RAF Shawbury ATC and the Central School of Air Traffic Control

a Bell 412EP , known as the Griffin HT.1, at the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury

In the beginning….      from John Douglas, a lovely historical perspective from 1952 “introducing” the modern concept of ATC to Military pilots.

Central Navigation and Control School article.   CN and CS 1952_JD

 Air Traffic Control Training in the Royal Air Force

Barry Davidson has just sent in a brochure about Air Traffic Control Training in the Royal Air Force at the Central School of Air Traffic Control that also includes the tower and its interior. Anyone like to estimate the date of publication and indeed contribute more stuff on Shawbury activities generally?

and a second brochure about the station as  a whole

EGOS Shawbury Brochure

and a third item, a CATCS brochure

CATCS BROCHURE

and a fourth item, a 1970s (?) information handout

RAF Shawbury brochure 1970s

Barry is also scanning in some notes from the ARTS Course 1980-82 that we’ll produce in sections.

CATCS Shawbury ARTS Course Notes 1980-82

Section 1

ARTS intro       ARTS Notes 1 and 2         ARTS Notes 3 and 4        ARTS Notes 6

ARTS Notes 7   ARTS notes 8 9 10          ARTS Notes 11                  ARTS Notes 12 13 14

ARTS Notes 15 16 17 18                 ARTS Notes 20             ARTS Notes 21

ARTS Notes 32                                 ARTS Notes 33-36

Section 2

ARTS 2 Notes 1-10

Section 3

ARTS 3 Notes 1-9

Section 5

ARTS 5 Notes 1-6

Section 6

ARTS 6 Notes 1-9

Section 7

ARTS 7 Notes 1-3

Section 8

ARTS 8 Notes 1-10

Section 9

ARTS 9 Notes 1-9

Section 10

ARTS 10 Notes 1-6

Section 12

ARTS 12 Notes 1-5

Section 13

ARTS 13 Notes 1-8

Final Section 14

ARTS 14 Notes 1-4

Also from Barry Davidson

Dutch C-130 G-781

Westland Whirlwind XP341 E W at Shawbury ?

above and below, the old Fort type tower at Shawbury plus above Westland SA-341D Gazelle HT.3 XW898/G

also from Barry, a first day cover and postcard

and a photo of one of the Vampires (XH274) used to help train controllers. Some of these were converted night fighters.

Bruce Williamson has now added to the above with a history of the Central Air Traffic Control School that he wrote a few years ago for the Shawbury station magazine. Bruce says that “It’s a bit out of date now, but gives a flavour of the general history of the place.”

the History of CATCS

from Bob Pearson, a photo of his GCA/PAR Course

Bob tells me that Flt Lt Howells later gained a civil licence and worked at Boscombe Down. This photo was taken sometime in the winter of 1970/71…

Rhys Davies has sent in photos of his grandfather at Shawbury.

“First group picture my Grandad, SAC Frank Viner is sat 4 from right front row next to the Sgt.

The second group picture, he is front row sat far left. I believe these pictures are 1959. He left Bawtry as a steward in 1958 sometime and was posted to St Mawgan after the transfer to ATC in 1960 ish.”