Early years and World War II RAF Benson
fairey battles of no. 12 operational training unit raf in flight construction of raf benson began in 1937 part of expansion of raf , in response threat of war nazi germany. construction undertaken contractors john laing & son. benson officially opened raf station on saturday 1 april 1939 under command of group captain r t leather afc. station s first aircraft 2 squadrons of fairey battle light bombers, began arrive few days later. no. 103 squadron arrived raf boscombe down , started flying in on 3 april 1939, joined in next few months no. 150 squadron arrived raf abingdon. the battles replaced in december 1940 vickers wellington medium bombers. @ same time supermarine spitfires of no. 1 photographic reconnaissance unit (pru) , raf coastal command arrived. benson gained considerable fame home of photographic reconnaissance remainder of second world war. in june 1943, no. 1 pru formed no. 106 wing, 5 squadrons (no’s 540 544 inclusive) , no. 12 operational training unit. the wing elev...