RAF Gaydon

Coordinates: 52°11′08″N 001°29′31″W / 52.18556°N 1.49194°W / 52.18556; -1.49194
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

RAF Gaydon
AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
05/23
(Cold War)		 2,750 metres (9,022 ft) Asphalt
05/23
(Wartime)		  Asphalt
10/28
(Wartime)		  Asphalt
16/34
(Wartime)		  Asphalt

Royal Air Force Gaydon or more simply RAF Gaydon is a former Royal Air Force station located 5.2 miles (8.4 km) east of Wellesbourne, Warwickshire and 10.8 miles (17.4 km) north west of Banbury, Oxfordshire, England.

RAF Gaydon opened in 1942 and is known for its role during the Cold War, when it was under the control of RAF Bomber Command as it was the first Royal Air Force (RAF) station to receive the Vickers Valiant when No. 138 Squadron RAF re-formed here in 1955.

In 1978, the site passed into civilian ownership and today contains the British Motor Museum, the headquarters of automobile manufacturer Aston Martin, and the Jaguar Land Rover Gaydon Centre.

History

Second World War

The airfield was used extensively during the

No. 312 Ferry Training Unit RAF (FTU) was deployed there training pilots to be employed in ferrying aircraft overseas.[3][5]

Working on an airfield where the training of pilots was taking place was extremely dangerous because of the inexperience of the crews and the worn condition of their aircraft. The OTU Wellingtons were subject to hard use and this resulted in many accidents. The aircraft were often flown in harsh weather conditions both on UK training sorties and on operations over Northern Europe.[6]

The airfield was based upon the standard Class A airfield for wartime operations with pan dispersals and concrete runways. The runway pattern was aligned with prevailing winds to assist take-offs and landings. The airfield originally had a standard bomber type control tower which was demolished sometime before 1955.[1]

Postwar

Immediately after the war, training bomber crews ceased on 1 July 1945 with

Tiger Moths, Airspeed Oxfords and Miles Master II's. The next unit to join was the Glider Instructors Flight RAF who moved from RAF Croughton on 28 May 1946 however their stay was short as Gaydon closed for flying on 15 August 1946. The station was then put on a care and maintenance basis thirteen days later on 28 August 1946.[7]

V-bomber use

During 1953 the building of the new main runway (05-23) had begun with the associated buildings and dispersals being constructed. This included an Operational Readiness Platform and the Gaydon type hangar which was large enough to accommodate the new V-bombers which were coming into service. RAF Gaydon re-opened on 1 March 1954 before the first operational squadron (No. 138 Squadron RAF) arrived on 1 January 1955 which operated the nuclear capable Vickers Valiant B.1s.[8][9] The squadron stayed at the station until 18 November 1955 when they moved to RAF Wittering.[7]

The next unit to arrive was

Tanker Training Flight RAF with the airfield being passed over to RAF Flying Training Command (FTC).[7]

In 1968 RAF Flying Training Command formed

No. 637 Gliding School RAF at RAF Gaydon for the purpose of Air Cadet glider training.[10]

Under FTC the first unit to arrive was No. 2 Air Navigation School RAF (ANS) which flew the Vickers Varsity for nearly five years before moving to RAF Finningley during May 1970 after becoming part of No. 6 Flying Training School RAF on 24 April 1970.[11]

In 1970 the airfield was transferred to HQ

RAF Bicester[12] before closing on 31 October 1974.[13] No. 637 Gliding School remained at Gaydon until 1977,[10] thereafter it reformed at RAF Little Rissington.[14]

In 1974 the 43 Officer's Married Quarters (OMQ) were used by US Air Force personnel and families while the Airmen's Married Quarters (AMQ) were used by the local council. The OMQ were vacated in 1978 and demolished.[15]

Civilian use

See also: Jaguar Land Rover Gaydon Centre

In 1978 the airfield was bought by British Leyland,[16] and with the subsequent development of vehicle test facilities, the site became home to what was then known as BL Technology. The main runway was converted into part of a four-lane test track, and many other tarmac and off-road tracks were created.[citation needed] The buildings that once housed service personnel were sold off and became the village of Lighthorne Heath.[17]

Many of the original RAF buildings were demolished but a number were retained and are still in use to this day.[citation needed] Of particular note are the airfield control tower[18] and the two main hangars, although only one of these retains its original appearance.[citation needed]

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b "RAF Gaydon". Control Towers. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  2. ^ "No.12 Operational Training Unit RAF". RAF Commands. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Flying Units within the south-west midlands". Airfield Archaeology. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  4. ^ "91 Group, 22 OTU". RAF Commands. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  5. ^ Bowyer 1983, p. 144.
  6. ^ "Aviation Crashes in the SW Midlands during 1943". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  7. ^ a b c Bowyer 1983, p. 145.
  8. ^ Halley 1988, p. 211.
  9. ^ "RAF and the Cold War". Ministry of Defence - Royal Air Force. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  10. ^ a b "RAF Gaydon". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  11. ^ Lake 1999, p. 143.
  12. ^ "Bicester". WW2 Airfields of Oxfordshire. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  13. ^ "Gaydon". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  14. ^ "Unit history". 637 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
  15. ^ Pratley 2013, p. 193.
  16. ^ "Unit History: Operational Conversion Unit RAF Gaydon". Forces War Records. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  17. ^ "Lighthorne Heath, Warwickshire". Orbit Heart of England. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  18. ^ "RAF Gaydon Airfield". Control Towers. Retrieved 31 March 2013.

Bibliography

External links

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