Airport type Military In use 1941-1958 (1958) 04/22 0 Owner Air Ministry | Operator Royal Air Force Elevation AMSL 154 ft / 47 m Year built 1940 | |
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Location Long Marston, Warwickshire | ||
RAF Long Marston was opened in 1941 and was in the county of Warwickshire, England
Contents
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 which also created a number of other local airfields including RAF Wellesbourne Mountford. The airfield closed on 28 January 1958.
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.
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.
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.
Accidents and incidents
RAF Long Marston has had a number of accidents within its lifetime; the following are just a select few.