RAF Snitterfield

RAF Snitterfield is a former Royal Air Force station located west of Snitterfield, Warwickshire, England, 3.3 miles (5.3 km) north of Stratford-upon-Avon and 4.6 miles (7.4 km) south-east of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire.

RAF Snitterfield

A Miles Magister similar to the ones that flew from the airfield
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorRoyal Air Force
LocationSnitterfield
Built1942
In use1943-1946
Elevation AMSL381 ft / 116 m
Coordinates52°14′14″N 001°43′08″W
Map
RAF Snitterfield
Location in Warwickshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
02/20 5,744 1,750 Concrete
08/26 3,710 1,131 Concrete
14/32 3,862 1,177 Concrete

Snitterfield was operational during the Second World War, the airfield was a class A airfield and had around 30 aircraft dispersals. The airfield was finished around June 1942 and cost around £1,147,000[2] and opened in 1943 then closed in 1946.[3]

Posted units

No. 18 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF ((P)AFU) was the first unit to operate from the airfield starting on 7 May 1943 at RAF Church Lawford and using Snitterfield as a satellite airfield to disperse the aircraft as Church Lawford was very busy. On 3 April 1945 the unit moved permanently to RAF Snitterfield using Airspeed Oxfords and Miles Magisters.[3]

The airfield was also home to two Belgian training schools firstly the Initial Training School dealing with reception and training elements from 1 January 1944 until 13 December 1944[4] and secondly the Technical Training School from January 1944 until October 1946.[3]

From May 1945 to 1946, Snitterfield was used as a Relief Landing Ground by No. 20 Service Flying Training School from RAF Church Lawford.[1]

The airfield was also host to other units including:

  • No. 1533 Beam Approach Training Flight which joined in 1944 flying the Airspeed Oxford left 3 April 1945.[4]
  • No. 21 Flying Training School flying the Harvard joined the airfield on 3 April 1945 until 18 September 1946.[4]

Accidents and incidents

During life as a RAF training base accidents were not far away with a number of airmen killed during training and within the surrounding area.

DateIncidentReference
1 September 1942Bristol Beaufighter X7943 YD-P of No. 255 Squadron RAF dived into the ground during an electrical storm.[5]
14 February 1944Vickers Wellington HZ110 of 22 OTU was diverted to the airfield in bad weather, where the bomber crashed after seven attempts to land.[6]
10 July 1944Airspeed Oxford NM278 of 18 (P)AFU made a violent recovery from a diving turn, causing the wings to break away.[6]
25 July 1944Wellington HF610 of 22 OTU belly landed.[6]
26 August 1944Miles Magister T9895 of 18 (P)AFU crashed on landing.[6]

Motor sports usage

In 1948, RAF Snitterfield was one of two disused airfields given special consideration as to the suitability of hosting a British Grand Prix. In the end, RAF Silverstone was chosen as the venue.[7]

Current use

The north-east section of the airfield is currently the Stratford Oaks Golf club and the south-east section is home to Stratford-Upon-Avon Gliding Club.[8] However, before these were built there was a Wireless Transmission station.[9]

At the southern end of the airfield is now Stratford Armouries[10] which is a military museum that was built in 2007.[11]

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References

Citations
  1. "RAF Snitterfield". Control Towers. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  2. "RAF Worksop - World War II". Priories Historical Society - RAF Worksop Memorial. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  3. "RAF Snitterfield". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  4. "Military flying units in the south west Midlands". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  5. "Military aircraft crashes in the south west Midlands - 1942". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  6. "Military aircraft crashes in the south west Midlands - 1944". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  7. Swinger 2001, p. 119.
  8. "Snitterfield". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  9. "HF Radio - Bearley". Alan Cordwell Web Portal. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  10. "Wellington Museum". Stratford Armouries. Archived from the original on 7 February 2011. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  11. "News". A.I Architecture. Retrieved 27 April 2012.

Bibliography
  • Swinger, P.S. Motor racing Circuits in England, Then & Now. Ian Allan Publishing, 2001. ISBN 978-0711027961.
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