RAF Husbands Bosworth

Last updated

RAF Husbands Bosworth

Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
RAF Husbands Bosworth aerial photograph 1943 IWM C 5408.jpg
Aerial photograph of RAF Husbands Bosworth taken during the airfield's construction. [1]
Summary
Airport type Royal Air Force station
Owner Air Ministry
Operator Royal Air Force
Location Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
Built1942 (1942)
In use1943-1946 (1946)
Elevation  AMSL 112 ft / 34 m
Coordinates 52°26′11″N001°02′34″W / 52.43639°N 1.04278°W / 52.43639; -1.04278
Map
Leicestershire UK location map.svg
Airplane silhouette.svg
RAF Husbands Bosworth
Location in Leicestershire
Runways
Direction LengthSurface
ftm
09/276,0001,830concrete
04/224,2401,290concrete
13/314,2401,290concrete
Operational dates.

Royal Air Force Husbands Bosworth or more simply RAF Husbands Bosworth is a former Royal Air Force station near the village of Husbands Bosworth in the county of Leicestershire, United Kingdom. [2]

Contents

History

Construction & layout

Land in the vicinity of the village of Husbands Bosworth had been earmarked for an airbase as early as 1941, offering a well-drained and level site. Construction of the airfield was undertaken by George Wimpey & Son and commenced in August 1942 with completion scheduled for March 1943 although it was not completed until October of that year, the cost of the construction is estimated as £805,000. [2] RAF Husbands Bosworth conformed to the layout of a typical RAF aerodrome, that is the specifications set by the British Air Ministry which called for three converging strips, each containing a concrete runway optimally placed (if practicable at the site) at 60 degree angles to each other in a triangular pattern. [3] Gravel used to level the land was brought to the site from Kilworth Wharf on the Grand Union Canal. [2]

Thirty six dispersal places were situated around the perimeter track in addition to which the bomb store was located on the northern edge of the airfield and four main hangars also formed part of the airfield infrastructure. [2]

Operational life

Although the final phases of construction were still being completed, the first RAF personnel arrived at the Station on 1 August 1943, when personnel from No. 14 Operational Training Unit (No.14 OTU) arrived from RAF Cottesmore subsequently being joined by additional personnel from RAF Saltby. [2] Operational flying commenced on 10 August when daylight operations were undertaken with the first night operations beginning on 17 August. [2]

RAF Husbands Bosworth came under 92 Group RAF, and was initially a satellite airfield for RAF Market Harborough under the command of the parent Station. [2] The complement of aircraft on the Stations as of 1943 is listed as 61 Vickers Wellingtons, 4 Miles Martinets and an Avro Anson. The Wellingtons were the primary training aircraft by that time largely withdrawn from front-line operations, the Martinets would have been used for the target towing operations and the Anson would have served as the Station's communication aircraft. [2]

No. 85 Operational Training Unit

On 15 June 1944 No. 85 Operational Training Unit (No.85 OTU) was formed at RAF Husbands Bosworth. [4] The unit was formed from an element from No.14 OTU and was tasked with training crews to undertake night bombing operations. No.85 OTU was disbanded on 14 June 1945. [4] [2]

Closure

Following the disbandment of No. 85 OTU and the cessation of hostilities in 1945 activity on the Station was reduced to a minimum, and in 1946 it was closed. [2]

Current use

Today the former Royal Air Force Station is known as Husbands Bosworth Airfield and has been home to The Gliding Centre since 1965. The National Police Air Service (NPAS) have a Eurocopter EC135 Police Helicopter based at the airfield, which serves the Midlands along with East Anglia. [5]

Following the closure of the aerodrome the subsequent release of land by the British Government, the truncated Sibbertoft Road now lies on what once was the main east–west runway. [2]

Related Research Articles

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

Royal Air Force Benson or RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located at Benson, near Wallingford, in South Oxfordshire, England. It is a front-line station and home to the RAF's fleet of Westland Puma HC2 support helicopters, used primarily for the transportation of troops & equipment. Flying squadrons comprise No. 33 Squadron flying the Puma, No. 22 Squadron which provides operational evaluation and training for all aircraft in Joint Helicopter Command and No. 28 Squadron, which is the combined Puma and Boeing Chinook HC6A training unit. Other units include the Oxford University Air Squadron and No. 6 Air Experience Flight, both flying the Grob Tutor T1 light training aircraft used for student and cadet flying training. The National Police Air Service and the Thames Valley Air Ambulance are also based at the station, both operating Airbus H135 helicopters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Husbands Bosworth</span> Human settlement in England

Husbands Bosworth is a large crossroads village in South Leicestershire on the A5199 road from Leicester city to Northampton and the A4304 road from Junction 20 of the M1 motorway to Market Harborough. The population of the village was 1,027 at the 2011 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CFB Greenwood</span> Air force base in Canada

Canadian Forces Base Greenwood, or CFB Greenwood, is a Canadian Forces Base located 1.5 nautical miles east of Greenwood, Nova Scotia. It is primarily operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force and is one of two bases in the country using the CP-140 Aurora and CP-140A Arcturus anti-submarine/maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft. Its primary RCAF lodger unit is 14 Wing, commonly referred to as 14 Wing Greenwood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Gaydon</span> Former RAF station in Warwickshire, England

