Royal Flying Corps airfields

Last updated

A list of airfields of the Royal Flying Corps .

British Isles

NameFromToCurrent countyCountryCurrent use
Andover August 19171 April 1918HampshireEngland British Army Headquarters
Anwick September 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland
AshingtonOctober 19161 April 1918NorthumberlandEnglandPotland Burn Surface Mine
Ayr19171 April 1918AyrshireScotlandAyr Racecourse
Bacton19161 April 1918NorfolkEngland
Baldonnel 19171 April 1918Co. DublinIrelandHeadquarters Irish Air Corps
Beaulieu 19141 April 1918HampshireEnglandOpen land
Beaumont Night Landing GroundApril 1916August 1916Essexfarmland
Beddington Aerodrome January 19161 April 1918Greater LondonEnglandHousing
Bekesbourne 19161 April 1918KentEnglandHousing/Farmland
Beverley Aerodrome 19161 April 1918East YorkshireEnglandBeverley Racecourse [1]
Bicester January 19171 April 1918OxfordshireEnglandBicester Airfield
Biggin Hill 19161 April 1918Greater LondonEngland London Biggin Hill Airport
Blackheath Common NLGMarch 1915July 1919Essexfarmland (army)
Bogton19171 April 1918AyrshireScotland
Boscombe Down19171 April 1918WiltshireEnglandMilitary airfield
Bournes Green day LGMay 1917June 1917Essexfarmland
Bracebridge Heath Landing Ground 19181 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandIndustry/Agriculture
Braceby Landing Ground19161 April 1918LincolnshireEngland
Braintree NLGend of January 1917October 1918Essexfarmland/housing estate roads
Bramham Moor Aerodrome 19151 April 1918YorkshireEnglandNow farmland
Brattleby (Cliff) 19161917LincolnshireEnglandRAF Scampton (flying)
Brentingby19161916LeicestershireEnglandFarmland
Brooklands Landing Ground 19141 April 1918SurreyEngland Brooklands Museum
Broomfield Court NLGAugust 1916August 1919Essexfarmland
Brough Landing Ground 19161916East YorkshireEngland
Buckminster 1 October 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland
Burgh Castle Landing Ground19151 April 1918SuffolkEngland
Burnham-on-Crouch FS1915July 1919EssexFarmland
Bury/Ramsey September 19171 April 1918CambridgeshireEnglandFarmland/Housing/Industry
Bury St Edmunds Landing Ground19161916SuffolkEngland
Calshot Naval Air Station 29 March 1913July 1914Isle of WightEnglandCalshot Activities Centre
Castle Bromwich 19181 April 1918West MidlandsEnglandIndustry/ Housing
Catterick September 19141 April 1918North YorkshireEnglandMarne Barracks
Chattis Hill19171918HampshireEngland
Chiddingstone Causeway December 19161 April 1918KentEnglandOpen land
Chingford FSDecember 1914March 1919Essexreservoirs
Clacton seaplane stationAugust 1914Autumn 1916Essexseafront
Coal Aston19161 April 1918YorkshireEngland
Collinstown1 April 1918Co. DublinIreland Dublin Airport
Copmanthorpe19161 April 1918North YorkshireEngland
Coventry (Radford)19161 April 1918WarwickshireEngland
Cramlington 19151 April 1918NorthumberlandEngland
Curragh Camp 19131 April 1918Co. KildareIrelandIrish Army barracks
Detling 19171 April 1918KentEngland
Didsbury19171 April 1918LancashireEngland
Doncaster 19161918South YorkshireEnglandDoncaster Racecourse
Dover (Swingate Down) 19141 April 1918KentEngland
Eastburn 19171 April 1918East YorkshireEnglandAlamein Barracks
EasingtonOct 1916Mar 1919Co. DurhamEnglandfarmland
EasthorpeApril 1916December 1919EssexEnglandfarmland
Eastleigh 19101 April 1918HampshireEnglandSouthampton Airport [2]
Easton-on-the-Hill 19171 April 1918NorthamptonshireEnglandRAF Wittering (flying)
East Hanningfield NLGApril 1916January 1917Essexfarmland
East Retford19161 April 1918NottinghamshireEngland
Edzell 19161 April 1918AngusScotlandFarmland
Elmswell (Great Ashfield) 19171 April 1918SuffolkEngland
Elsham19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland/Industrial estate
