Login
Login

RAF Woolsington

{{Short description|Former Royal Air Force station in Tyne and Wear, England (1939–1945)}}

{{For|the current civilian use of this facility and airport information|Newcastle International Airport}}

{{use British English|date=March 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Infobox military installation

| name = RAF Woolsington

| ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg

| ensign_size = 90px

| native_name =

| partof =

| location = Woolsington, Tyne and Wear

| nearest_town =

| country = England

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| image2 =

| alt2 =

| caption2 =

| type =

| coordinates =

| gridref =

| image_map =

| image_mapsize =

| image_map_alt =

| image_map_caption =

| pushpin_map = Tyne and Wear

| pushpin_mapsize =

| pushpin_map_alt =

| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Tyne and Wear

| pushpin_relief =

| pushpin_image =

| pushpin_label = RAF Woolsington

| pushpin_label_position =

| pushpin_mark =

| pushpin_marksize =

| 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|1939}}

| used = 1939-{{End date|1945}}

| builder =

| materials =

| height =

| length =

| fate =

| condition =

| battles =

| events =

| current_commander =

| past_commanders =

| garrison =

| occupants =

| designations =

| website =

| footnotes =

| IATA =

| ICAO =

| FAA =

| TC =

| LID =

| GPS =

| WMO =

| elevation = {{Convert|81|m|0}}

| r1-number = 00/00

| r1-length =

| r1-surface = Concrete

| r2-number = 00/00

| r2-length =

| r2-surface = Concrete

| h1-number =

| h1-length =

| h1-surface =

| airfield_other_label =

| airfield_other =

}}

Royal Air Force Woolsington, or more simply RAF Woolsington, was a civilian airfield that was taken over by the RAF in 1939. It was returned to civilian use in 1946 and is now Newcastle International Airport.

History

RAF Woolsington opened as a civil airport in July 1935 with a small scale military involvement from the start.{{cite web|last1=Whaley|first1=R|last2=Morrison|first2=J|last3=Heslop|first3=D|title=Archaeology of the 20th century defence sites of Tyne and Wear|url=https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/wwwfileroot/legacy/regen/locallist/tyne_and_wear_defence_sites.pdf|website=newcastle.gov.uk|publisher=Newcastle City Council|access-date=3 March 2017|location=27; RAF Woolsington (Newcastle Airport)|page=29|date=2008}} An airfield close to Newcastle had first been proposed by the Air Ministry in 1929 and in 1933 suitable sites were being assessed for a runway with Town Moor also being considered. The whole of the site was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force in 1939 on the outbreak of World War II,{{cite news|last1=Robson|first1=Ian|title=Newcastle RAF Association service marks the days when Newcastle Airport was home to Spitfires|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/newcastle-raf-association-service-marks-7807071|access-date=3 March 2017|work=nechronicle|date=21 September 2014}} however, 13 Group Communications Flight had been in existence at Woolsington for a month when war was declared.{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=121}} 43 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School was formed in June 1939 and was disbanded just three months later in September 1939.{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=60}}

The base served at various times as a satellite of both RAF Acklington and RAF Ouston but saw little operational flying.{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=278}} However, on one notable occasion in 1940, a Spitfire of No. 72 Squadron RAF flying out of Woolsington actually shot down a Junkers Ju 88 at night. This was one of the few 'kills' at night attributed to Spitfires.

In 1941, Durham University Air Squadron (DUAS) was formed at Woolsington initially flying Tiger Moth aircraft.{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=37}} The unit stayed behind when all other squadrons and units were transferred out at the end of the Second World War, eventually moving on to RAF Usworth in 1949.{{cite web|title=RAF - NUAS History|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/universityairsquadrons/nuashistroy.cfm|website=www.raf.mod.uk|access-date=3 March 2017|language=en}}

Woolsington's main wartime role was as the base of No. 83 Maintenance Unit which salvaged crashed aircraft over much of the region.{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=278}} After the war civil flying resumed and the airport is now known as Newcastle International Airport.{{sfn|Delve|2006|p=277}}

Units

The following units or squadrons were based at (or used) RAF Woolsington between 1936 and 1946.{{cite web|title=Woolsington (Newcastle) - Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust UK|url=http://abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/woolsington-newcastle/|website=abct.org.uk|access-date=3 March 2017|language=en}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

=Bibliography=

  • {{cite book |last=Delve |first=Ken |title=The military airfields of Britain - Northern England |location=Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK |publisher=Crowood Press |year=2006 |isbn=1-86126-809-2 }}
  • {{cite book |last=Lake |first=Alan |title=Flying Units of the RAF |location=Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK |publisher=Airlife |year=1999 |isbn=1-84037-086-6}}

External links

  • [http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20100405140855/http://airfields.fotopic.net/c1375825.html fotopic page]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20081120171428/http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/wwwfileroot/regen/locallist/tyne_and_wear_defence_sites.pdf Report on 20th Century defence sites in Tyne and Wear]

{{Coord|55|02|15|N|01|41|30|W|type:airport_region:GB-NET|display=title}}

{{Royal Air Force}}

{{Royal Air Force stations in Northumberland}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woolsington}}

Category:Royal Air Force stations in Northumberland

Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom