RAF Syerston
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Royal Air Force Syerston,
History
Bomber Command
RAF Syerston was built as part of the bomber expansion in the late 1930s, but did not open until 1 December
In March 1943, Wing Commander Guy Gibson was commanding officer of 106 Sqn at Syerston, before he was given the task of forming 617 Sqn – The Dambusters, at RAF Coningsby.[6]
On 3/4 November 1943, Bill Reid of 61 Squadron was awarded a Victoria Cross on a mission flown from Syerston.[1]
On 17 November 1943, the operational squadrons departed, and the station was used for bomber crew training,[2] led by Captain Robert White. No. 1668 Heavy Conversion Unit joined on 17 November 1943 and became No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School four days later.[7] No. 1485 (Bombing) Gunnery Flight between November 1943 and February 1944.[8] From November 1943 to July 1944, there was also No. 1690 (Bomber) Defence Training Flight in attendance with several Wellingtons, Spitfires, Hurricanes, plus a few Martinet tug aircraft; all employed in brushing up the skills of air gunners on air-to-air exercises. The LFS left on 1 April 1945, with No. 49 Squadron arriving from RAF Fulbeck later in the month who only had one operation before leaving to RAF Mepal in September.[3] Bomber Command Film Flight Unit between April and October 1945 used the airfield.[9]
Post-war use
On 25 October 1945, the station became part of
Syerston was taken over by
Role and operations
643 VGS joined in October 1992,
In January 2014, the Central Gliding School (CGS) and No. 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron have been based at Syerston.[2]
2014 saw the reformation of No. 2 Flying Training School (2 FTS) at Syerston, along with a permanent home for Headquarters No. 2 Flying Training School (HQ 2 FTS), the Royal Air Force Central Gliding School (RAF CGS), and No. 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (644 VGS).[2]
Based units
Notable units based at RAF Syerston.[2]
- No. 22 Group (Training) RAF (22 Grp)
- No. 2 Flying Training School (2 FTS)
- Headquarters No. 2 Flying Training School (HQ 1 FTS)
- Central Gliding School (CGS) – Grob Viking T1
- No. 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (644 VGS) – Grob Viking T1
Parented units
Royal Air Force Syerston is parent to four satellite airfields, namely RAF Kenley, RAF Kirknewton, RAF Topcliffe, and RAF Little Rissington.[2]
Historical units
- No. 49 Squadron RAF (22 April 1945 – 28 September 1945) — Avro Lancaster I & III[12]
- No. 61 Squadron RAF (5 May 1942 – 17 November 1943) — Avro Lancaster I, II & III[13]
- No. 106 Squadron RAF (1 October 1942 – 17 November 1943) — Avro Lancaster I & III[14]
- No. 304 (Polish) Squadron RAF (December 1940 – 20 July 1941) — Vickers Wellington IC[15]
- No. 305 (Polish) Squadron RAF (December 1940 – 20 July 1941) — Vickers Wellington IC[15]
- No. 408 Squadron RCAF (July 1941 – 8 December 1941) — Handley Page Hampden[16]
- No. 504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron RAuxAF (May 1946 – April 1947) — de Havilland Mosquito[17]
- Four Counties Gliding Club[18]
- Loughborough Students Union Gliding Club[18]
- Nottingham Air Touring Group[18]
- RAF Syerston Flying Club[18]
- No. 27 Heavy Glider Maintenance Section[18]
- No. 2727 Squadron RAF Regiment[18]
Incidents
On 20 September
See also
References
- ^ a b c Falconer 2012, p. 188.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "RAF Syerston". RAF.mod.uk. Royal Air Force – Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Unit History: RAF Syerston". Forces-War-Records.co.uk. Forces War Records. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ a b c d Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 96.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 137.
- ^ "Wing Commander Guy Gibson". RAFBF.org. RAF Benevolent Fund. May 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 99.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 124.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 79.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 227.
- ^ a b Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 148.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 41.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 44.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 55.
- ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 85.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 90.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 95.
- ^ a b c d e f "Syerston". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ "BBC video 50th Anniversary of Vulcan crash". BBC News. 19 September 2008.
Sources
- Falconer, J. (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
- Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J. (2007). Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 978-0851-3036-59.
External links
- RAF Syerston — official website at www.RAF.MoD.uk
- No. 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron
- UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Syerston (EGXY)