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 =

| past_commanders =

| garrison =

| occupants =

| designations =

| website =

| footnotes =

| IATA =

| ICAO =

| LID =

| GPS =

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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 =

| h1-surface =

| airfield_other_label =

| airfield_other =

}}

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}}

Current use

Little now remains, as the site was developed after the war by British Steel Corporation.

See also

References