RAF Brize Norton
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Source: RAF Brize Norton Defence Aerodrome Manual[3] |
Royal Air Force Brize Norton or RAF Brize Norton (IATA: BZZ, ICAO: EGVN) in Oxfordshire, about 75 mi (121 km) west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force.[4] It is close to the village of Brize Norton, and the towns of Carterton and Witney.
The station is the base for air transport, air-to-air refuelling and military parachuting, with the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, Airbus A400M Atlas and Airbus Voyager operating from the station.
Major infrastructure redevelopment began in 2010, ahead of the closure of RAF Lyneham in 2012, and Brize Norton became the sole air point of embarkation for British troops.[5]
History
Royal Air Force
Construction of RAF Brize Norton began in 1935 with the official opening taking place on 13 August 1937.
One of the first operational squadrons to use the airfield was a detachment of No. 110 Squadron which operated from Brize Norton from June 1939 with the Bristol Blenheim Mk.1 and IV.[10] No. 2 FTS was renamed No. 2 Service Flying Training School (No. 2 SFTS) in September 1939, when it re-equipped with the Airspeed Oxford. No. 16 Service Training School, equipped with the North American Harvard, moved to Brize Norton in June 1940. On 16 August, the airfield was attacked by Luftwaffe bombers, with thirty-five Oxfords and eleven Hawker Hurricanes destroyed.[11] No. 16 SFTS left later that year, but No. 2 SFTS and No. 6 MU continued to use the airfield, with No. 1525 Beam Approach Training Flight arriving in February 1942.[9]
The No. 110 Squadron detachment left Brize Norton on 17 March 1942, when the squadron departed for Asia.
The HGCU (soon renumbered No. 21 HGCU) returned on 15 October 1944, remaining at Brize Norton until 31 December 1945. The Transport Command Development Unit (TCDU) moved in during 1946, operating a variety of equipment until it departed in June 1949.
United States Air Force
By 1950, elements of the
Command of the station was transferred from
The first major USAF deployment was that of twenty-one
From September 1953, units equipped with the Boeing B-47E Stratojet six-engined bombers began to be deployed to Brize Norton on 90-day temporary deployments, with boom-equipped Boeing KC-97G Stratofreighters also being deployed in support from December 1954.[15] Brize Norton was closed for runway repairs in 1956.[15] Later deployments included KC-97 and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker and the first Convair B-58 Hustler and Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers to land in the United Kingdom.[20]
From 1958, B-47 deployments changed from 90-day temporary deployments to 30-day Reflex Alerts, in which the aircraft did little flying, but were held at a high degree of readiness (armed with nuclear bombs) on special aprons on the south side of the airbase.[21] In September 1964, the USAF announced that Reflex operations would cease and that Brize Norton would be returned to the RAF.[18][19]
Back to Royal Air Force control
With RAF Lyneham, the home of RAF Transport Command's Bristol Britannia and De Havilland Comet fleets operating at capacity, the planned introduction to RAF service of the Vickers VC10 and Short Belfast created a requirement for an additional major strategic transport airfield. The planned withdrawal of the USAF, its long runway and close proximity to army bases in the south of England, resulted in Brize Norton being selected for the role in 1963.[22]
While the base was formally returned to the RAF on 1 April 1965, the last SAC aircraft, a B-47E of the
Both No. 10 Squadron, equipped with the Vickers VC10 C.1 jet transport[24] and No. 53 Squadron equipped with the Short Belfast C.1 heavy lift turboprop freighter moved from RAF Fairford in May 1967.[25] As facilities at Brize Norton were still unfinished, they used RAF Lyneham as a passenger terminal until October 1968.[26]
In 1970, two squadrons No. 99 Squadron[27] and No. 511 Squadron operating the Bristol Britannia moved from RAF Lyneham. Both squadrons were disbanded in 1976,[28] along with No. 53 Squadron, operating the Short Belfast C.1[25] In the same year, No. 115 Squadron moved from RAF Cottesmore, operating the Hawker Siddeley Andover in the radar calibration role. The squadron moved to RAF Benson in 1983.[29]
No. 101 Squadron reformed at Brize Norton on 1 May 1984,[30] flying the converted former civil VC-10, heavily modified and updated by British Aerospace for military service as aerial refuelling tankers between 1983 and 1993. Of the thirty-nine airline aircraft acquired by the RAF, thirteen were converted, while the remainder were cannibalised for spare parts. These converted VC-10s were all three-point tankers; capable of refuelling one aircraft (typically another large aircraft) using the main hose or two smaller aircraft using the underwing pods. The variants were designated K.2, K.3 and K.4.[31]
