About RAF Leuchars:
• Leuchars History
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• County: Fife
• Satnav Postcode: KY16 0JX
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UK Airshows 2024:
UK Airshows (England):
• Shuttleworth Airshows
• Duxford Airshows
• Royal International Air Tattoo
• Farnborough Airshow
• RAF Cosford Airshow
• Flying legends Airshow - cancelled
• Abingdon Air & Country Show
• Midlands Air Festival
• Little Gransden Airshow
• Airbourne (Eastbourne) Airshow
• Southport Airshow
• Clacton Airshow
• Bournemouth Air Festival
• Blackpool Airshow
• English Riviera Airshow
• Teignmouth Airshow
• Headcorn Battle of Britain
• Old Buckenham Airshow
• East Kirkby Airshow
• Sywell Airshow
UK Airshows (Wales):
• Wales National Air Show
• Rhyl Air Show - cancelled
UK Airshows (Scotland):
• International Ayr Show
UK Airshows (Northern Ireland):
• NI International Airshow
UK Airshows (Channel Islands):
• Jersey International Air Display
• Guernsey Air Display
Flypasts/Events 2024:
• King's Birthday Flypast
RAF Leuchars History
Leuchars' association with aviation can be traced back to 1911 with the arrival of the balloon flight of the royal engineers. Leuchars opened as a RNAS (Royal Naval Air Service) airfield and was used as a shore base for a number of fleet fighters. In 1938, and through the Second World War, Leuchars came under RAF Coastal Command. During this time its squadrons flew anti-submarine, anti-shipping and minelaying sorties using Beaufighters, Beauforts, Hudsons and Mosquitoes. During 1944, the USAAF flew secret missions from here using B-24 Liberators and C-47 Skytrains in support of the Norwegian underground movement. In 1950, Leuchars transfered to Fighter Command, operating a succession of fighters like the Meteor, Vampire, Javelin, Hunter, Lightning, and Phantom. A Search and Rescue facility was also set up in 1954.
Leuchars became a QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) station and a Military Emergency Diversion Aerodrome. The Tornado F3 replaced the Phantoms of 43 Squadron and 111 Squadron during 1986-1990s. Tornado F3 fighters of 43 squadron, and 56(R) squadron were based here, and these two squadrons were later amalgamated into 43 squadron and later disbanded in 2009. From 2010, the Tornado F3's at Leuchars were replaced with the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft.
On 18 July 2011 Defence Secretary Liam Fox announced that RAF Leuchars would close. The recently formed Typhoon force moved to RAF Lossiemouth in the Summer of 2014 and the Army took control of the station on 1 April 2015 and it was renamed Leuchars Station.