Fairlop FS1916summer 1919Essexsports fields/car sales/WW1 officers' bungalows remain
Farnborough 19121 April 1918HampshireEnglandFarnborough Airport
Feltwell 19171 April 1918NorfolkEngland
Fermoy19171 April 1918Co. CorkIreland
Filton 19151 April 1918GloucestershireEngland Bristol Filton Airport
Finningley 19151 April 1918South YorkshireEnglandRobin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
Folkestone/Hawkinge 19151 April 1918KentEnglandHousing/Kent Battle of Britain Museum
Ford Farm/Old Sarum August 19171 April 1918WiltshireEnglandOld Sarum Airfield
Ford (Junction)/Yapton 1 March 19181 April 1918West SussexEnglandHM Prison Ford
Fyfield NLGOctober 1916December 1919Essexfarmland
Goldhanger FSAugust 1915March 1919Essexfarmland
Goldington AerodromeOctober 19161 April 1918BedfordshireEnglandHousing
Gormanstown 19171 April 1918Co. MeathIrelandIrish Army barracks
Gosberton1 October 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEngland
Gosport, Fort Grange July 19141 April 1918HampshireEnglandHMS Sultan
Goxhill  ?1 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland/Industrial estate
Grantham 19151 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandPrince William of Gloucester Barracks
Hainault Farm FSOctober 1914December 1919was Essex, now Greater Londonfarmland
Halton 19171 April 1918BuckinghamshireEnglandRAF Halton (flying)
Harpswell 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland/ Museum
Harlaxton Nov 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland
Harrietsham December 1916 ?KentEngland ?
Helperby 19161920North YorkshireEnglandFarmland [3]
Hendon Aerodrome November 19161 April 1918Greater LondonEngland Royal Air Force Museum London
Housing
Heathfield19171 April 1918AyrshireScotlandHousing/Retail
Hingham19161917NorfolkEngland
Hooton Park 19171 April 1918CheshireEnglandMuseum & Vauxhall car factory
Horndon-on-the-HillApril 1916early 1918Essexfarmland
HoveEast SussexEngland
Hucknall Aerodrome 19161 April 1918NottinghamshireEnglandHousing
Hounslow Heath Aerodrome 14 October 19141 April 1918Greater LondonEnglandOpen land
Hylton October 19161 April 1918Tyne & WearEnglandNissan car factory
North East Aircraft Museum
Jesson (Hythe)September 19161 April 1918KentEnglandFarmland
Joyce Green 14 July 1911December 1919KentEnglandOpen land
Kenley 19171 April 1918Greater LondonEnglandRAF Kenley
Lake Down 19171919WiltshireEnglandOpen land
Larkhill 19121914WiltshireEngland(MoD land) – Artillery training
Leadenham September 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland/Quarry
Leavesden AerodromeHertfordshireEngland Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden
Housing
Lilbourne 19151 April 1918WarwickshireEnglandOpen land
Little Clacton NLGOctober 1916July 1919Essexsports grounds/housing
London Colney19161 April 1918HertfordshireEngland de Havilland Aircraft Museum
Lopcombe Corner19171 April 1918WiltshireEngland
Lydd St Mary19171 April 1918KentEngland
Lympne19161 April 1918KentEngland
Manston 19151 April 1918KentEngland Manston Airport
Manton December 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland
Marden January 19171 April 1918KentEnglandFarmland
Marham 19161 April 1918NorfolkEnglandRAF Marham (flying) [4]
Marske-by-the-Sea December 19171 April 1918North YorkshireEnglandHousing
Martlesham Heath October 19161 April 1918SuffolkEnglandHousing
Mattishall 19151 April 1918NorfolkEngland
Melton Mowbray19161 April 1918LeicestershireEngland
Mill Farm Night Landing Ground 19171 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland
Molesworth 19171 April 1918CambridgeshireEnglandRAF Molesworth (non-flying)
Montrose Air Station 26 February 19131 April 1918AngusScotland Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre
