RAF Oulton

RAF Oulton
Oulton, near Aylsham, Norfolk in England
Aerial photograph of Oulton airfield 20 April 1944
RAF Oulton is located in Norfolk
RAF Oulton
RAF Oulton
Shown within Norfolk
Coordinates52°47′57″N 001°10′53″E / 52.79917°N 1.18139°E / 52.79917; 1.18139
TypeRoyal Air Force Satellite station
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
In use1940-1952 (1952)
Garrison information
GarrisonNo. 2 Group RAF
No. 3 Group RAF
No. 100 Group RAF
Airfield information
Elevation47 metres (154 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
06/24 1,220 metres (4,003 ft) Concrete
12/30 1,760 metres (5,774 ft) Concrete
16/34 1,350 metres (4,429 ft) Concrete

Royal Air Force Oulton or more simply RAF Oulton is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Aylsham, Norfolk and 12.5 miles (20.1 km) northwest of Norwich, Norfolk, England.

The airfield was built over 1939 and 1940 as a bomber airfield with T2 type hangars and grass runways, the facility operating as a satellite airfield of nearby RAF Horsham St. Faith between July 1940 and September 1942 after which it operated as a satellite airfield of RAF Swanton Morley.

History

In September 1943, Oulton was transferred from 2 Group to 3 Group and closed to flying for re-construction as a heavy bomber base with concrete runways, taxiways and parking areas. The work was completed in April 1944 and the airfield transferred to No. 100 Group RAF.[1] Flying operations ceased at the end of July 1945, after which it was taken over by RAF Maintenance Command which used it to store de Havilland Mosquitos until November 1947.[2]

RAF Oulton Order of Battle
Squadron Aircraft Dates at RAF Oulton
114 Blenheim Mk.IV July 1940 to March 1941[2][3]
18 Blenheim Mk.IV April 1941 to July 1941 and November to December 1941[1]
139 Blenheim Mk.IV December 1941 to February 1942[1][2]
1428 Hudson Conversion Flight Hudson Mk.III December 1941 to May 1942[1]
236 Beaufighter Mk.IC July 1942 to September 1942[1]
88 Boston Mk.III and IIIA September 1942[1] to March 1943[citation needed]
21 Ventura Mk.I and II April 1943 to September 1943[1]
No. 1699 (Bomber Support) Flight RAF Fortress May 1944[1] to June 1945[citation needed]
214 Fortress May 1944 to July 1945[1]
803rd Bomb Squadron Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator May 1944 to August 1944[1]
223 Flying Fortress and Liberator August 1944 to July 1945[1]
Additional Units
[4]

Current use

The site is now farmland.[4]

Museum

The RAF Oulton Museum is housed on the Blickling Hall estate, belonging to the National Trust.[5]

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Bowyer 1990, p. 172.
  2. ^ a b c Air Pictorial October 1967, p. 373.
  3. ^ Bowyer 1990, pp. 171–172.
  4. ^ a b "Oulton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Blickling Estate's RAF Oulton museum". National Trust. Retrieved 8 November 2019.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, J.F. Action Stations 1: Wartime military airfields of East Anglia 1939. Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited, Second edition, 1990. ISBN 1-85260-377-1.
  • "Your Questions Answered...Oulton, Norfolk". Air Pictorial, October 1967. p. 373.