RAF Silloth

RAF Silloth
Silloth, Cumbria in England
RAF Silloth Shown within Cumbria Show map of Cumbria RAF Silloth RAF Silloth (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	54°52′10″N 003°21′37″W
Type	Royal Air Force Station
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Coastal Command RAF Maintenance Command
Site history
Built	1939 (1939)
In use	1939 - 1960 (1960)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation	7 metres (23 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 04/22 1,420 metres (4,659 ft) Asphalt 09/27 980 metres (3,215 ft) Asphalt 18/36 1,050 metres (3,445 ft) Asphalt
Other airfield facilities	Operational dates.[1]

Royal Air Force Silloth, or more simply RAF Silloth, is a former Royal Air Force station one mile (1.6 km) north-east of Silloth, Cumbria, England, and 6.7 miles (10.8 km) south-west of Kirkbride, Cumbria. The station was used by RAF Coastal Command.

The airfield is also known as Silloth Airfield/Aerodrome.[2]

Station history

The airfield as camouflaged during World War II

The airfield was originally designed to be used by RAF Maintenance Command but was handed over to Coastal Command in November 1939.[1] It had a satellite at RAF Hornby Hall.

Based units

• No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (OTU) using Avro Ansons, Bristol Beauforts and Bothas.[1]
• No. 6 Operational Training Unit RAF with the Vickers Wellington and Anson.[1]
• No. 215 Squadron RAF using the Wellington.[3]
• No. 320 (Netherlands) Squadron RAF using the Avro Anson I.[4]
• No. 22 Maintenance Unit RAF.[1]
• No. 1353 (Target Towing) Flight RAF using the Supermarine Spitfire and the Vultee A-31 Vengeance.[1]
• No. 5 Ferry Pool RAF.[1]

Current use

Many of the buildings still survive, including the hangars, but the runways are in a bad condition.[1]

A farmers' market and Solway Holiday Park occupy the outer edge of the airport. A number of private homes are found on the north-west side of the former airfield. Enkev, a natural fibre company, has its UK office at the airfield.

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Citations

1. "RAF Silloth". Control Towers. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
2. "Silloth Airfield". Silloth Airfield.
3. Jefford 1988, p. 71.
4. Jefford 1988, p. 86.

Bibliography

• Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.