As part of the “Caithness At War” project, Wick Development Trust intends to erect a full sized replica Supermarine Spitfire PR.IV as a Gate Guardian and memorial to those that had served at RAF Wick during the Second World War.

Between 1939 and 1946, no fewer than 51 different Squadrons, Detachments or Flights operated from the former wartime RAF Airfield, which is now home to Wick John O’ Groats Airport.

RAF Wick was initially under the control of RAF Fighter Command between September 30th 1939 and June 4th 1940; with the primary purpose of defending the naval anchorage at Scapa Flow in Orkney.

From June 5th 1940 the base became a Sector Station for 18 Group RAF Coastal Command, and was pivotal in carrying out Convoy Escorts, Anti Submarine & Shipping Patrols, and conducting strikes on Axis targets until the end of the war.

Throughout the conflict, the aircrews operating from RAF Wick paid a heavy price, with 379 servicemen being Killed In Action during operational sorties.

The following Squadrons, Detachments and Flights operated out of RAF Wick; with their aircrews setting out on daily missions over Norway, The North Sea, and the North Atlantic………some never to return!

No. 1 PRU Squadron RAF ‘A Flight’

No. 1 PRU Squadron RAF ‘B Flight’

No. 1 PRU Squadron RAF ‘C Flight’ – 4 Aircrew KIA

No. 1 PRU Squadron RAF ‘D Flight’ – 1 Aircrew KIA

No. 1 PRU Squadron RAF ‘E Flight’

No. 1 PRU Squadron RAF ‘Mosquito Flight’ – 2 Aircrew KIA

No. 3 Squadron RAF – 1 Aircrew KIA

No. 22 Squadron RAF – 4 Aircrew KIA

No. 38 Squadron RAF – 6 Aircrew KIA

No. 41 Squadron RAF

No. 42 Squadron RAF – 30 Aircrew KIA

No. 43 Squadron RAF

No. 48 Squadron RAF – 58 Aircrew KIA

No. 50 Squadron RAF – 7 Aircrew KIA

No. 58 Squadron RAF – 6 Aircrew KIA

No. 61 Squadron RAF

No. 86 Squadron RAF – 28 Aircrew KIA

No. 98 Squadron RAF

No. 111 Squadron RAF

No. 122 Squadron RAF

No. 144 Squadron RAF – 7 Aircrew KIA

No. 162 Squadron RCAF – 3 Aircrew KIA

No. 220 Squadron RAF – 38 Aircrew KIA

No. 224 Squadron RAF – 1 Aircrew KIA

No. 235 Squadron RAF – 2 Aircrew KIA

No. 236 Squadron RAF – 2 Aircrew KIA

No. 248 Squadron RAF

No. 254 Squadron RAF – 2 Aircrew KIA

No. 269 Squadron RAF – 42 Aircrew KIA

No. 279 Squadron RAF

No. 281 Squadron RAF

No. 303 Squadron RAF

No. 316 Squadron RAF

No. 333 Squadron RAF – 1 Aircrew KIA

No. 404 Squadron RCAF – 31 Aircrew KIA

No. 407 Squadron RCAF

No. 415 Squadron RCAF

No. 455 Squadron RNZAF

No. 489 Squadron RAF – 33 Aircrew KIA

No. 502 Squadron RAF

No. 504 Squadron RAF

No. 518 Squadron RAF

No. 519 Squadron RAF – 15 Aircrew KIA

No. 605 Squadron RAF – 1 Aircrew KIA

No. 608 Squadron RAF – 16 Aircrew KIA

No. 612 Squadron RAF – 35 Aircrew KIA

No. 618 Squadron RAF

No. 803 Squadron FAA

No. 1406 Flight RAF – 3 Aircrew KIA

No. 1408 Flight RAF

No. 1693 Flight RAF

Wick Development Trust wanted to find a story that would captivate the imagination of people, but would also pay tribute to all those brave young men, that made the ultimate sacrifice, upon the Alter of Freedom. This is what they found…….

During its research on RAF Wick, Wick Development Trust stumbled across a story about a young Pilot named Alastair Gunn that was stationed at Wick in 1942.

Flying Officer Alastair Gunn RAFVR, or “Sandy” as he was known to his friends; was a Pilot with the No.1 PRU Squadron (Photo Reconnaissance Unit), flying unarmed PR Spitfires over Norway, however on the 5th March 1942 “Sandy”, was shot down over Norway whilst on a Photo Reconnaissance mission over Trondheim to find the battleship “Tirpitz”.

“Sandy” managed to bail out before his Spitfire crashed into the ground; however he was captured by the Germans, and sent to the Stalag Luft III Prisoner Of War camp.

Stalag Luft III was the POW camp where the “Great Escape” took place, and Sandy helped dig the tunnels “Tom”, “Dick”, & “Harry”; and escaped with another 75 officers on the evening of the 24th March 1944.

Unfortunately, Sandy was recaptured a few days later; and on April 6th 1944 he was driven out into the countryside with 6 other recaptured officers, and shot by the Gestapo. Sandy, and 49 of his fellow officers were executed in this manner on the personal orders of Adolf Hitler.

However, the story does not end there; because in July 2018, the Spitfire Sandy had been flying (Tail No. AA810), was found in a peat bog in Norway. Because the aircraft was buried under snow for large parts of the year, it was found to be amazingly well preserved, and a recovery operation was launched. Amazingly 70% of the aircraft was recovered, and is currently being restored back to flying condition by the dedicated team at Spitfire AA810 Restoration Ltd., and the restoration of AA810 is scheduled to be completed by 2024, at which point it will make regular visits to its former home base at Wick.

Spitfire Replicas Ltd. is a not-for-profit company that makes full scale GRP Replica Spitfires, with all profits going back into the restoration of Spitfires AA810 & P8331. We intend to purchase a replica of AA810 from Spitfire Replicas Ltd., as this will be helping to return the original to flying condition.

It is hoped that a full scale replica of AA810 will soon stand guard at the entrance to Wick John O’ Groats Airport, along with a memorial panel to “Sandy Gunn” and the 379 Aircrew