RAF Little Snoring explained

RAF Little Snoring
Ensign:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
Ensign Size:90px
Nearest Town:Little Snoring, Norfolk
Country:England
Pushpin Map:Norfolk
Pushpin Label:RAF Little Snoring
Pushpin Map Caption:Shown within Norfolk
Type:Royal Air Force station
Ownership:Air Ministry
Operator:Royal Air Force
Used:1943-
Elevation:48m (157feet)
R1-Number:01/19
R1-Length:1280m (4,200feet)
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:07/25
R2-Length:1830m (6,000feet)
R2-Surface:Concrete
R3-Number:13/31
R3-Length:1280m (4,200feet)
R3-Surface:Concrete

Royal Air Force Little Snoring or more simply RAF Little Snoring is a former Royal Air Force station located north of the Norfolk village of Little Snoring. The airfield remains open for general aviation use as Little Snoring Airfield.[1] [2]

History

The station opened in July 1943[3] and was built to be a satellite station and dispersal for RAF Foulsham which is 6miles south-east of Little Snoring. Just a month after the station became operational, the stations status changed when No 3 Bomber Group gave the station full status.

SquadronPeriodAircraft
23 Squadron1944–1945de Havilland Mosquito VI and XX
115 Squadron1943[4] Avro Lancaster II
141 Squadron1945de Havilland Mosquito XXX
169 Squadron1943–1944de Havilland Mosquito II
515 Squadron1943–1945Bristol Beaufighter, de Havilland Mosquito II and VI
1678 Heavy Conversion Flight1943Avro Lancaster II

After this the airfield was retained on a care and maintenance until an anti-aircraft co-operation unit on civilian contract operated from Little Snoring for several years during the 1950s. Supermarine Spitfire were the main type used, but were replaced by Vampires before the unit was disbanded in 1958.[5]

Additional units[6]

Current use

The site is currently used as Little Snoring Airfield, operated by the McAully Flying Group, formerly the Fakenham Flying Group. Airfield facilities include a private hangar and a clubhouse with pre-flight briefing facilities, kitchen and toilets.[7] The eastern and southern parts of all three runways have been removed but the remainder are retained for flying.

The airfield is also used for aircraft manufacturing, The Light Aircraft Company has an aircraft maintenance facility which produces the Sherwood Ranger microlight.[8]

The former mortuary is now a toilet and shower block at the villages' camp site. The site also features an air raid shelter and concrete pads for vehicles and temporary buildings.

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Moyes 1976, p. 162.
  2. http://www.controltowers.co.uk/L/Little_Snoring.htm Control Towers website (accessed 24/05/11)
  3. Book: Smith, Graham. Norfolk Airfields in the Second World War. Countryside Books. 2007. 9781853063206. 147. Section 17 – Little Snoring – Reference to location, usage and operational timeline.
  4. Collins and Halladay 1982, p. 35.
  5. http://www.the-snorings.co.uk/places/airfield/airfield.html The Snorings Website
  6. Web site: Little Snoring . Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. 12 April 2020.
  7. Web site: Little Snoring Airfield | McAully Flying Group . 2014-06-21 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131214142443/http://www.mcaullyflyinggroup.org/little-snoring-airfield.aspx . 14 December 2013 . McAully Flying Group
  8. http://www.the-snorings.co.uk/places/airfield/airfield.html The Snorings website