RAF Santa Cruz

For the current civilian use of this facility, see Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

RAF Santa Cruz

Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorRoyal Air Force
LocationMumbai, Maharashtra, India
Built1941 (1941)
In use1942–1947
Elevation AMSL37 ft / 11 m
Coordinates19°05′19″N 072°52′05″E / 19.08861°N 72.86806°E / 19.08861; 72.86806
Map
Santa Cruz is located in Maharashtra
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz
Location in India
Santa Cruz is located in India
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz (India)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
04/22 5,174 1,577 Concrete
09/27 5,220 1,590 Concrete
14/32 5,030 1,530 Concrete
External image
image icon A 1945-46 photo of RAF Santacruz taken from the air showing its three runways

Royal Air Force Santa Cruz or more simply Santa Cruz is a former Royal Air Force station in Bombay (now called Mumbai), then British India which saw extensive use in the Second World War.

History

The Airfield was constructed in the 1930s when the nearby Juhu Aerodrome, located close by, could not cope with the fighters, bombers and other large transport planes of the Air Force, that required longer and stronger runways. Santa Cruz Airfield covered an area of about 1,500 acres (607 hectares). It had three runways originally[1] and built as a standard Class A airfield, the main feature of which was a set of three intersecting concrete runways placed in a triangular pattern. The technical area and apron were located to the south between 09/27 and 14/32 and connected to a 50 feet (15 m) wide perimeter track. After the end of the War, the airport was handed over to the Director General of Civil Aviation for Civil operations and continues civilian operations.[2]

Squadrons

Numerous Fighter Squadrons and support units were stationed at Santa Cruz from 1942 to 1947.[3]

Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 159 Squadron RAF October 1945 - June 1946 Consolidated Liberator VIII Detachment from RAF Salbani, West Bengal[4]
No. 203 Squadron RAF 15 November 1943 - 9 October 1944 Vickers Wellington [5]
No. 217 Squadron RAF April 1943 - April 1944 Bristol Beaufort I Detachment from RAF Vavuniya[6]
No. 244 Squadron RAF March 1944 and May 1945 Wellington XIII Detachment from RAF Masirah[7]

Current use

It is now part of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Transport by Air". Maharashtra State Gazetteers. 1987. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  2. ^ "Airfield, Santa Cruz". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 30 October 1946. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  3. ^ "RAF Santa Cruz". www.rafweb.org. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  4. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 63.
  5. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 68.
  6. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 71.
  7. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 77.
  • Jefford, C. G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.