RAF Bircotes
{{Short description|Royal Air Force base in Yorkshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = RAF Bircotes
| ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
| ensign_size = 90px
| native_name =
| partof =
| location = Bircotes, Nottinghamshire
| nearest_town =
| country = England
| image =
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| type = Royal Air Force satellite station
| coordinates = {{Coord|53|26|08|N|001|02|31|W|region:GB_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = South Yorkshire#UK
| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within South Yorkshire
| pushpin_label = RAF Bircotes
| pushpin_label_position =
| ownership = Air Ministry
| operator = Royal Air Force
| controlledby = RAF Bomber Command
* No. 7 (T) Group RAF
* No. 93 (OTU) Group RAF{{sfn|Falconer|2012|p=52}}
| open_to_public =
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| code = BR{{sfn|Falconer|2012|p=52}}
| built = {{Start date|1941}}
| used = November 1941 - July {{End date|1948}}
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| battles = European theatre of World War II
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| elevation = {{Convert|33|m|0}}{{sfn|Falconer|2012|p=52}}
| r1-number = NW/SE
| r1-length = {{Convert|1235|m|0}}
| r1-surface = Grass
| r2-number = 09/27
| r2-length = {{Convert|1400|m|0}}
| r2-surface = Grass
| r3-number = 18/36
| r3-length = {{Convert|1410|m|0}}
| r3-surface = Grass
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}}
Royal Air Force Bircotes or more simply RAF Bircotes is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located within South Yorkshire, England. Although it was named after the village of Bircotes which is in Nottinghamshire.
History
RAF Bircotes was located next the No. 1 Group RAF, RAF Bomber Command HQ at RAF Bawtry, Bawtry Hall, Bawtry, England. The airfield consisted of a grass strip with a connecting perimeter track with T2, B1 and Bessonneau hangars plus other miscellaneous buildings.{{cite web|url=http://www.airfieldarchaeology.co.uk/raf-bircotes.html |title=RAF Bircotes, Yorkshire|publisher=Airfield Archaeology |accessdate=16 June 2012}}
The Airfield opened in late 1941 and was used by the Avro Ansons, Vickers Wellingtons, and Avro Manchesters from No. 25 Operational Training Unit RAF (OTU) at nearby RAF Finningley.{{Harvnb|Halpenny|1981|p=47}}
A variety of training units occupied the airfield including two operational Training units:{{cite web|url=http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/bircotes-bawtry |title=Bircotes (Bawtry)|publisher=Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust|accessdate=16 June 2012}}
- Satellite for No. 18 OTU (March 1943 - November 1944){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|Halley|1997|p=236}}
- Satellite for No. 28 OTU (June - July 1944){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|Halley|1997|p=239}}
- Satellite for No. 82 OTU (August - October 1943){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|Halley|1997|p=244}}
- Satellite for No. 16 (Polish) Service Flying Training School RAF (February - August 1943){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|Halley|1997|p=155}}
- Sub site for No. 35 Maintenance Unit RAF (November 1944 - 1945){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|Halley|1997|p=206}}
The No. 1 Group Communication Flight RAF from RAF Bawtry were also present at Bircotes from April 1941. The unit had moved from RAF Hucknall and at Bircotes the unit was using Miles Masters, Airspeed Oxfords, Miles Martinets, Curtiss Tomahawks and Westland Lysanders.{{Harvnb|Halpenny|1981|p=47}}
Towards the end of the Second World War and afterwards a number of different units used the airfield such as No. 250 Maintenance Unit RAF (MU) which formed at the airfield while under the control of RAF Maintenance Command and No. 61 MU which absorbed No. 250 MU and used Bircotes as a sub site between 1944 and 1948.
Current use
References
=Citations=
{{Reflist}}
=Bibliography=
- {{cite book |last1=Falconer|first1=J|title=RAF Airfields of World War 2 |year=2012 |publisher= Ian Allan Publishing|location= UK|isbn=978-1-85780-349-5}}
- {{wikicite|ref={{harvid|Halpenny|1981}}|reference=Halpenny, Bruce. Action Stations 2; Military airfields of Lincolnshire and East Midlands. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephen Publishing, 1981. {{ISBN|0-85059-484-7}}.}}
- {{cite book |last1=Sturtivant|first1=R|last2=Hamlin|first2=J|last3=Halley|first3=J|title=Royal Air Force flying training and support units |year=1997 |publisher= Air-Britain (Historians)|location= UK|isbn=0-85130-252-1}}
External links
- [http://www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/Roy%20Calvert%20Service%20Details.htm Roy Calvert service record details]
- [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=bircotes&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=53.434824,-1.03735&spn=0.011326,0.0424&t=k&om=1 An aerial view showing evidence of the layout of the former Airfield. The existing buildings are shown in the bottom left hand corner. Bawtry and Bawtry Hall are shown towards the east.]
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{RAF stations in Yorkshire}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bircotes}}
Category:Royal Air Force stations in Yorkshire
Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom