| Gweru-Thornhill Air Base | |
| Iata: | GWE |
| Icao: | FVTL |
| Type: | Military |
| Elevation-F: | 4680 |
| Coordinates: | -19.4364°N 29.8619°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Zimbabwe |
| Pushpin Label: | GWE |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the airport in Zimbabwe |
| R1-Number: | |
| R1-Length-F: | |
| R1-Length-M: | |
| R1-Surface: | |
| R2-Number: | 13L/31R |
| R2-Length-M: | 2672 |
| R2-Surface: | Asphalt |
| Metric-Rwy: | y |
| Footnotes: | Sources: World Aero Data[1] GCM |
Gweru-Thornhill Air Base is one of the two main air bases of the Air Force of Zimbabwe located near the central city of Gweru.[2]
The airbase is home to air force fighter squadrons and the Pilot Training School. According to Janes Defence Weekly of 6 September 2006, a US$41.5m simulation center was being established. A range of amenities and services, which include workshops, transport fleets, equipment depots, and accommodation, sporting and entertainment facilities, support the base.
It is home to these squadrons:
In 1939 a committee was set up to locate and survey three sites near Gweru (at that time known as Gwelo) that were suitable for the establishment of an airfield for the Commonwealth Training Group responsible for training aircrews for the defence of the Empire during World War II. The most suitable site comprised a portion of Thornhill farm and an adjacent farm, Glengarry. This land was commandeered for the duration of the War and finally purchased in 1947. The first buildings were constructed in 1941 and official use and the beginning of training began in March 1942. Some of the original buildings of this time are still in use at Thornhill today.
The town of Gwelo and the air station grew during World War II, with a total of 1810 pilots trained during this time. At the end of WWII the Royal Air Force retained its Rhodesian Air Training Group (RATG) at RAF Thornhill. The airfield remained an active Royal Air Force (training) base until their withdrawal in 1953, when it was taken over by the Royal Rhodesian Air Force (RRAF). Tarmac runways and concrete hard standings were added in 1956/57, allowing jet aircraft to operate from Thornhill AB.[3] [4]