RAF Castle Combe
{{more footnotes needed|date=February 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = RAF Castle Combe
| ensign= Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
| ensign_size= 90px
| native_name =
| partof =
| location =
| nearest_town = Castle Combe, Wiltshire
| country = England
| image =
| caption =
| pushpin_map = Wiltshire
| pushpin_label = RAF Castle Combe
| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Wiltshire
| coordinates = {{Coord|51|29|23|N|002|12|45|W|region:GB_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| type = Royal Air Force station
| code =
| site_area =
| height =
| ownership = Air Ministry
| operator = Royal Air Force
| controlledby = RAF Flying Training Command
| open_to_public =
| condition =
| built = {{Start date|1941}}
| builder =
| used = 1941-{{End date|1948}}
| materials =
| fate =
| battles = Second World War
| events =
| current_commander =
| past_commanders=
| garrison =
| occupants =
| elevation = {{Convert|130|m|0}}
| IATA =
| ICAO =
| FAA =
| TC =
| LID =
| GPS =
| WMO =
| r1-number = 00/00
| r1-length =
| r1-surface = Sommerfeld Tracking
| r2-number = 00/00
| r2-length =
| r2-surface = Sommerfeld Tracking
| website =
}}
Royal Air Force Castle Combe or more simply RAF Castle Combe is a former Royal Air Force satellite airfield located {{Convert|0.5|mi}} southeast of Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England.
History
The Castle Combe airfield opened in May 1941. The land which the airfield occupied belonged to the Castle Combe estate, which was owned by the Gorst family.
It was used as a practice landing ground by nearby RAF Hullavington, home of No. 9 Service Flying Training School RAF. Flying training expanded considerably and the facilities were upgraded. Waterlogging was a frequent problem for the grass surface, so two runways of Sommerfeld Tracking were laid and a tarmac perimeter track constructed around the field. There were five hangars on the eastern and south-eastern side of the site; the control tower is still extant.
No. 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF and No. 3 Flying Instructors School RAF was also present at some point.{{cite web|url=http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/castle-combe |title=Castle Combe |publisher=Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust|accessdate=21 November 2014}}
The airfield functioned for seven years before being decommissioned on 18 October 1948.
Current use
The perimeter track of the airfield was opened to motor racing in 1950 as Castle Combe Circuit.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.wiltshiretouristguide.com/Articles/Article_58.asp History of Castle Combe]
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Castle Combe}}
Category:Royal Air Force stations in Wiltshire
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