RAF Collyweston

RAF Collyweston is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located 3.2 miles (5.1 km) south west of Stamford, Lincolnshire and 11 miles (18 km) north east of Corby, Northamptonshire, England.

RAF Collyweston
No. 5 Training Depot
Collyweston, Northamptonshire in England
Captured German Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-3 and Junkers Ju 88S-1 aircraft of 1426 Flight undergoing maintenance by RAF ground crew at Collyweston, February 1945
RAF Collyweston is located in Northamptonshire
RAF Collyweston
RAF Collyweston
Shown within Northamptonshire
Coordinates52.603°N 0.502°W / 52.603; -0.502
TypeSatellite Airfield
CodeWI[1]
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command 1940-45
* No. 12 Group RAF
RAF Flying Training Command 1945
* No. 21 Group RAF[1]
Site history
Built1917 (1917)
1939/40
In use1917
May 1940-1945 (1945)
Battles/warsFirst World War
European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation86 metres (282 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00  Grass
00/00  Grass
00/00  Grass
00/00  Grass

The airfield was a satellite station of RAF Wittering and used by the Enemy Aircraft Flight during the Second World War.

History

Founded in 1917 as No. 5 Training Depot Station, the station was renamed RAF Collyweston following formation of the Royal Air Force, via merger of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) on 1 April 1918. The airfield was absorbed as a satellite station of RAF Wittering in 1939. A unit at Collyweston during the war was No. 1426 (Captured Enemy Aircraft) Flight, they flew and assessed enemy aircraft that crashed or forced landed.

In 1941 the runways of Wittering and Collyweston were joined to make one 2-mile long, grass runway.[2]

The following units were here at some point:

References

Citations
  1. Falconer 2012, p. 68.
  2. "RAF Wittering Station History". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  3. Jefford 1988, p. 32.
  4. Jefford 1988, p. 59.
  5. Jefford 1988, p. 62.
  6. Jefford 1988, p. 81.
  7. Jefford 1988, p. 83.
  8. Jefford 1988, p. 88.
  9. Jefford 1988, p. 103.

Bibliography
  • 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. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
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