RAF Methwold explained

RAF Methwold
Location:Methwold, Norfolk
Country:England
Type:Royal Air Force station
Coordinates:52.511°N 0.545°W
Pushpin Map:Norfolk
Pushpin Map Caption:Shown within Norfolk
Pushpin Label:RAF Methwold
Ownership:Air Ministry
Operator:Royal Air Force
Controlledby:RAF Bomber Command
Used:1938-
Battles:Second World War, Cold War
Garrison:No. 2 Group RAF
No. 3 Group RAF
R1-Number:06/24
R1-Length:1828m (5,997feet)
R1-Surface:Concrete
R2-Number:11/29
R2-Length:1463m (4,800feet)
R2-Surface:Concrete
R3-Number:17/35
R3-Length:1371m (4,498feet)
R3-Surface:Concrete

Royal Air Force Methwold or more simply RAF Methwold is a former Royal Air Force station located north east of Feltwell, Norfolk and north west of Thetford, Norfolk, England.

History

RAF Methwold opened as a dispersal airfield for RAF Feltwell in the winter of 1938. Vickers Wellington bombers from Feltwell continued to use the site as a satellite base until the grass airfield was transferred to No. 2 Group in the exchange of bases with No. 3 Group, in the summer of 1942. Several asphalt hardstandings were put down for aircraft during 1940–1941.

In August 1943, the airfield was closed to flying while it was upgraded to A standard. Three concrete runways were built, the main aligned on 06-24 (2,000 yards), 11-29 (1,600 yards) and 17-35 (1,500 yards). 36 hardstandings were built, 35 of the loop type and a single pan. The original asphalt pans were not retained.

Following this work, RAF Methwold was a higher standard base than its parent at Feltwell. The airfield was returned to No. 3 Group and became a sub-station of RAF Mildenhall.

43 aircraft either failed to return or crashed during the operations from RAF Methwold; 25 Venturas, 6 Stirlings, and 12 Lancasters.

Units

Based units[1]

Current use

After closure as an operational airfield in April 1946, the airfield remained under care and maintenance until it was finally sold in the 1960s. Today the majority of the site has been returned to agriculture, with two hangars remaining in use as agricultural grain stores and two others used for packaging Quorn and Cauldron products (Marlow Foods) for sale in supermarkets.To the southern edge of the site a well-preserved battle headquarters and some gunpits along with a number of air raid shelters may be found.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Methwold . Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. 12 April 2020.