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In its early years, the British V bomber force relied on the concept of aircraft dispersal to escape the effects of an enemy attack on their main bases. There were 22 such bases in 1962, in addition to the ten main bases a total of 32 bases available for the V bomber force.[1]
In times of heightened international tension the V bomber force, already loaded with their nuclear weapons, could be flown to the dispersal bases where they could be kept at a few minutes readiness to take-off. The bases were situated around the United Kingdom in such a way that a nuclear strike by an attacking state could not be guaranteed to knock out all of Britain's ability to retaliate. However, except during exercises, the dispersal bases, capable of taking two to four aircraft each, were never used. During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan declined to order the dispersal of the V-Force because he believed the Soviets would view this as provocative. The bombers were instead held at 15-minute readiness at their main bases.
The dispersal bases are mentioned in the opening titles of the 1965 Peter Watkins documentary The War Game.
Dispersal types include:[2]
Base | Location | Co-ordinates | Dispersal type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Prestwick Airport | Ayrshire, Scotland | 55°30′41″N 004°35′10″W / 55.51139°N 4.58611°W / 55.51139; -4.58611 | 2 bay ORP | [2][5] |
RAF Machrihanish | Argyll and Bute, Scotland | 55°26′01″N 005°39′54″W / 55.43361°N 5.66500°W / 55.43361; -5.66500 | 2 bay ORP | [2] |
RAF Kinloss | Moray, Scotland | 57°38′39″N 003°34′09″W / 57.64417°N 3.56917°W / 57.64417; -3.56917 | 4 bay ORP | [2] |
RNAS Lossiemouth | Moray, Scotland | 57°42′53″N 003°19′27″W / 57.71472°N 3.32417°W / 57.71472; -3.32417 | Dispersed Airfield & 2 bay ORP | [2](later transferred to the RAF) |
RAF Leuchars | Fife, Scotland | 56°22′25″N 002°52′48″W / 56.37361°N 2.88000°W / 56.37361; -2.88000 | 2 x 2 bay ORP | [2] |
Base | Location | Co-ordinates | Dispersal type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
RAF Aldergrove | Country Antrim, Northern Ireland | 54°39′04″N 006°13′05″W / 54.65111°N 6.21806°W / 54.65111; -6.21806 | Nil | [2] |
RAF Ballykelly | County Londonderry, Northern Ireland | 55°03′50″N 007°00′19″W / 55.06389°N 7.00528°W / 55.06389; -7.00528 | 4 bay ORP | [2] |
Base | Location | Co-ordinates | Dispersal type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
RNAS Brawdy | Pembrokeshire, Wales | 51°53′21″N 005°07′05″W / 51.88917°N 5.11806°W / 51.88917; -5.11806 | 2 bay ORP | [2](later transferred to RAF) |
RAE Llanbedr | Gwynedd, Wales | 52°48′51″N 004°07′50″W / 52.81417°N 4.13056°W / 52.81417; -4.13056 | 2 bay ORP | [2] |
RAF Valley | Anglesey, Wales | 53°14′26″N 004°31′19″W / 53.24056°N 4.52194°W / 53.24056; -4.52194 | 2 bay ORP | [2] |