Following the
During August 1995, the Air Traffic Control Centre here reopened following works to the radar and associated equipment costing £1.2 million.[34]
On 23 May 2001, the RAF's first
Like other UK military bases (for example RAF Fairford,
Work to repair and upgrade the runways commenced in April 2007, and repatriation of British personnel was transferred to RAF Lyneham at the same time.[40] With the closure of RAF Lyneham taking place in late 2011, the repatriation transferred back to Brize Norton on 8 September 2011. To accommodate the repatriation services, a purpose-built centre was constructed,[41] and an exit gate was refurbished and formally named the Britannia Gate.[42]
Redevelopment as a transport base
Brize Norton was subsequently redeveloped as the major airbase for the RAF's transport fleet. The end of flying from
To accommodate this expansion (with the number of aircraft stationed at Brize Norton increasing from twenty-eight to sixty-seven),[45] a major infrastructure redevelopment, "Programme Future Brize" was established in 2009. The project involved the overhaul of virtually every element of the airfield's infrastructure, including IT, engineering, housing and personnel.[46]
On 25 January 2011, a new station chapel and chaplaincy centre was opened by the RAF Chaplain-in-Chief, The Venerable (Air Vice Marshal) Ray Pentland.[47]
By March 2011, seventy buildings had been refurbished on the station.[48] As part of work to prepare for the introduction of A330 Voyager aircraft into active service, a new hangar and office complex was opened in the same month.[49]
The C-130 Hercules fleet at RAF Lyneham officially moved to Brize Norton on 1 July 2011. The final four aircraft flew to the station, conducting a flypast over Wiltshire. Group Captain John Gladstone, Station Commander of RAF Lyneham, flew the lead Hercules, which carried the standards of the Hercules squadrons. These were presented to the Station Commander of RAF Brize Norton, Group Captain Dom Stamp in a welcoming ceremony.[50]
In February 2012, work started on converting a Second World War era hangar, located north of the main airfield site, into new accommodation for the RAF Tactical Medical Wing (TMW) and
In February 2014, a Voyager flying from the base suffered an accident. A Voyager with the registration ZZ333 was conducting a ferrying flight from Brize Norton,
On 25 August 2017, the station's Air Movements Squadron subordinated to No. 1 Air Mobility Wing (1AMW), a high readiness unit providing early entry air movements support forming part of the RAF's A4 Force which specialises in logistic support for expeditionary air operations.[54]
A new maintenance hangar capable of accommodating three A400M Atlas aircraft was officially opened by
In September 2018, No. 2 Squadron RAF Regiment, which provides protection to the Air Mobility Force, moved to the station from RAF Honington in Suffolk.[56] No. 30 Squadron reformed in September 2021 to operate the A400M Atlas, becoming the second frontline Atlas unit.[57]
On 30 June 2023, after 56 years of RAF service the C-130 Hercules was retired from and No. 47 Squadron disbanded, with the tactical air transport capability transitioning to the A400M Atlas.[58]
Role and operations
Transport operations
The station is home to approximately 5,800 military staff, 1,200 contractors and 300 civilian staff.[4] The station accommodates the RAF's strategic and tactical air transport and air-to-air refuelling fleets, operating the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, Airbus A400M Atlas and Airbus A330 MRTT Voyager.[4] The A330 is operated by AirTanker Services under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft contract.[59] AirTanker also operates service to RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands, on which civilian passengers can book tickets.
Civilian passengers had been permitted on flights to and from
Expeditionary Air Wing
No. 38 Expeditionary Air Wing was formed at Brize Norton on 1 April 2006 and acts as a deployable command and control headquarters to support Air Mobility Operations.[62]
Supported units
The station is home to
Based units
Flying and notable non-flying units based at RAF Brize Norton.[4][65][66]
Royal Air ForceNo. 2 Group (Air Combat Support) RAF
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British Army
Defence College of Logistics, Policing, and Administration
Civilian
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Previous units
A partial list of units previously based at Brize Norton.