Mountnessing NLGApril 1916December 1916Essexfarmland
Narborough August 19151 April 1918NorfolkEnglandRAF Marham (flying) [5]
Netheravon 16 June 19131 April 1918WiltshireEnglandAAC Netheravon until 2012
North Benfleet NLGApril 1916March 1919Essexfarmland/new arterial road
North Coates Fitties 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland/Housing
North Coates Flying Club
North Killingholme July 19141 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland/Industry
North Ockendon NLGApril 1916October 1916Essexfarmland
Northolt 3 May 19151 April 1918Greater LondonEnglandRAF Northolt (flying)
Orsett NLGOctober 1916December 1919Essexfarmland/housing/golf course
Perton 19161 April 1918StaffordshireEnglandHousing
PlungarLeicestershireEngland
Redcar 19151 April 1918North YorkshireEnglandHousing
Red House Farm 19171 April 1918WiltshireEnglandMoD Boscombe Down (flying)
Ripon 15 September 19161 April 1918North YorkshireEnglandRipon Racecourse
Rochford FSAutumn 19151920Essexairfield
Runwell NLGAugust 1917March 1920Essexfarmland
Sadberge [6] Co. DurhamEnglandFarmland
Saundby Aerodrome (Gainsborough) [7] December 19161 April 1918NottinghamshireEnglandFarmland
Scalford19161 April 1918LeicestershireEngland
Seaton Carew19161 April 1918Co. DurhamEnglandIndustrial estate
Sedgeford 19161 April 1918NorfolkEnglandFarmland
Shawbury 19171 April 1918ShropshireEnglandRAF Shawbury (flying)
Shenfield (Palmers Farm) NLGSeptember 1916February 1919Essexfarmland
Shotwick 19161 April 1918FlintshireWalesMoD Sealand (non-flying)
Sible Hedingham NLGApril 1916June 1919Essexfarmland
South Carlton November 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland
Southfields 19161 April 1918NorthumberlandEnglandHM Prisons Acklington & Castington
Stirling19161918StirlingScotlandFarmland
Stow Maries Aerodrome August 1916March 1919EssexEnglandairfield/Heritage Site
Sutton's Farm FSsummer 1915June 1919was Essex, now Greater Londonpart housing, part public open space
SwinsteadLeicestershireEngland
Tallaght1918South DublinIreland
Tangmere 19171 April 1918West SussexEngland Tangmere Military Aviation Museum
Thaxted NLGJanuary 1917summer 1918Essexfarmland
Throwley Aerodrome October 19161 April 1918KentEnglandFarmland
Ternhill 19161 April 1918ShropshireEnglandRAF Ternhill/Clive Barracks
Turnberry19171 April 1918AyrshireScotlandTurnberry Golf Course
Turnhouse Aerodrome 19151 April 1918City of EdinburghScotlandEdinburgh Airport
Tydd St Mary August 19171 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland
Upavon 19 June 19121 April 1918WiltshireEnglandTrenchard Lines
Uxbridge 19 November 19171 April 1918Greater LondonEnglandRAF Uxbridge/Housing
Vale Farm, Thornaby (Yarm) 19141 April 1918North YorkshireEnglandHousing/Industry
Waddington 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandRAF Waddington (flying)
Waddon Aerodrome 19181 April 1918Greater LondonEnglandHousing
Wellingore Heath 19171 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandFarmland
West Fenton Aerodrome/Gullane 19161 April 1918East LothianScotlandMuseum
Weston-on-the-Green 19161 April 1918OxfordshireEnglandRAF Weston-on-the-Green (flying)
Widford NLGDecember 1914summer 1916Essexpart farmland, part industry
Stamford 19161 April 1918LincolnshireEnglandRAF Wittering (flying)
Wormingford NLGDecember 1916June 1919EssexEnglandfarmland/WW2 airfield/gliding
Worthy Down 19171 April 1918HampshireEnglandWorthy Down Barracks
Writtle NLGOctober 1914November 1916Essexfarmland/nurseries
Wye May 19161 April 1918KentEnglandFarmland
Wyton 19161 April 1918HuntingdonshireEnglandRAF Wyton (flying)
Yatesbury 19161 April 1918WiltshireEngland
Yokes Court February 1917November 1917KentEngland

