BoB and 100 octane fuel

[Kutscha]

This site is usually quite knowledgeable so worth a try.

How many RAF stations during the BoB had stocks of 100 octane fuel?

[Carl Schwamberger]

Looks like you asked a tough one. Dolittle in his biography has some remarks on the supply of high octane fuel in the US at this time. Unfortunatly that wont answer your question.

[Slayer]

Originally Posted by Kutscha

This site is usually quite knowledgeable so worth a try.

How many RAF stations during the BoB had stocks of 100 octane fuel?

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/avi...-20108-13.html

[Carl Schwamberger]

Slayer... thanks for that link. Its a very informative thread

[DuncanM]

I think the short answer is that every airfield where Fighter Command aircraft might land would have stocks of 100 octane fuel. Proving that they did is going to be tough, but it would have been a real nightmare for FC to have some airfields with 87 octane and some without, especially as landing at alternate airfields was very common, and strangely I've never read a single account of a Spitfire or Hurricane pilot having problems because he had to put 87 octane into his 100 octane modded aircraft.

[Kutscha]

Originally Posted by Slayer

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/avi...-20108-13.html

Thanks Slayer. I have been through both the threads there.

What I have come up with is:

The following Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons are known to have used 100 octane fuel before or during the BoB:
1, 17, 19, 41, 43, 54, 56, 64, 65, 66, 72, 73, 74, 79, 85, 87, 92, 141, 145, 151, 152, 222, 229, 234, 245, 249, 264, 303, 602, 603, 605, 609, 610, 611, 616

These squadrons were stationed at the following airfields (bold text) at sometime during the BoB.


11 Group

RAF Biggin Hill

- RAF West Malling

RAF Debden

- RAF Martlesham Heath

RAF Hornchurch

- RAF Hawkinge
- RAF Gravesend
- RAF Manston

RAF Kenley

- RAF Croydon

RAF Northolt

RAF North Weald

- RAF Martlesham
- RAF Stapleford

RAF Tangmere

- RAF West Malling
- RAF Ford
- RAF Thorney Island
- RAF Westhampnett
- RAF Lee on Solent, RN airfield
- RAF Gosport, RN airfield

Not sure which Sector airfield these were assigned to but as all the sector airfields had 100 octane fuel, these to would need a stock of 100 octane fuel.

RAF Detling

RAF Eastchurch

RAF Hendon

RAF Lympne


In 10 Group, 5 of the 6 airfields had stocks of 100 octane fuel.

In 12 Group, 7 of the 8 airfields had stocks of 100 octane fuel.

In 13 Group, 7 of the 10 airfields had stocks of 100 octane fuel. Of the 3 that possible didn't have stocks of 100 octane fuel, one was based in the Shetland Is. and the other in the Orkney Is.