RAF Warwick

RAF Warwick is a former Royal Air Force relief landing ground located 1.7 miles (2.7 km) south west of Warwick, Warwickshire, England. RAF Warwick was opened on a large grass field called Tournament Field[2] in December 1941 and was closed on 4 February 1946.[1]

RAF Warwick
Warwick, Warwickshire in England
RAF Warwick is located in Warwickshire
RAF Warwick
RAF Warwick
Shown within Warwickshire
RAF Warwick is located in the United Kingdom
RAF Warwick
RAF Warwick
RAF Warwick (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates52°15′43″N 001°36′27″W
TypeRelief Landing Ground
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Flying Training Command
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
In useDecember 1941 – February 1946
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation50 metres (164 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
02/20 1,000 metres (3,281 ft) Grass
Operating dates.[1]

History

The first unit to use the station was No. 1 Flying Instructors School (FIS) operating Airspeed Oxfords and Avro Tutors which taught flying instructors. The main base was RAF Church Lawford but Warwick and RAF Hockley Heath were satellites where aircraft were dispersed. 1FIS was previously No. 2 Central Flying School RAF but changed to the current name on 13 January 1941. On 27 October 1942 1FIS was disbanded and turned into No. 18 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF ((P)AFU).[3]

No. 18 (P)AFU flew Oxfords and Boulton Paul Defiants mainly from RAF Church Lawford but Warwick and other stations were used as satellites. The unit operated between 27 October 1942 and 29 May 1945.[3]

Accidents and incidents

RAF Warwick had its fair share of accidents with a number listed between 1942 and 1945. These are just a small number of examples:

DateIncidentReference
2 January 1942Avro Tutor K3246 of No. 2 Central Flying School RAF hit a tree during a forced landing.[4]
12 July 1942Airspeed Oxford N4768 of No. 1 Flying Instructrors School RAF crashed on overshoot.[4]
29 December 1943Bristol Beaufighter T3366 of No. 63 Operational Training Unit RAF swung on takeoff.[5]
20 January 1944Airspeed Oxford NM234 of No. 18 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit stalled after takeoff.[6]
5 April 1945Airspeed Oxford AT728 of No. 18 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit suffered a collapsed undercarriage when landing.[7]

Current use

The relief landing ground has been changed since the closure of the station with most of the hangars and all of the buildings demolished,[2] this includes the building of Aylesford School and Sixth Form College[1] and the creation of a business park called Tournament Fields.[8]

References
  1. "Warwick". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  2. "RAF Warwick RLG, Warwickshire". Atlantik Wall. Archived from the original on 30 December 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  3. "Military flying units in the south west Midlands". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  4. "Military aircraft crashes in the south west Midlands – 1942". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  5. "Military aircraft crashes in the south west Midlands – 1943". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  6. "Military aircraft crashes in the south west Midlands – 1944". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  7. "Military aircraft crashes in the south west Midlands – 1945". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  8. "Tournament Fields". Sackville Properties. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
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