France

Canada

The Royal Flying Corps Canada was established by the RFC in 1917 to train aircrew in Canada. Air stations were established in southern Ontario at the following locations:

Contents

Other locations

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Flying Corps</span> Former air warfare service of the British Army

The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC supported the British Army by artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance. This work gradually led RFC pilots into aerial battles with German pilots and later in the war included the strafing of enemy infantry and emplacements, the bombing of German military airfields and later the strategic bombing of German industrial and transport facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Biggin Hill Airport</span> Airport in the United Kingdom

London Biggin Hill Airport is a minor commercial airport serving Biggin Hill in the London Borough of Bromley, located 12 NM south-southeast of Central London. It specialises in general aviation, handling a spectrum of traffic from private aviation to large business jets. It currently has no scheduled airline service, as flights using the airport are not regularly permitted to carry fare-paying passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Waddington</span> Royal Air Force main operating base in Lincolnshire, England

Royal Air Force Waddington, commonly known as RAF Waddington, and informally known by its nickname 'Waddo' is a Royal Air Force station located beside the village of Waddington, 4.2 miles south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Digby</span> Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England

Royal Air Force Digby otherwise known as RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station located near Scopwick and 11.6 mi (18.7 km) south east of Lincoln, in Lincolnshire, England. The station is home to the tri-service Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Joint Forces Intelligence Group of Joint Forces Command. Other units include the RAF Aerial Erector School, No. 54 Signals Unit and No. 591 Signals Unit.

Castle Bromwich Aerodrome was an early airfield, situated to the north of Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands of England. The site now falls within the City of Birmingham.

Royal Air Force Montrose or more simply RAF Montrose is a former Royal Air Force station in Forfarshire in Scotland. It became the first operational military aerodrome to be established in the United Kingdom on 26 February 1913.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hucknall Aerodrome</span> Aerodrome near Nottingham, England

Hucknall Aerodrome was a former general aviation and RAF aerodrome located 5 nmi north north-west of Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, and west of Hucknall town. The aerodrome had been operated by the Merlin Flying Club since 1971 and then by Rolls-Royce Group plc. Before its closure, it was owned and operated by ITP Aero.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Sarum Airfield</span> Airport in Salisbury

Old Sarum Airfield is a grass strip airfield 2 nautical miles north-north-east of Salisbury, in Laverstock parish, Wiltshire, England.

RAF Narborough was a military aerodrome in Norfolk operated in the First World War. It opened on 28 May 1915, originally as a Royal Naval Air Station for RNAS Great Yarmouth tasked with defending against Zeppelin raids. The airfield covered a 908-acre (3.67 km2) site, including 30 acres (120,000 m2) of buildings – making it the largest First World War airfield in Britain. These buildings included seven large hangars, seven sheds, five workshops, two coal yards, two Sergeant's Messes, three Dope sheds and a Guardroom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Flying Corps Canada</span> Military unit

The Royal Flying Corps Canada was a training organization of the British Royal Flying Corps located in Canada during the First World War. It began operating in 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Lympne</span> Former Royal Air Force station in Kent, England

Royal Air Force Lympne or more simply RAF Lympne is a former Royal Air Force satellite station in Kent used during the First and Second World Wars. It was opened in 1916 by the Royal Flying Corps as an acceptance point for aircraft being delivered to, and returned from, France. It was later designated as a "First Class Landing Ground". In 1919, the airfield was turned over to civil use as Lympne Airport, serving until 1939 when it was requisitioned by the Fleet Air Arm as HMS Buzzard, later being renamed HMS Daedalus II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">17th Aero Squadron</span> Military unit

The 17th Aero Squadron was a United States Army Air Service unit that fought on the Western Front during World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Mousehold Heath</span> Former RAF station in Norfolk, England

RAF Mousehold Heath was a Royal Air Force station on Mousehold Heath near Norwich. The area between the Salhouse and Plumstead roads was originally the Cavalry Training Ground. It became the Royal Flying Corps Mousehold Heath aerodrome during the First World War and was the location where Boulton & Paul, among other local manufacturers, passed over the aircraft they had built into the hands of the RFC. It was sometimes also known as Norwich aerodrome by the RFC On the formation of the RAF in April 1918, it became "Royal Air Force Mousehold Heath".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hounslow Heath Aerodrome</span>

