| RAF Penrhos | |
| Ensign: | Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg |
| Ensign Size: | 90px |
| Location: | Located next to Penrhos, in the community of Llanbedrog, Gwynedd |
| Nearest Town: | Pwllheli, 3miles to the east, |
| Country: | Wales |
| Pushpin Map: | Wales Gwynedd#UK |
| Pushpin Label: | RAF Penrhos |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Shown within Gwynedd |
| Type: | Royal Air Force station Observers Advanced Flying Unit |
| Ownership: | Air Ministry |
| Operator: | Royal Air Force |
| Controlledby: | RAF Flying Training Command |
| Used: | 1937- |
| Battles: | European theatre of World War II |
| Occupants: | 1944 Officers - 117 (11 WAAF) Other Ranks - 1,134 (245 WAAF) |
| Elevation: | 16m (52feet) |
| R1-Number: | NE/SW |
| R1-Length: | 860yards |
| R1-Surface: | Grass strip |
| R2-Number: | NW/SE |
| R2-Length: | 700yards |
| R2-Surface: | Grass strip |
| R3-Number: | E/S |
| R3-Length: | 700yards |
| R3-Surface: | Grass strip |
Royal Air Force Penrhos, or more simply RAF Penrhos, is a former Royal Air Force airfield located near Penrhos, Gwynedd and west of Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Wales, in the community of Llanbedrog.
It was operational from 1 February 1937 to 21 October 1946 for armament training, air observer, bombing and gunnery schools.[1]
In 1936 a decision was taken to establish an RAF bombing school at Penyberth, a farm of about 250acres for RAF Penrhos which was purchased by the Air Ministry, including the area of the low plateau in the bend of the river where the Afon Penrhos joins the Afon Geirch. Opposition was strongly felt, particularly as it was perceived that the sixteenth century house, Penyberth was, in Saunders Lewis’ words, 'one of the essential homes of Welsh culture, idiom and literature'. As work proceeded, an arson attack was carried out on 8 September 1936 after which the arsonists gave themselves up at Pwllheli Police Station. Despite this the base came into operation in February 1937.[1]
In December 1940 a detachment from No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron was moved to protect Penrhos from German attack.[2] This association led in later years to the Polish Resettlement Corps using the site to house Polish soldiers, sailors and airmen who chose not to return to communist Poland. To this day, part of RAF Penrhos is in use as an old people's home for elderly Poles.
RAF Hell's Mouth, 5miles to the south west, was commissioned in February 1937 as a Relief Landing Ground, later an Emergency landing Ground, for RAF Penrhos.
During the course of the operation of the station, the following units were at sometime based at RAF Penrhos:
During the late 1980s privately owned aircraft used to land here during the summer on a 400-yard tarmac strip.
Part of the site is now Pen-y-berth caravan park.