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aston Down</span> Airport in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire

Aston Down is in Gloucestershire, South West England, 2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) east of Minchinhampton, 6 miles (10 km) southeast of Stroud and 7 miles (11 km) west of Cirencester. The nearest settlement is the large village of Chalford, 1 mile (1.6 km) to the northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Elgin</span> Former Royal Air Force airfield in Moray, Scotland

Royal Air Force Elgin or RAF Elgin, also known as Bogs of Mayne, is a former airfield operated by the Royal Air Force and located approximately 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) south west of Elgin in Moray, Scotland. It opened in 1940 as a satellite airfield of RAF Lossiemouth and was used throughout the Second World War, predominantly by bomber aircraft of No. 20 Operational Training Unit. Towards the end of the war it was used by No. 46 Maintenance Unit, before it closed in 1947. The site was returned to agricultural use, although several airfield buildings and a memorial remain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turweston Aerodrome</span> Airport in Turweston, Buckinghamshire

Turweston Aerodrome is an airfield located near the village of Turweston, in north Buckinghamshire near the Northamptonshire border. It is a former Royal Air Force Second World War bomber training facility, now a business park and airfield which is home to the Light Aircraft Association.

Royal Air Force Bircotes or more simply RAF Bircotes is a former Royal Air Force satellite airfield located within South Yorkshire, England. Although it was named after the village of Bircotes which is in Nottinghamshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Thruxton</span> Airport in Thruxton, Hampshire

Royal Air Force Thruxton or more simply RAF Thruxton is a former Royal Air Force station located 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Andover, Hampshire and about 66 miles (106 km) southwest of London.

Royal Air Force Thornaby, or more simply RAF Thornaby, is a former Royal Air Force Station located in the town of Thornaby-on-Tees, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England. Fighter Command, Bomber Command and Coastal Command all operated from the base over its history, but its stint under Coastal Command is what the base was notable for, particularly in the air-sea rescue environment and the development of the Thornaby Bag. This was an emergency bag dropped to downed aircrew at sea and contained food, cigarettes and drink.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Haverfordwest</span> Former Royal Air Force station in Pembrokeshire, Wales

Royal Air Force Haverfordwest or more commonly RAF Haverfordwest, is a former Royal Air Force station located 2.1 miles (3.4 km) north of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire and 11 miles (18 km) south of Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Royal Air Force Rhoose, or more simply RAF Rhoose, is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located near Rhoose, 10 miles (16 km) south west of Cardiff and 2 miles (3 km) east of RAF St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. It was first used by an Operational Training Unit in April 1942, as additional space, until May 1943. The airfield then remained unused until February 1944, when an Air Gunnery School operated out of RAF Rhoose until August 1944. It was then placed into care and maintenance until transferred to RAF Maintenance Command in November 1944. After the Second World War, the airfield became a sub-site of a Maintenance Unit. The MU and airfield closed in 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Templeton</span> Ministry of Defence Dry Training Area in Pembrokeshire, Wales

Royal Air Force Templeton, or more simply RAF Templeton, is a former Royal Air Force station located 9.75 miles (15.69 km) south east of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire and 10 miles (16 km) north east of Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

Royal Air Force Tealing or more simply RAF Tealing is a former Royal Air Force station located at Tealing, Angus, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Atherstone</span> Former RAF base in Warwickshire, England

RAF Atherstone was a former Royal Air Force satellite station located 2.25 miles (3.62 km) south of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, 7.5 miles (12.1 km) north-west of Shipston on Stour.

Royal Air Force Sutton Bridge or more simply RAF Sutton Bridge is a former Royal Air Force station found next to the village of Sutton Bridge in the south-east of Lincolnshire. The airfield was to the south of the current A17, and east of the River Nene, next to Walpole in Norfolk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF</span> Former Royal Air Force training unit

No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF, was a training unit of the Royal Air Force, within No. 17 Group RAF, which was part of RAF Coastal Command. The unit started operating from late 1940 and disbanded at the start of 1944, being absorbed into No. 6 OTU.

Royal Air Force Market Harborough or more simply RAF Market Harborough is a former Royal Air Force station near the town of Market Harborough in the county of Leicestershire, United Kingdom. Today part of the site of the former airbase is occupied by HMP Gartree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF</span> Former Royal Air Force Coastal Command Operational Training Unit

No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF, was a training unit of the Royal Air Force, within No. 17 Group RAF, which was part of RAF Coastal Command. The unit was established during August 1941 and disbanded during August 1945.

References

  1. ↑ "Royal Air Force Bomber Command 1942-1945". Imperial War Museum . Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Husbands Bosworth Aerodrome in WWII". Husbands Bosworth. 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  3. ↑ Francis, Paul; Flagg, Richard; Crisp, Graham. "Nine Thousand Miles of Concrete A review of Second World War temporary airfields in England" (PDF). Historic England. p. 6. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Operational Training Units". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisations. rafweb.org. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  5. ↑ "Bases map | National Police Air Service". www.npas.police.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.