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RAF Watchfield
Royal Air Force Watchfield or more simply RAF Watchfield is a former Royal Air Force station, opened in England in 1940 just north of Watchfield village (at that time in Berkshire, now in Oxfordshire). Its nearest towns were Highworth, Wiltshire, 3 miles (5 km) to the west, and Faringdon, Oxfordshire, 3.5 miles (6 km) to the north-east.
The airfield had grass runways and was operated by the RAF until 1950, after which it was used by the Army for parachute training and development of vehicle air drop, with planes flying from RAF Abingdon and using the former airfield as a drop zone. In 1961, 16 Parachute Heavy Drop company (RAOC) was formed there. This company moved to RAF Hullavington in February 1971 and the site was closed in 1972.
The airfield was used by a number of units, including No. 4 Air Observers Navigation School RAF (which came from RAF Ansty) between 20 July 1940 and 30 August 1941 flying the de Havilland Tiger Moth. No. 11 Air Observers Navigation School RAF also joined on 20 July 1940 but left on 19 July 1941.
Maintenance units such as No. 5 Maintenance Unit RAF used the airfield on a temporary basis. It was a sub-site of No. 7 Maintenance Unit RAF between September and November 1940. No. 50 Group Pool RAF were also present during 1940.
No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School RAF from RAF Hamble were present for a short time, arriving 20 July 1940.
RAF Watchfield was used as one of the first airfields which taught Blind/Beam Approach which meant that when no other aircraft were flying in the country due to the weather, aircraft from Watchfield flew constantly, teaching pilots how to land in dangerous conditions. The first unit to use the station for this purpose was the Blind Approach School RAF between 28 September 1940 and 1941, which became No. 1 Blind Approach School RAF between 1941 and 31 October 1941, and in turn No. 1 Beam Approach School RAF which operated between 31 October 1941 and 31 December 1946.
Smaller beam approach units also used the airfield, such as Blind Approach Calibration Flight RAF between 12 July and October 1941, becoming Beam Approach Calibration Flight RAF which operated between October 1941 and 3 July 1942. No. 1 Beam Approach School RAF helped to create a Beam Approach Technical Training School RAF which operated between October 1942 and 4 December 1943, and the Beam Approach Development Unit RAF which operated between 4 October 1942 and 12 April 1943.
The School of Air Traffic Control used Watchfield between 1 November 1946 and 10 February 1950 before moving to RAF Shawbury.
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RAF Watchfield AI simulator
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RAF Watchfield
Royal Air Force Watchfield or more simply RAF Watchfield is a former Royal Air Force station, opened in England in 1940 just north of Watchfield village (at that time in Berkshire, now in Oxfordshire). Its nearest towns were Highworth, Wiltshire, 3 miles (5 km) to the west, and Faringdon, Oxfordshire, 3.5 miles (6 km) to the north-east.
The airfield had grass runways and was operated by the RAF until 1950, after which it was used by the Army for parachute training and development of vehicle air drop, with planes flying from RAF Abingdon and using the former airfield as a drop zone. In 1961, 16 Parachute Heavy Drop company (RAOC) was formed there. This company moved to RAF Hullavington in February 1971 and the site was closed in 1972.
The airfield was used by a number of units, including No. 4 Air Observers Navigation School RAF (which came from RAF Ansty) between 20 July 1940 and 30 August 1941 flying the de Havilland Tiger Moth. No. 11 Air Observers Navigation School RAF also joined on 20 July 1940 but left on 19 July 1941.
Maintenance units such as No. 5 Maintenance Unit RAF used the airfield on a temporary basis. It was a sub-site of No. 7 Maintenance Unit RAF between September and November 1940. No. 50 Group Pool RAF were also present during 1940.
No. 3 Elementary Flying Training School RAF from RAF Hamble were present for a short time, arriving 20 July 1940.
RAF Watchfield was used as one of the first airfields which taught Blind/Beam Approach which meant that when no other aircraft were flying in the country due to the weather, aircraft from Watchfield flew constantly, teaching pilots how to land in dangerous conditions. The first unit to use the station for this purpose was the Blind Approach School RAF between 28 September 1940 and 1941, which became No. 1 Blind Approach School RAF between 1941 and 31 October 1941, and in turn No. 1 Beam Approach School RAF which operated between 31 October 1941 and 31 December 1946.
Smaller beam approach units also used the airfield, such as Blind Approach Calibration Flight RAF between 12 July and October 1941, becoming Beam Approach Calibration Flight RAF which operated between October 1941 and 3 July 1942. No. 1 Beam Approach School RAF helped to create a Beam Approach Technical Training School RAF which operated between October 1942 and 4 December 1943, and the Beam Approach Development Unit RAF which operated between 4 October 1942 and 12 April 1943.
The School of Air Traffic Control used Watchfield between 1 November 1946 and 10 February 1950 before moving to RAF Shawbury.