RAF Great Orton

RAF Great Orton
Great Orton, Cumbria in England
RAF Great Orton Shown within Cumbria Show map of Cumbria RAF Great Orton RAF Great Orton (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	54°52′24″N003°04′32″W / 54.87333°N 3.07556°W / 54.87333; -3.07556
Type	Royal Air Force satellite station
Code	GE [1]
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Fighter Command * No. 9 Group RAF
Site history
Built	1942 (1942)/43
In use	June 1943 - 1952 (1952)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation	73 metres (240 ft) [1] AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete

Royal Air Force Great Orton or more simply RAF Great Orton is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located west of Great Orton, Cumbria and the city of Carlisle, Cumbria, England.

History

The following units were here at some point: ^[2]

• No. 1 (Coastal) Engine Control Demonstration Unit RAF
• No. 3 Tactical Exercise Unit RAF
• No. 4 Tactical Exercise Unit RAF
• No. 6 Operational Training Unit RAF
• No. 55 OTU
• No. 60 Maintenance Unit RAF
• No. 219 Maintenance Unit RAF
• No. 249 Maintenance Unit RAF
• A detachment of No. 281 Squadron RAF with the Vickers Warwick I (1944–45) ^[3]
• A detachment of No. 282 Squadron RAF with the Warwick I (1944–45) ^[3]

Current use

The site is currently a nature reserve. ^[2]

See also

• Listed buildings in Aikton

References

Citations

1. Falconer 2012, p. 102.
2. "Great Orton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust . Retrieved 19 April 2022.
3. Jefford 1988, p. 83.

Bibliography

• Falconer, Jonathan (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. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN   1-85310-053-6.