RAF Cranwell

{{main|Royal Air Force College Cranwell}}

File:Target Dossier for Cranwell, Lincolnshire, England - DPLA - ff91986d7ad2e4c0c8e8c6aae45a194e (page 1).jpg, 1941]]

The history of military aviation at Cranwell goes back to November 1915,Halpenny (1981), p.74 when the Admiralty requisitioned 2,500 acres (10 km²) of land from the Marquess of Bristol's estate. On 1 April 1916, the "Royal Naval Air Service Training Establishment, Cranwell" was officially born.

In 1917 a dedicated railway station was established for the RNAS establishment on a new single track branch line from Sleaford, the train being known as The Cranwell Flyer.A J Ludlam, The RAF Cranwell Railway, Oakwood Press, Headington, 1988, {{ISBN|0 85361 379 6}}

With the establishment of the Royal Air Force as an independent service in 1918, the RNAS Training Establishment became RAF Cranwell.Halpenny (1981), p.75 The Royal Air Force College Cranwell was formed on 1 November 1919 as the RAF (Cadet) College.Phillips-Evans, J. The Longcrofts: 500 Years of a British Family (Amazon, 2012)

Cranwell is home to the Royal Air Force College (RAFC), which oversees all RAF phase 1 Training. The RAF Officer Training Academy (RAFOTA) is the sub organisation of the RAFC which trains the RAFs new officers on a 24-week Modular Initial Officer Training Course (MIOTC), after which they are dispersed to their Phase II training for specific branch instruction.{{Cite web |title=Officer Training |url=https://recruitment.raf.mod.uk/training-and-development/officer-training |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=RAF Recruitment}} It is thus the RAF equivalent of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst or the Britannia Royal Naval College.{{cite web|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcranwell/aboutus/oactu.cfm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314222457/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcranwell/aboutus/oactu.cfm|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 March 2008|title=OACTU|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=7 July 2019}}

The station is home to the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre (OASC), where all applicants to the RAF as officers or non-commissioned aircrew, are put through a rigorous selection process.{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm198889/cmhansrd/1989-03-07/Writtens-6.html |publisher=Hansard |title=Questions to Secretary of State on move to RAF Cranwell from RAF Biggin Hill|access-date=7 July 2019}}

HQ CFS has been located at RAF Cranwell since 1995 when it moved from RAF Scampton. The Central Flying School currently trains all RAF QFI flying instructors.{{cite web|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcranwell/aboutus/cfs.cfm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320115847/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcranwell/aboutus/cfs.cfm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 March 2008|title=Central Flying School|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=7 July 2019}}

Cranwell is home to the headquarters of No. 3 Flying Training School (No. 3 FTS). The school provides elementary flying training for fixed wing and multi-engine student pilots from the RAF and Fleet Air Arm through No. 57 (Reserve) Squadron and No. 703 Naval Air Squadron. The UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) operates the Grob Prefect T1 in this role. Although nominally based at Cranwell, elementary training largely takes place at nearby RAF Barkston Heath.{{Cite web|url=https://raf-beta-public.org/aircraft/120tp-prefect/|title=120TP Prefect|website=Royal Air Force (Beta)|access-date=12 February 2018}} After elementary training, aircrews streamed to fly multi-engine aircraft and rear-seat roles are trained by No. 45(R) Squadron, which operate five Embraer Phenom 100.{{Cite web|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/|title=Royal Air Force|website=Royal Air Force|language=en-gb|access-date=2020-01-21}}

On 16 January 2018, the Skyes Building was opened at Cranwell by Air Marshal Sean Reynolds, the Deputy Commander Capability and Senior Responsible Owner of the UKMFTS. The building acts as a UKMFTS operational support building and is used to train new RAF pilots. It was named after Air-Vice Marshal Sir Frederick Hugh Sykes, a British military officer and politician who served during the First World War.{{Cite journal|date=February 2018|title=Cutting-edge milestone for UKMFTS programme|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/678953/desider_115_Feb2018-Web.pdf|journal=Desider|publisher=Ministry of Defence / Defence Equipment & Support|volume=115|pages=12}}

Since the mid-1990s, Cranwell has been home to Headquarters, Air Cadets, and the Air Cadet Organisation's Adult Training Facility.{{cite web|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/who-we-are/contact-us/|title=HQ Air Cadets|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=7 July 2019}}

