RAF - how small?
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RAF - how small?
By my reckoning the British Army is now using as many, if not more, airfields than the Royal Air Force. I merely raise this topic to highlight how small the RAF has become. The list is may be incomplete so feel free to correct me.
1. Abingdon
2. Ballykelly
3. Bassingbourn
4. Brawdy
5. Catterick
6. Chivenor
7. Colerne
8. Dishforth
9. Driffield
10. Gutersloh
11. Hullavington
12. Kirton Lindsay
13. Leconfield
14. North Luffenham
15. South Cerney
16. Spitalgate (Gratham)
17. St Athan
18. Swanton Morley
19. Thorney Island
20. Topcliffe
21. Waterbeach
22. Wattisham
This doesn't include Oakington which passed through British Army hands prior to becoming home to illegal immigrants or Bodney and Watton which now form part of Stanford training area.
In these modern enlightened times when we are all equal (bean-bags, open-toed sandals, etc) does this mean that all members of the RAF can now claim to be one of the 'few'?
1. Abingdon
2. Ballykelly
3. Bassingbourn
4. Brawdy
5. Catterick
6. Chivenor
7. Colerne
8. Dishforth
9. Driffield
10. Gutersloh
11. Hullavington
12. Kirton Lindsay
13. Leconfield
14. North Luffenham
15. South Cerney
16. Spitalgate (Gratham)
17. St Athan
18. Swanton Morley
19. Thorney Island
20. Topcliffe
21. Waterbeach
22. Wattisham
This doesn't include Oakington which passed through British Army hands prior to becoming home to illegal immigrants or Bodney and Watton which now form part of Stanford training area.
In these modern enlightened times when we are all equal (bean-bags, open-toed sandals, etc) does this mean that all members of the RAF can now claim to be one of the 'few'?
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Oops, know I have bothered to read it properly I see what you mean, I think your right they are all ex RAF fields now Army. Though few have anything to do with there former use.
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Amendment
Add
Line 1 "and Royal Marines"
Add
1.1 Arbroath
6.1 Colchester
Are we allowed to delete Wattisham, Chivenor and Leconfield (Crabs in paraffin canaries still in residence)?
Sven
Add
Line 1 "and Royal Marines"
Add
1.1 Arbroath
6.1 Colchester
Are we allowed to delete Wattisham, Chivenor and Leconfield (Crabs in paraffin canaries still in residence)?
Sven
Chivenor is the base of the Commando Logistics Regiment, Royal Marines, and a couple of related Army units.
But the RAF are stll there, in the form of SAR Sea Kings from 22 squadron.
But the RAF are stll there, in the form of SAR Sea Kings from 22 squadron.
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Therewas some politics a few years ago that whilst Dishforth domestic site (inc hangars) was AAC, the airfield remained RAF c/o Linton on Ouse. Dont know if said politics still exist.
The Army seemed to do well for Dishforth unlike Gutersloh which they f***ed up in spades.
Royal Air "Force"?
Royal Air "Flight"?
Still the most exclusive airline in the world, Doh.... even indulgence is run by the Army!
Promote someone, lets all be the Royal Flying Corps
The Army seemed to do well for Dishforth unlike Gutersloh which they f***ed up in spades.
Royal Air "Force"?
Royal Air "Flight"?
Still the most exclusive airline in the world, Doh.... even indulgence is run by the Army!
Promote someone, lets all be the Royal Flying Corps
Dear Flt Lt Spry
You are right that the AAC took over at Netheravon in the late sixties (it was the RAFP Dog training depot) but I think it worth mentioning that it was originally a RFC field before the Great War and therefore was an Army Airfield before it became RAF! I can not think of any others that have that distinction.
Upavon is not on the list unless you class the RAF GSA as a controlling authority and also mustn't forget Middle Wallop, a major airfield during the Battle of Britain for you chaps. Does Cosford come into the equation as I think that is now a Joint Services Training centre for technical trades?
There are others;
1. Templeton (part of the Castlemartin Training areas)
2. Credenhill
3. Blandford Forum
4. Jurby (I think it is an Adventure Training Centre)
5. Ouston
6. Two airfields on Thetford training area, (names forgotten)
7. Kingsfield, Dhekalia
There have been other uses as well, RAF York is now the Clifton Moor shopping complex,RAF Croft and many others are now racing curcuits, RAF Inskip is an antenna farm, Londonderry is now the home of the DuPont chemical factory (sneaking suspicion that it may have been a Naval Station), RAF Long Kesh, Magheraberry, Full Sutton and others are Prisons and RAF South Marston is the Honda car factory. Anyone else got an unusual use for disused airfields? Giving them to the AAC does not count.
(edited because I thought of another one)
You are right that the AAC took over at Netheravon in the late sixties (it was the RAFP Dog training depot) but I think it worth mentioning that it was originally a RFC field before the Great War and therefore was an Army Airfield before it became RAF! I can not think of any others that have that distinction.
Upavon is not on the list unless you class the RAF GSA as a controlling authority and also mustn't forget Middle Wallop, a major airfield during the Battle of Britain for you chaps. Does Cosford come into the equation as I think that is now a Joint Services Training centre for technical trades?
There are others;
1. Templeton (part of the Castlemartin Training areas)
2. Credenhill
3. Blandford Forum
4. Jurby (I think it is an Adventure Training Centre)
5. Ouston
6. Two airfields on Thetford training area, (names forgotten)
7. Kingsfield, Dhekalia
There have been other uses as well, RAF York is now the Clifton Moor shopping complex,RAF Croft and many others are now racing curcuits, RAF Inskip is an antenna farm, Londonderry is now the home of the DuPont chemical factory (sneaking suspicion that it may have been a Naval Station), RAF Long Kesh, Magheraberry, Full Sutton and others are Prisons and RAF South Marston is the Honda car factory. Anyone else got an unusual use for disused airfields? Giving them to the AAC does not count.
(edited because I thought of another one)
Last edited by Sloppy Link; 14th May 2002 at 01:27.
Yes - regrettably many of our best bases have been taken over by the pongos. Why the hell couldn't we have let them have Ice Station Kilo and the v-word instead of the places we've now lost. They've trashed Abingdon, idiots have f*cked up RW26 totally.
But, at the end of the day, they're still only army....
But, at the end of the day, they're still only army....
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In many respects its not Army/AAC per se that steals these airfields - its more the Movers and Stackers/Really Large Corps/Pussers looking for somewhere to store the things they over-ordered/hoarded/can't find a use for - hangars are ready-made stores! (And normally, in the jolly pleasant Cotswolds). Hullavington, Colerne, Upavon, South Cerney, Bicester, Aston Down etc etc and some might even argue that they have taken over Brize Norton, Lyneham and Northolt. These 'professional' logisticians (glorified store-keepers)are a Global Threat!
Little Rissington was taken over by the Army although I don't know whether they still use it. The bits of St Athan not being used by DARA are soon to become home to the Welsh Guards.
