RAF Collyweston explained

RAF Collyweston
No. 5 Training Depot
Location:Collyweston, Northamptonshire
Country:England, United Kingdom
Type:satellite airfield
Pushpin Map:Northamptonshire
Pushpin Mapsize:300
Pushpin Map Caption:Shown within Northamptonshire
Pushpin Label:RAF Collyweston
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Ownership:Air Ministry
Operator:Royal Air Force
Controlledby:RAF Fighter Command 1940–1945
*No. 12 Group RAF
RAF Flying Training Command 1945
*No. 21 Group RAF
Code:WI
Built:
1939/40
Used:1917
May 1940–
Fate:returned to agriculture
Battles:First World War
European theatre of World War II
Occupants:see: Units
Elevation:86m (282feet)
R1-Number:00/00
R1-Surface:grass
R2-Number:00/00
R2-Surface:grass
R3-Number:00/00
R3-Surface:grass
R4-Number:00/00
R4-Surface:grass

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

The airfield was a satellite station of RAF Wittering, and used by the No. 1426 Flight (Enemy Aircraft) Flight RAF 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 2miles long grass runway.[1]

Units

The following units were based at Collyweston at some point:

Current status

Most of the former RAF Collyweston site has been retuned to agricultural uses. No infrastructure remains of the former airfield, the exception being its remote weapon storage area (WSA, or bomb dump), which is now used by a private company for secure logistics storage.

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: RAF Wittering station history. Royal Air Force. 3 March 2013.