File:45 (R) Squadron, Embraer Phenom 100 MOD 45164824.jpg, operated by No. 45 Squadron's based at RAF Cranwell]]

The following notable flying and non-flying units are based at RAF Cranwell.{{Cite web |title=RAF College Cranwell - Who's Based Here |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-college-cranwell/ |access-date=16 June 2024 |website=Royal Air Force |language=en-gb}}{{Cite web |title=No 22 Group |url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/groups/no-22-group/ |access-date=16 June 2024 |website=Royal Air Force}}

No. 22 Group (Training) RAF

• RAF College Cranwell
• RAF Officer Training Academy
• Recruitment and Selection
• Tedder Academy of Leadership
• Directorate of Flying Training
• Central Flying School
• Central Flying School Headquarters
• No. 3 Flying Training School
• No. 3 Flying Training School Headquarters
• No. 45 Squadron – Embraer Phenom T1
• No. 57 Squadron – Grob Prefect T1
• No. 6 Flying Training School
• No. 6 Flying Training School Headquarters
• East Midlands Universities Air Squadron – Grob Tutor T1
• No. 7 Air Experience Flight – Grob Tutor T1
• Robson Academy of Resilience
• Robson Academy of Resilience Headquarters
• Aircrew SERE Training Centre
• Defence Aviation Human Factors Training School
• Stress Management and Resilience Team
• RAF Air Cadets
• RAF Air Cadets Headquarters

No. 2 Group (Air Combat Support) RAF

• Air Security Force
• No. 1 RAF Police & Security Wing
• Defence Serious Crime Unit
• Defence Flying Complaints Investigation Team
• Engagement Team
• Serious Crime Flight (B Flight)
• No. 2 RAF Police & Security Wing
• No. 1 Tactical Police Squadron (No. 22 Group Security Squadron)
• RAF Music Services
• Band of the RAF College & the RAF Swing Wing (RAF College Cranwell)
• The Band of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force

RAF Air and Space Warfare Centre

• Air Warfare School

Other RAF Units

• RAF Disclosures

• RAF Cranwell Flying Club
• Cranwell Gliding Club

The RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine, which consists of three wings: Aviation Medicine Wing, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Wing, and Support Wing, will re-locate from RAF Henlow to RAF Cranwell by 2026. The equipment being relocated includes: "aircraft cockpit rigs; hypobaric chambers, which simulate the effect of high altitude on the body; hypoxia training rigs; and helmet-testing gear."{{cite web |last=Dunton |first=Jim |date=2021-10-05|title=RAF readies £45m medicine centre plans for take-off |url=https://www.building.co.uk/news/raf-readies-45m-medicine-centre-plans-for-take-off/5114026.article |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=Building }}

The Recruit Training Squadron, which delivers the Basic Recruit Training Course (Phase 1) to all Royal Air Force recruits, is planned to relocate from RAF Halton, which is due to close in 2027, to RAF Cranwell in December 2025.{{cite web |title=20220330 FOI2021 14852 15250 Response.pdf |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/815328/response/2009288/attach/html/3/20220330%20FOI2021%2014852%2015250%20Response.pdf.html |access-date=2023-10-20 |website=www.whatdotheyknow.com|date=11 December 2021 }}

Wing Commander Matthew Thornton January 2025–present{{cite web|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-cranwell/|title=RAF Cranwell|publisher=RAF|access-date=12 June 2025}}

• List of Royal Air Force stations
• Cranwell Light Aeroplane Club
• RAF Harlaxton – satellite airfield of Cranwell during the 1940s and 1950s

{{Reflist}}

• Halpenny, Bruce Barrymore. 1981. Action Stations Vol.2: Wartime Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands {{ISBN|978-1-85260-405-9}}

{{Commons category|RAF Cranwell}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://www.cranwellgc.co.uk/ Cranwell Gliding Club]
• [https://www.aidu.mod.uk/aip/pdf/ad/EGYD-Cranwell-Combined.pdf UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Cranwell (EGYD)]

{{Royal Air Force}}

{{Royal Air Force stations}}

{{RAF stations in Lincolnshire}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cranwell}}

Category:Royal Air Force stations in Lincolnshire

Category:Airports in England