RAF Greatham
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{More citations needed|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = RAF Greatham
| ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
| ensign_size = 90px
| native_name =
| partof =
| location = Greatham, County Durham
| country = England
| image =
| caption =
| image2 =
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| type = Royal Air Force Satellite Station
| coordinates = {{coord|54|38|58|N|001|12|46|W|region:GB_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| gridref =
| pushpin_map = County Durham#UK
| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within County Durham
| pushpin_label = RAF Greatham
| pushpin_label_position =
| ownership = Air Ministry
| operator = Royal Air Force
| controlledby = RAF Flying Training Command
| open_to_public =
| site_other_label =
| site_other =
| site_area =
| code =
| built = {{Start date|1933}}
| used = 1933 - {{End date|1958}}
| builder =
| fate =
| condition =
| battles = European theatre of World War II
| events =
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| garrison =
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| website =
| footnotes =
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| elevation =
| r1-number = 00/00
| r1-length =
| r1-surface = Grass
| r2-number = 00/00
| r2-length =
| r2-surface = Grass
| h1-number =
| h1-length =
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}}
Royal Air Force Greatham or more simply RAF Greatham is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located in Greatham, County Durham, England.
It was also known as RAF West Hartlepool and was located at Hartlepool and was little more than a grass airstrip, a satellite station of RAF Thornaby.
History
It was home to four of 403 Squadron's Supermarine Spitfires from 19 June 1942 to 22 January 1943; operating forward from RAF Catterick.
The airfield was once home to No. 645 Volunteer Gliding School,{{cite web|url=http://www.645vgs.org.uk/History2.html|title=645 Volunteer Gliding Squadron |publisher=645 Volunteer Gliding Squadron|accessdate=9 April 2012}} who operate Grob Vigilant Motor Gliders for the Air Training Corps. They are now located at RAF Topcliffe in Yorkshire.
The following units were also here at some point:{{cite web|url=https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/west-hartlepool-greatham/ |title=West Hartlepool (Greatham) |publisher=Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust|access-date=1 October 2021}}
- 'N' Flight of No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF
- No. 6 (Coastal) OTU RAF
- No. 26 Gliding School RAF
- No. 32 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School RAF
- No. 243 Squadron RAF
- No. 1613 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
- No. 2782 Squadron RAF Regiment
- No. 4054 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment
Current use
Little now remains, as the site was developed after the war by British Steel Corporation.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greatham}}
Category:Organisations based in the Borough of Hartlepool
Category:Buildings and structures in the Borough of Hartlepool
Category:Royal Air Force stations in County Durham
Category:History of the Borough of Hartlepool
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