RAF Long Marston

RAF Long Marston
IATA: none – ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type Military
Owner Air Ministry
Operator Royal Air Force
Location Long Marston, Warwickshire
Built 1940 (1940)
In use 1941-1958 (1958)
Elevation AMSL 154 ft / 47 m
Coordinates 52°08′15″N 001°45′09″W / 52.13750°N 1.75250°W / 52.13750; -1.75250Coordinates: 52°08′15″N 001°45′09″W / 52.13750°N 1.75250°W / 52.13750; -1.75250
Map
RAF Long Marston

Location in Warwickshire

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
04/22 0 0 Asphalt
11/29 0 0 Asphalt
16/34 0 0 Asphalt

RAF Long Marston was opened in 1941 and was in the county of Warwickshire,[1] England

History

It had two T2 hangars and one B1 hangar. The airfield had a mixture of 27 pan dispersals and spectacle dispersals which were used to disperse the aircraft around the airfield in case of enemy attack or accidents which could wreck multiple aircraft if bunched together this was connected to the regular 3-runway layout. The airfield was constructed by John Laing & Son[2] which also created a number of other local airfields including RAF Wellesbourne Mountford. The airfield closed on 28 January 1958.[3]

Based units

The first unit to inhabite the airfield was No. 24 Operational Training Unit (OTU) which used Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys, Avro Ansons and Vickers Wellingtons beginning 15 March 1943 as a satellite of RAF Honeybourne before the unit closed on 24 July 1945. The Whitleys joined the unit after retiring from frontline service as an early Second World War night bomber when new four engined bombers like the Avro Lancaster took over the offensive.[4]

Another unit to use the airfield was No. 1681 Flight RAF with Hawker Hurricanes and Tomahawks providing simulated attacks against OTU aircraft so teach the OTU crews how to defend the aircraft. The main base was RAF Pershore with Long Marston used as a satellite between 1 July 1943 and 21 August 1944.[4]

After the war the airfield began to wind down with training flights becoming less frequent and soon after was under the control of No. 3 Maintenance Group from RAF Little Rissington until 1954.[5]

Accidents and incidents

RAF Long Marston has had a number of accidents within its lifetime; the following are just a select few.

Date Incident Reference
5 February 1944 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley LA929 of No. 24 Operational Training Unit (OTU) ran into a hedge after landing. [6]
4 April 1944 Tomahawk AH885 of No. 1681 Flight RAF ran off the runway when landing and tipped onto its nose. [6]
23 September 1944 Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle P1435 No. 296 Squadron RAF overshot landing, while towing Airspeed Horsa HG936. [6]
16 December 1944 Avro Lancaster NG435 newly built by Armstrong Whitworth, crashed during a test flight. [6]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "RAF Long Marston". Atlantik Wall. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "Our History - Warwickshire's angry skies". Long Marston Airfield. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "RAF Long Marston". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Flying units in the south west midlands". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  5. ↑ "History of RAF Long Marston". Long Marston Model Airshow. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Aviation Crashes in the south west midlands during 1944". Aviation Archaeology. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
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