Hounslow Heath Aerodrome was a grass airfield, operational 1914–1920. It was in the London borough of Hounslow, and hosted the British Empire's first scheduled daily international commercial flights, in 1919. The site today includes the main remaining part of Hounslow Heath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Joyce Green</span>

Joyce Green, at Long Reach, near Dartford, was one of the first Royal Flying Corps (RFC) airfields. It was established in 1911 by Vickers Limited who used it as an airfield and testing ground. At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the RFC followed and established a base. Subject to frequent flooding and a reputation as being unsuitable and too dangerous for training, it was eventually replaced by a more suitable site at RAF Biggin Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clairmarais aerodrome</span> Airport in Pas-de-Calais, France

Clairmarais aerodrome, at Clairmarais, Pas-de-Calais, France, near St. Omer and not far from Ypres, was an airfield used by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and later Royal Air Force (RAF) in the First World War. The site was briefly reused by the Germans during the occupation of France in the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marske Aerodrome</span> Former military aerodrome in Marske, North Yorkshire, England

Marske Aerodrome was a First World War-era airfield used by the Royal Flying Corps, and later by the Royal Air Force, between 1917 and 1920. The aerodrome was just to the west of the village of Marske-by-the-Sea in Yorkshire, England. Marske aerodrome hosted air gunnery schools and trained pilots in tactics and methods of aerial combat so that they could be deployed to the front. Marske is known for being the aerodrome where W. E. Johns, author of the Biggles books, undertook his training, as well as being noted for some of the flying instructors who were famous among the aircrew cadre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bramham Moor Aerodrome</span> Former military airfield in West Yorkshire, England

Bramham Moor Aerodrome,, was a First World War era military airfield near to the village of Bramham, West Yorkshire, England. Initially a Royal Flying Corps site, on the formation of the RAF, its name was officially changed to RAF Tadcaster, however, the unit was still referred to as Bramham, or Bramham Moor, even in official documents. The base was used between March 1916 and December 1919 by active aircraft squadrons, but was not closed down until April 1920. Bramham was originally used as a Home Defence station, due to the threat of Zeppelin attacks, but later, it was used primarily for preparing aircrew for front line operations. It did not see re-use as an airfield during the Second World War, however, vehicles were parked on the grassed runway areas to deter glider landings during the threat of invasion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beverley Aerodrome</span> A former military First World War flying base in Yorkshire, England

Beverley Aerodrome, was a First World War era Royal Flying Corps training depot, in Bishop Burton, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The site, like many others in Yorkshire, was developed from a racecourse on the western edge of Beverley, along the road between Beverley and York. Initially set up as a location for squadrons employed in Home Defence (HD), particularly preventing Zeppelin attacks on Hull and the east coast, the site later became a training depot for squadrons and flights who would then deploy to the front line. Beverley was also used as a standing up and transfer location for six Canadian Reserve Squadrons in 1917, all of which were posted to Canada. Beverley Aerodrome was used between 1916 and 1920, with the RAF later using the site in the 1930s in a non-flying role.

Cramlington Aerodrome was a military airfield established in Northumberland during the First World War. It became a civil airfield serving the Tyneside area of north-east England and operated until 1935, when it was replaced by Woolsington Airport, now known as Newcastle International Airport.

References

  1. ↑ Administrator. "RFC Beverley". hullandeastridingatwar.co.uk.
  2. ↑ "Naval Air Station Eastleigh" . Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  3. ↑ "Helperby (Brafferton) - Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust UK". www.abct.org.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  4. ↑ "RAF Marham - RAF Marham 1916 - 1919". Archived from the original on 13 July 2007.
  5. ↑ "RAF Marham - Narborough Aerodrome". Archived from the original on 29 October 2007.
  6. ↑ "Sadberge Landing Ground".
  7. ↑ "Beckingham cum Saundby ..."
  8. 1 2 3 4 RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Air-Britain (Historians). 2007. ISBN   978-0-85130-365-9.
  9. ↑ Philpott, Ian (2013). The Birth of the Royal Air Force. Pen & Sword. p. 452. ISBN   978-1781593332.
  10. ↑ Cross & Cockade Vol 4 No 3 1973 pp. 114–117 and papers of Lt H. Rhodes (12 Squadron).
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