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RAF Wittering
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RAF Wittering
Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering (ICAO: EGXT) is a Royal Air Force station 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Peterborough, just south of Stamford, and just west of the A1 Great North Road. It lies within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.
Wittering's use as a military airfield dates back to 5 May 1916 when it began as RFC Stamford. The aerodrome was initially created for A Flight of No. 38 (Home Defence) Squadron. In common with other Home Defence squadrons at the time it was used for training during the day and for air defence at night. From the flight's operational declaration in December 1916 until it deployed to France in November 1917, its BE2cs, RE7s, and FE2bs were involved in anti-Zeppelin patrols.
The station's training role expanded when it became the Royal Flying Corps's No.1 Training Depot Station in 1917. The neighbouring airfield, RFC Easton on the Hill, also dates back to 1916 and it became No. 5 Training Depot Station in 1917. Following the formation of the Royal Air Force, Easton on the Hill became RAF Collyweston on 1 April 1918. Stamford was retitled RAF Wittering on 10 April 1918.
RAF Wittering officially reopened in 1924 following an Air Defence Review in 1923. A significant amount of development took place to re-open the station including four new accommodation blocks for airmen, a corporals and airmen's institute, a Senior Non-Commissioned Officers' Mess, the Officers' Mess, and a new guardroom. The station retained two aircraft hangars from 1917 and an aircraft repair shed. The Central Flying School was at Wittering from 1926 until 1935 being replaced by No. 11 Flying Training School until 1938.
In April 1938, the station became a Fighter Command station within No 12 Group. This conversion required another expansion with more land being purchased to the south and east of the station which closed the Stamford to Oundle road. Further airmen's accommodation, airmen's mess, technical accommodation and station headquarters were constructed as was a sector control room to control fighter squadrons and anti-aircraft gun batteries within 12 Group's 'K' Sector. The airfield was enhanced with the construction of three new Type C (1934 variant) hangars.
In 1940–41 during the Second World War, units from the station was directly involved in both the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. As part of No. 12 Group (controlled from RAF Watnall in Nottinghamshire), Wittering was the main fighter station for the southern East Midlands, and aircraft from the station would often patrol as far as Birmingham. During the Battle of Britain many squadrons were rotated through Wittering to spells in the south of England with No. 11 Group that was bearing the brunt of the battle. With many of the Luftwaffe raids during the Blitz taking part at night, Wittering-based squadrons were instrumental in the development of night combat techniques. These included the use of the Turbinlite aircraft which had a powerful searchlight installed in the nose of Douglas A-20 Havocs. In April 1943 No. 141 Squadron moved in, operating de Havilland Mosquitos. 1943 also saw the station host two USAAF squadrons, albeit temporarily: 63d Fighter Squadron USAAF with P-47s operated from Wittering between January and March before moving to RAF Horsham St Faith; and from August to March 1944 55th Fighter Squadron operated P-38s and P-51s from Wittering before moving to nearby RAF Kingscliffe.
Emergency landing ground K3 was renamed as Collyweston Landing Ground in 1940 with the construction of some blister hangars, a perimeter track and some dispersals, although the next main fighter station further north was RAF Coleby Grange. Embry in Mission Completed states that in 1940 (the station's official history indicates that this was actually in 1941), while used by 25 squadron, equipped with Beaufighter night fighters, the runway was extended from 1,400 yards to 3 miles long to reduce landing accidents at night and in bad weather.
The Station's innovative role continued and developed throughout the war. It became the home of both fighter and gunnery research and development units working with new equipment and techniques. In addition, No. 1426 (Captured Enemy Aircraft) Flight (colloquially known as the RAFwaffe) was based at Collyweston Landing Ground with its wide range of captured Luftwaffe aircraft both evaluating their performance and touring allied bases. In January 1945, the captured enemy aircraft were removed.
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RAF Wittering
Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering (ICAO: EGXT) is a Royal Air Force station 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Peterborough, just south of Stamford, and just west of the A1 Great North Road. It lies within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire is the nearest town, the runways of RAF Wittering cross the boundary between Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.
Wittering's use as a military airfield dates back to 5 May 1916 when it began as RFC Stamford. The aerodrome was initially created for A Flight of No. 38 (Home Defence) Squadron. In common with other Home Defence squadrons at the time it was used for training during the day and for air defence at night. From the flight's operational declaration in December 1916 until it deployed to France in November 1917, its BE2cs, RE7s, and FE2bs were involved in anti-Zeppelin patrols.
The station's training role expanded when it became the Royal Flying Corps's No.1 Training Depot Station in 1917. The neighbouring airfield, RFC Easton on the Hill, also dates back to 1916 and it became No. 5 Training Depot Station in 1917. Following the formation of the Royal Air Force, Easton on the Hill became RAF Collyweston on 1 April 1918. Stamford was retitled RAF Wittering on 10 April 1918.
RAF Wittering officially reopened in 1924 following an Air Defence Review in 1923. A significant amount of development took place to re-open the station including four new accommodation blocks for airmen, a corporals and airmen's institute, a Senior Non-Commissioned Officers' Mess, the Officers' Mess, and a new guardroom. The station retained two aircraft hangars from 1917 and an aircraft repair shed. The Central Flying School was at Wittering from 1926 until 1935 being replaced by No. 11 Flying Training School until 1938.
In April 1938, the station became a Fighter Command station within No 12 Group. This conversion required another expansion with more land being purchased to the south and east of the station which closed the Stamford to Oundle road. Further airmen's accommodation, airmen's mess, technical accommodation and station headquarters were constructed as was a sector control room to control fighter squadrons and anti-aircraft gun batteries within 12 Group's 'K' Sector. The airfield was enhanced with the construction of three new Type C (1934 variant) hangars.
In 1940–41 during the Second World War, units from the station was directly involved in both the Battle of Britain and the Blitz. As part of No. 12 Group (controlled from RAF Watnall in Nottinghamshire), Wittering was the main fighter station for the southern East Midlands, and aircraft from the station would often patrol as far as Birmingham. During the Battle of Britain many squadrons were rotated through Wittering to spells in the south of England with No. 11 Group that was bearing the brunt of the battle. With many of the Luftwaffe raids during the Blitz taking part at night, Wittering-based squadrons were instrumental in the development of night combat techniques. These included the use of the Turbinlite aircraft which had a powerful searchlight installed in the nose of Douglas A-20 Havocs. In April 1943 No. 141 Squadron moved in, operating de Havilland Mosquitos. 1943 also saw the station host two USAAF squadrons, albeit temporarily: 63d Fighter Squadron USAAF with P-47s operated from Wittering between January and March before moving to RAF Horsham St Faith; and from August to March 1944 55th Fighter Squadron operated P-38s and P-51s from Wittering before moving to nearby RAF Kingscliffe.
Emergency landing ground K3 was renamed as Collyweston Landing Ground in 1940 with the construction of some blister hangars, a perimeter track and some dispersals, although the next main fighter station further north was RAF Coleby Grange. Embry in Mission Completed states that in 1940 (the station's official history indicates that this was actually in 1941), while used by 25 squadron, equipped with Beaufighter night fighters, the runway was extended from 1,400 yards to 3 miles long to reduce landing accidents at night and in bad weather.
The Station's innovative role continued and developed throughout the war. It became the home of both fighter and gunnery research and development units working with new equipment and techniques. In addition, No. 1426 (Captured Enemy Aircraft) Flight (colloquially known as the RAFwaffe) was based at Collyweston Landing Ground with its wide range of captured Luftwaffe aircraft both evaluating their performance and touring allied bases. In January 1945, the captured enemy aircraft were removed.
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