RAF Northleach
Encyclopedia
RAF Northleach was a Royal Air Force
airfield near the Cotswold town of Northleach
, Gloucestershire
. Though named after the town the actual airfield was located in the nearby parishes of Hampnett and Turkdean
.
Constructed during 1941 the 200 acre (0.809372 km²) airfield was designated an emergency landing ground until July 1942 when it was assigned to No.3 Glider Training School from nearby RAF Stoke Orchard
which provided basic elementary training for pilots of the Glider Pilot Regiment
.
During September 1942 the airfield was used to train soldiers of the RAF Regiment
detachment from Stoke Orchard until they moved to Mythe Camp near Tewkesbury
. It then became a Relief Landing Ground (RLG) for RAF Stoke Orchard on 2 November 1942 with a flight of Miles Master II GT
tug aircraft and Hotspur II gliders arriving on 16 November 1942. Flying training for men of the Glider Pilot Regiment began the very next day with the first course arriving by bus.
During the winter of 1942 the flying surface of the airfield became so waterlogged that the airfield was unusable and all flying training returned to Stoke Orchard until February 1943. Flying continued at Northleach through the middle of 1943 but water-logging again became a problem resulting in an additional detachment being sent to RAF Wanborough, Wiltshire
to maintain the level of training.
In May 1944 RAF Northleach was re-classified in status as a full satellite airfield but the planned upgrade to add additional hangars and services was not carried out.
The winter of 1944 saw Northleach and Stoke Orchard yet again suffer from water-logging which resulted in the cessation of flying at Northleach and relocation to RAF Zeals
, Wiltshire
on October 21, 1944. This would be the last time the airfield was used for flying.
On the 11th January 1945 No.3 Glider Training School left RAF Stoke Orchard and RAF Northleach for good relocating to RAF Exeter, Devon
and its satellite of RAF Culmhead
, Somerset
. RAF Northleach was place under "Care and Maintenance" thereafter until the site was de-requisitioned and wholly abandoned by the RAF in May 1946.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
airfield near the Cotswold town of Northleach
Northleach
Northleach is a small Cotswold market town in Gloucestershire, England. It constitutes the major part of the civil parish of Northleach with Eastington.The nearest railway stations are Moreton-in-Marsh, Kingham and Shipton on the Cotswold Line....
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. Though named after the town the actual airfield was located in the nearby parishes of Hampnett and Turkdean
Turkdean
Turkdean is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England, approximately 30 km to the east of Gloucester. It lies in the Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History:...
.
Constructed during 1941 the 200 acre (0.809372 km²) airfield was designated an emergency landing ground until July 1942 when it was assigned to No.3 Glider Training School from nearby RAF Stoke Orchard
RAF Stoke Orchard
RAF Stoke Orchard was a Royal Air Force station near the village of Stoke Orchard, north west of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire during World War II....
which provided basic elementary training for pilots of the Glider Pilot Regiment
Glider Pilot Regiment
The Glider Pilot Regiment was a British airborne forces unit of the Second World War which was responsible for crewing the British Army's military gliders and saw action in the European Theatre of World War II in support of Allied airborne operations...
.
During September 1942 the airfield was used to train soldiers of the RAF Regiment
RAF Regiment
The Royal Air Force Regiment is a specialist airfield defence corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942. After a 32 week trainee gunner course, its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and...
detachment from Stoke Orchard until they moved to Mythe Camp near Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
. It then became a Relief Landing Ground (RLG) for RAF Stoke Orchard on 2 November 1942 with a flight of Miles Master II GT
Miles Master
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Amos, Peter and Don Lambert Brown. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0....
tug aircraft and Hotspur II gliders arriving on 16 November 1942. Flying training for men of the Glider Pilot Regiment began the very next day with the first course arriving by bus.
During the winter of 1942 the flying surface of the airfield became so waterlogged that the airfield was unusable and all flying training returned to Stoke Orchard until February 1943. Flying continued at Northleach through the middle of 1943 but water-logging again became a problem resulting in an additional detachment being sent to RAF Wanborough, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
to maintain the level of training.
In May 1944 RAF Northleach was re-classified in status as a full satellite airfield but the planned upgrade to add additional hangars and services was not carried out.
The winter of 1944 saw Northleach and Stoke Orchard yet again suffer from water-logging which resulted in the cessation of flying at Northleach and relocation to RAF Zeals
RAF Zeals
RAF Zeals was a wartime Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire.The station was sited to the north of the village of Zeals, next to the village of Stourton and the Stourhead estate.The station was only in operation from 1942 to 1946...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
on October 21, 1944. This would be the last time the airfield was used for flying.
On the 11th January 1945 No.3 Glider Training School left RAF Stoke Orchard and RAF Northleach for good relocating to RAF Exeter, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and its satellite of RAF Culmhead
RAF Culmhead
RAF Culmhead is an ex-Royal Air Force airbase, situated at Churchstanton on the Blackdown Hills in Somerset, England.It had 3 tarmac runways that are now in poor condition and the control towers are currently derelict...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. RAF Northleach was place under "Care and Maintenance" thereafter until the site was de-requisitioned and wholly abandoned by the RAF in May 1946.