RAF North Creake
Encyclopedia
RAF North Creake was a world war two era RAF Heavy Bomber airfield located just to the north of the Norfolk
medieval village of Egmere, five miles northwest of Fakenham
.
, construction of this Class A airfield began in October 1942, with the station being provided with accommodation for 2,951 male and 411 female staff. The airfield had three concrete runways, 04-24 (2,000 yards) and O1-19 and 13-31 (1,400 yards). There were 36 loop type hardstandings, two T2 hangars and one B1 hangar.
By December 1943 the airfield had passed to 100 Group
, although it did not immediately become operational as consideration was given to upgrading the airfield to Very Heavy Bomber Standard. In the event, this did not take place, with RAF Sculthorpe
being selected for upgrade.
Short Stirling III
from 199 Squadron
arrived in May 1944 to complete Window and Mandrel operations against enemy radar tracking of Bomber Command raids. In September 1944, No. 199's 'C' Flight was used to re-form 171 Squadron
, who contributed to 100 Group's radio counter-measures activities.
Seventeen aircraft were lost during operations from the airfield, eight Stirling and nine Halifax.
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
medieval village of Egmere, five miles northwest of Fakenham
Fakenham
Fakenham is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, some north east of King's Lynn, south west of Cromer, and north west of Norwich....
.
Second World War usage
Originally used in 1941 as a decoy site for RAF DockingRAF Docking
RAF Docking was a RAF Station of the Second World War a few miles from Bircham Newton in Norfolk.It was a satellite airfield for the RAF Coastal Command station at RAF Bircham Newton and was mostly used for overflow from there....
, construction of this Class A airfield began in October 1942, with the station being provided with accommodation for 2,951 male and 411 female staff. The airfield had three concrete runways, 04-24 (2,000 yards) and O1-19 and 13-31 (1,400 yards). There were 36 loop type hardstandings, two T2 hangars and one B1 hangar.
By December 1943 the airfield had passed to 100 Group
No. 100 Group RAF
No. 100 Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command.It was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures within one organisation. The group was responsible for the development, operational trial and use of...
, although it did not immediately become operational as consideration was given to upgrading the airfield to Very Heavy Bomber Standard. In the event, this did not take place, with RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe is a military training facility for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, situated about west of Fakenham in Norfolk, England...
being selected for upgrade.
Short Stirling III
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
from 199 Squadron
No. 199 Squadron RAF
No. 199 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron that operated during the second world war and later in the 1950s as a radar countermeasures squadron.-History:...
arrived in May 1944 to complete Window and Mandrel operations against enemy radar tracking of Bomber Command raids. In September 1944, No. 199's 'C' Flight was used to re-form 171 Squadron
No. 171 Squadron RAF
No. 171 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a coastal reconnaissance and radio countermeasures unit in World War II.-Formation in World War II:The squadron formed in 15 June 1942 at Gatwick and equipped with...
, who contributed to 100 Group's radio counter-measures activities.
Seventeen aircraft were lost during operations from the airfield, eight Stirling and nine Halifax.
Post-War use
After the War, the airfield was used for the storage and scrapping of aircraft, mostly Mosquitoes. The RAF relinquished the station in 1947, and the area is now used for agriculture, though some evidence of runways, buildings and facilities remains. The control tower survives, and has been converted into a house.Operational units and aircraft
- No. 171 Squadron RAFNo. 171 Squadron RAFNo. 171 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a coastal reconnaissance and radio countermeasures unit in World War II.-Formation in World War II:The squadron formed in 15 June 1942 at Gatwick and equipped with...
(1944-1945) - Short Stirling IIIShort StirlingThe Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
then Handley Page Halifax IIIHandley Page HalifaxThe Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing... - No. 199 Squadron RAFNo. 199 Squadron RAFNo. 199 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron that operated during the second world war and later in the 1950s as a radar countermeasures squadron.-History:...
(1944-1945) - Short Stirling IIIShort StirlingThe Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
then Handley Page Halifax IIIHandley Page HalifaxThe Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
See also
- Royal Air Force station
- List of RAF stations
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons