requiring 100 octane as of December 1939; # = bases not operational in December 1939: NB: 10 Group was not formed until 1 June 1940 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._10_Group_RAF

Sector Stations:
10 Group: Filton* (listed as operational 9th December 1939), Middle Wallop#

11 Group: Tangmere*, Biggin Hill*, Hornchurch*,
North Weald*, Debden*, Northolt*,
Kenley* listed as non-operational, requiring 100 Octane 7th December 1939#

12 Group: Duxford/ Fowlmere*, Wittering*, Digby*,
Kirton-In-Lindsey, Church Fenton*

13 Group: Usworth, Acklington*, Turnhouse*, Wick and Dyce

Satellite aerodromes

10 Group: Boscombe Down, Colerne, Pembry, Warmwell#,Exeter#

11 Group: Westhampnett*, Croydon*, Gravesend,
Rochford*, Manston*, Hawkinge, Martlesham
Heath*, Hendon*, West Malling#, Stapleford
Tawney#.

12 Group: Coltishall, Turnhill, Leconfield*

13 Group: Catterick*, Drem*, Grangemouth*, Kirkwall, Sumburgh*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Fig...of_Battle_1940

attachment: Combat Report Boyd 602 Sqn showing Westhampnett as using 100 octane. August 1940

From the Battle of Britain Then and Now Vol V:

Westhampnett was "...an emergency landing ground for the fighter squadrons based at Tangmere...during the month of July 1940 it gradually assumed the status of a satellite landing ground..." (p. 42.).

Kenley was under a programme of reconstruction and expansion from May - December 1939. (p. 46.)

The following bases had not been established in December 1939:

*West Malling was a private aerodrome and did not become an official RAF station until June 1940. (p.70.)

*Stapleford Tawney did not receive its first operational fighter squadrons until March 1940, when 56 and 151 Sqns used it as a stopover. (p. 184.)

*Duxford and Fowlmere have to be considered together "as the latter had no separate identity..."(p.198.)

*"RAF Station Exeter was officially inaugurated in the presence of Nos. 213 and 87 Squadrons on July 6 1940."(p. 213.)

*Middle Wallop was a training aerodrome until becoming an operational fighter base on 12 July 1940. (p.218.)

*Warmwell was also a training aerodrome and did not become an operational fighter base until July 4 1940. (p. 231.) 609 Sqn was based firstly at Northolt then moved to Middle Wallop on July 4 and used Warmwell as a daytime base.(p.231.) The Spitfire maintenance film was made at Northolt in mid June 1940.

*Filton was later a 10 Group Sector station but only ever hosted one or two squadrons at a time, only one of which - 501 Sqn. - required 100 Octane fuel.

"Squadrons stationed at RAF Filton from the beginning of WW2 included 501 (County of Gloucester) Sqdn (Auxiliary Air Force), now flying Hawker Hurricane I fighters, until 10 May 1940 when that Squadron moved to France; and 263 Squadron (reformed on 20 October 1939 at Filton) taking over some of the Gloster Gladiator I biplane fighters previously with 605 Squadron and still wearing that squadron's code letter (HE). The Squadron went on to Norway in April 1940 operating from a frozen lake.

Between May and July 1940, No. 236 Squadron were based at Filton with Bristol Blenheim twin-engined fighters, flying defensive sweeps over the Channel." (source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Filton)

In December 1939 there were 36 operational bases, because Fowlmere was an integral part of Duxford.

All of the 6 operational and 1 non-operational 11 Group sector stations were to be provided with 100 octane fuel;

12 Group: 4 out of 5

13 Group: 2 out of 5

10 Group: 1 out of 2

6 out of 8 "satellite' airfields in 11 Group were to be provided with 100 octane fuel;

12 Group: 1 out of 3

13 Group: 4 out of 5

10 Group: 0 out of three

25 out of 36 operational bases were to be provided with 100 Octane fuel starting in December 1939, a ratio of better than 2 to 1.

Far more realistic than 24 out of "60 odd" stations.