Editing RAF Tangmere (section)

===Postwar===

Towards the end of the war, the [[Central Fighter Establishment]] arrived from [[RAF Wittering]] on 27 February 1945 with the station being renamed as '''CFE Tangmere'''.{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=84}} The RAF High Speed Flight was re-formed here on 14 June 1946 and in September 1946, a world air speed record of 616&nbsp;mph (991&nbsp;km/h) was set by Group Captain [[Edward Mortlock Donaldson|Edward "Teddy" Mortlock Donaldson]] in a [[Gloster Meteor]] F.4; after his death in 1992, he was buried in St Andrew's Church. In September 1953, Squadron Leader [[Neville Duke]] became holder of the world air speed record when he flew a modified [[Hawker Hunter]] prototype at 727.63&nbsp;mph (1,170&nbsp;km/h) – the 50th anniversary of this event was commemorated in 2003. 

A number of units associated with the CFE also arrived including:
* [[Day Fighter Leaders School]] (1945){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=100}} part of CFE
* [[Enemy Aircraft Flight RAF]] (1945){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=108}} part of CFE
* [[Central Fighter Establishment|Fighter Interception Development Squadron RAF]] (1945){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=113}} part of CFE
* [[Central Fighter Establishment|Night Fighter Development Wing RAF]] (1945){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=193}} part of CFE
* [[Central Fighter Establishment|Night Fighter Training Squadron RAF]] (1945){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=194}} part of CFE
* [[787 Naval Air Squadron]], Fleet Air Arm (1945){{sfn|Sturtivant|Ballance|1994|p=111}} connection to CFE

The unit moved to [[RAF West Raynham]] on 1 October 1945, while [[No. 85 Squadron RAF]] arrived on 11 October 1945 with the de Havilland Mosquito XXX. It upgraded to the Mosquito NF.36 from January 1946. The unit deployed to [[RAF Lubeck]] and [[RAF Acklington]] for varying periods of time, until finally leaving Tangmere on 16 April 1947, for [[RAF West Malling]].{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=51}} [[No. 1 Squadron RAF]] returned on 30 April 1946 from their previous base of [[RAF Hutton Cranswick]] with the Supermarine Spitfire F.21; the unit deployed to Acklington and Lubeck at various times. From October 1946 the Gloster Meteor F.3 was introduced but was replaced by the Harvard T.2b and Oxford T.2 from August 1947, in preparation for conversion to the Meteor F.4 which arrived during June 1948. This was replaced by the F.8 during August 1950 and this in turn was replaced by the Hawker Hunter F.5 in September 1958. The squadron was disbanded on 1 July 1958.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=23}} [[No. 222 Squadron RAF|No. 222 (Natal) Squadron RAF]] arrived on 2 October 1946 from [[RAF Weston Zoyland]].  They were already operating the Meteor F.3 and converted to the newer F.4 during the first few months of 1948, before moving to RAF Lubeck on 1 May 1948.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=73}}

On 1 June 1950, a Gloster Meteor flying eastwards over [[Portsmouth]] reported a UFO at 20,000&nbsp;ft. It was also seen by the radar at [[RAF Wartling]], and was described as ''Britain's first flying saucer'', and led to the [[Flying Saucer Working Party]] later that year.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Good |first=Timothy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7KC4LQALF8MC&pg=PA148 |title=A Need to Know: UFOs, the Military and Intelligence |date=2012-07-12 |publisher=Pan Macmillan |isbn=978-0-330-54349-1 |language=en}}</ref>

[[No. 266 Squadron RAF|No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF]] arrived on 16 April 1947 from [[RAF Wattisham]] with the Meteor F.3, replacing No. 85 Squadron RAF. No. 266 Squadron upgraded to the Meteor F.4 from February 1948, with the squadron deploying to Lubeck and Acklington during its stay. 266 was disbanded on 11 February 1949 and renumbered as [[No. 43 Squadron RAF]] {{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=81}} The Meteor F.8 was introduced from September 1950 and the squadron moved to [[RAF Leuchars]] on 11 November 1950.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=39}} On 25 November 1950 [[No. 29 Squadron RAF]] arrived from [[RAF West Malling]] with the Mosquito NF.30, converting to the Meteor NF.11 from July 1951. The squadron moved to RAF Acklington on 14 January 1957 where it eventually re-equipped with the [[Gloster Javelin]] FAW.6.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=34}} On 1 August 1954 [[No. 34 Squadron RAF]] was re-formed here with the Meteor F.8, upgrading to the Hunter F.5 from October 1955 before being disbanded on 15 January 1958.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=37}} On 30 September 1957 [[No. 25 Squadron RAF]] arrived from RAF West Malling, flying the Meteor NF.12 & NF.14 until 1 July 1958 when the squadron was disbanded.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=33}}