- No. 53 Squadron RAF (1967–1976) – Short Belfast C1.[25]
- No. 115 Squadron RAF (1976–1983) – Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, Hawker Siddeley Andover.[29]
- No. 296 Squadron RAF (1943–1944) – Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle.[12]
- No. 297 Squadron RAF (1944) – Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle.[12]
- No. 511 Squadron RAF (1970–1976) – Bristol Britannia.[28]
- No. 241 Operational Conversion Unit RAF – Training and checking crews for Belfast, Britannia and VC10.[67]
- No. 216 Squadron RAF (1985-2014) - TriStar K1, KC1 & C2/C2A[68]
Heritage
Station badge and motto
Brize Norton's badge, awarded in January 1968, features a knight's helmet with two blue ostrich feathers against the backdrop of an arched castle gateway. The gateway represents the station's role as the hub for UK troops and transport aircraft departing on worldwide operations. The helm represents the military personnel carried from the station.[69]
The station's motto (Transire confidenter) is in Latin and translates into English as Pass through confidently, again acknowledging the station's gateway role.[69]
Gate guardian
Unlike many RAF stations, Brize Norton does not have an aircraft on display as a gate guardian. In October 2017 however, a sculpture by local artist David Harber was unveiled to mark the station's 80th anniversary. Named Gate Guardian, the metal sculpture depicts a globe circled by four of Brize Norton's aircraft, an Atlas, a Voyager, a Globemaster and a Hercules.[70]
Community relations and media
RAF Brize Norton enjoys the freedom of Carterton, Exeter, and Torbay.[71][72][73]
The station magazine is called 51º North, in reference to the latitude of Brize Norton (51º 45'). The magazine is distributed to station personnel, their families and the local community and is available on-line.[74]
The station featured in the 2013 observational documentary series Inside RAF Brize Norton. The seven-part series followed activity at the station during 2012 and was shown on Sky One.[75]
The station also hosted parachute training for the cast of Band of Brothers, HBO's award-winning miniseries about E (Easy) Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division during the Second World War in Europe, ahead of filming. The parachute training at the station including a wire descent from a jump tower, was the culmination of a 10-day pre-filming boot camp that had begun at Longmoor Military Camp and was included in an official HBO video diary by Ron Livingston (Lewis Nixon).[76][77]
See also
References
Citations
- ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
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- ^ "Station History". RAF Brize Norton. Archived from the original on 11 December 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ "Brize Norton: Introduction | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
- ^ March 1982a, p. 269
- ^ a b c March 1982a, p. 270
- ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 55.
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- ^ a b c d e Jefford 1988, p. 84.
- ^ March 1982a, pp. 270–271
- ^ March 1982a, pp. 271–272
- ^ a b c d March 1982a, p. 272
- ^ Birtles 2012, p. 86
- ^ "30 Air Depot Wing, Operations Plan 2-52 30 Air Depot Wing, Inability of the 30 Air Depot Wing to perform its mission (Case Report No. 1: Survey Inspection) Transfer of Royal Air Force Station Brize Norton, England from United States Air Forces in Europe to Strategic Air Command". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Reflex Wings". Strategic Air Command. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
- ^ a b "2 Munitions Sq (AFGSC)". Air Force Historic Research Agency. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
- ^ March 1982a, pp. 272–273
- ^ March 1982a, p. 273, March 1982b, p. 320
- ^ "VC10s and Belfasts to be Based at Brize". Flight International. Reed Business Information: 1043. 18 June 1964 – via Flight Global Archive.
- ^ March 1982a, p. 273
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 27
- ^ a b c Jefford 1988, p. 42
- ^ March 1982b, p. 320
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 53.
- ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 95.
- ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 57.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 54.
- ISBN 978-1781552292.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 71.
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- ^ March 1996, pp. 80
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- ^ "10 Squadron". RAF Museum. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
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- ^ Morris, Steven (8 September 2011). "RAF Brize Norton expects 2,000 people as military repatriations return". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
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- ^ Heath, Ashley (31 August 2010). "RAF Lyneham Closure Plan". BBC. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
- ^ "RAF Lyneham relocates to Brize Norton". BBC News. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
- ^ "RAF Brize Norton - Programme Future Brize". Royal Air Force. 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
- ^ "New Stn Chapel and Chaplaincy Centre". RAF Brize Norton. 28 January 2011. Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
- ^ "Housing shortages at Brize Norton caused by funding constraints". BBC News. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
- ^ "New hangar opens for tanker aircraft at RAF Brize Norton". BBC News. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
- ^ Mooney, Tom (1 July 2011). "Mixed emotions as Hercules leave RAF Lyneham". Gazette & Herald. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
- ^ "Work starts on medical support facilities at Oxfordshire air base". Cision. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ "DIO opens RAF Brize Norton Tactical Medical Wing facilities - Government Opportunities". Government Opportunities. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ Corfield, Gareth. "RAF pilot sacked for sending Airbus Voyager into sudden dive". www.theregister.com. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- ^ "Project Hadron Successfully Completed" (PDF). 51º North (7–2017): 15.
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- ^ Organisation of Joint Air Delivery Test and Evaluation Unit Archived 17 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "No.1 Parachute Training School RAF Brize Norton Freefall Progressions". Imperial War Museum. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
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- ^ "216 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^ a b "RAF Brize Norton". RAF Heraldry Trust. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ Rust, Stuart (15 October 2017). "80 years of RAF Brize Norton celebrated with sculpture". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
- ^ Archer, Megan (21 April 2016). "RAF Brize Norton honoured to receive Freedom of the Town of Carterton". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "RAF Brize Norton granted freedom of Exeter". BBC News. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ Henderson, Guy (15 September 2018). "RAF's biggest base to get the Freedom of Torbay". Devon Live. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Royal Air Force Brize Norton". Forces Publishing. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Behind the scenes at RAF Brize Norton". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "Band of Brothers". Warriors, Inc. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ Home Box Office. "Ron Livingston's Video Diaries". YouTube. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
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- March, Peter. R. Royal Air Force Yearbook 1996. Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, 1996