[[No. 164 Squadron RAF|No. 164 (Argentine–British) Squadron RAF]] arrived from [[RAF Turnhouse]] on 25 March 1946 with the Spitfire IX, staying until 26 April 1946 when the squadron moved to [[RAF Middle Wallop]].{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=64}} [[No. 587 Squadron RAF]] arrived from [[RAF Weston Zoyland]] on 1 June 1946 with the Spitfire XVI, for two weeks before being disbanded.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=97}} [[No. 69 Squadron RAF]] arrived on 19 April 1947 from [[RAF Wahn]] during a break from West Germany. It used the Mosquito B.16 until 16 May 1947 when it moved back to Wahn.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=46}} On 1 July 1950 [[No. 74 Squadron RAF|No. 74 (Trinidad) Squadron RAF]], with its Meteor F.4s, arrived Jefford|1988|p=48}}from RAF Horsham St Faith {{sfn|, on deployment for 8 days.

In the late 1950s flying was reduced to ground radar calibration under RAF Signals Command, upon the arrival of [[No. 115 Squadron RAF]] on 25 August 1958 from [[RAF Watton]],  with the Varsity T.1. The Valetta C.1 was introduced from August 1963 but the squadron moved back to Watton on 1 October 1963.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=57}} [[No. 245 Squadron RAF]] arrived on 25 August 1958 from Watton. The squadron was equipped with the Canberra B.2 but was disbanded on 19 April 1963, to become No. 98 Squadron.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=77}} [[No. 98 Squadron RAF]] used the Canberra B.2 until 1 October 1963 when it moved to RAF Watton.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=53}} Between January and March 1958 a detachment of [[No. 208 Squadron RAF]] operated here, training crews on the new Hunter F.6.{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=69}}

The Joint Services Language School moved here and in 1960 the station was granted the "freedom of the City of [[Chichester]]", the event being marked by a march through the town and service in the Cathedral.<ref>{{cite web|title=National Archives: RAF Tangmere: Freedom of City of Chichester|url=https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1229337|access-date=29 June 2021}}</ref>

No. 38 Group [[Tactical Communications Wing RAF]] and 244 Signal Squadron (Air Support) were the last units to leave the base, relocating to [[RAF Benson]].

Some of the last flying units to be based at the station included:
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* 'B' Flt, [[No. 22 Squadron RAF]] (June 1961 - May 1964)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rafweb.org/Squadrons/Sqn021-25.htm|title=No 22 Squadron|publisher=RAF Web|access-date=6 April 2023}}{{subscription required}}</ref>
* 22 Squadron - detachment sometime between 1956-74{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=32}}
* [[720 Naval Air Squadron]], Fleet Air Arm (1947) {{sfn|Sturtivant|Ballance|1994|p=41}}
* [[771 Naval Air Squadron]] detachment, Fleet Air Arm (1948-49){{sfn|Sturtivant|Ballance|1994|p=91}}
* [[778 Naval Air Squadron]], Fleet Air Arm (1947-48){{sfn|Sturtivant|Ballance|1994|p=99}}
* [[801 Naval Air Squadron]], Fleet Air Arm (1947){{sfn|Sturtivant|Ballance|1994|p=132}}
}}

Units:
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* No. 38 Group Support Unit (December 1964 - December 1970){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=161}}
* [[No. 49 Maintenance Unit RAF]] detachment (November 1946){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=177}}
* [[No. 161 Gliding School RAF]] (1945 & 47-53){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=147}}
* [[No. 623 Gliding School RAF]] (1963-74){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=147}}
* No. 8 Fighter Command Servicing Unit (September to October 1945){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=113}}
* No. 9 Fighter Command Servicing Unit (February 1945 to April 1946){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=113}}
* [[Fighter Command Instrument Training Flight RAF]] (1948-50){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=112}} 
* Towed Target Flight, Tangmere RAF (1950-51){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=273}}
}}

In 1963–64 the last flying units left. However the station continued to be used for several years and, in 1968, [[Prince Charles]] took his first flying lesson at Tangmere.<ref>{{cite web |title=Campaign to restore Tangmere's 'iconic' airfield control tower |url=https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/people/campaign-to-restore-tangmere-s-iconic-airfield-control-tower-1-8227322 |access-date=20 May 2019 |date=2 November 2017}}</ref> The station finally closed on 16 October 1970;<ref>{{cite web |title=Unit History: RAF Tangmere |url=https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/units/705/raf-tangmere/ |publisher=Forces War Records |access-date=10 June 2019}}</ref> a single Spitfire flew over the airfield as the RAF ensign was lowered for the last time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tangmere Pilots |url=http://www.tangmerepilots.co.uk/history.htm |access-date=10 June 2019 |archive-date=23 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623122343/http://www.tangmerepilots.co.uk/history.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>