RAF Mepal

Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OwnerAir Ministry/Ministry of Defence
OperatorRoyal Air Force
LocationMepal, Cambridgeshire
Built1942
In use1943–1963
Coordinates52°23′44″N 000°07′11″E / 52.39556°N 0.11972°E / 52.39556; 0.11972
Map
Mepal Airfield is located in Cambridgeshire
Mepal Airfield
Mepal Airfield
Location in Cambridgeshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
08/26 0 0 Concrete
05/23 0 0 Concrete
14/32 0 0 Concrete
Runway information[1]

RAF Mepal is a former RAF station located 0.7 miles (1.1 km) south of Mepal, Cambridgeshire, England and 5.9 miles (9.5 km) west of Ely. Construction commenced in July 1942 and opened in June 1943.[1][2]

History

Mepal first hosted No. 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF flying Short Stirlings and later Avro Lancasters.[3]

Tiger Force

It was used towards the end of the Second World War to prepare Avro Lancaster bombers squadrons such as No. 44 (Rhodesia) squadron for use in Tiger Force which was to bomb Japan.[4]

Thor missiles

From 1957 PGM-17 Thor missiles were based at the airfield in the north east corner.[1][5]

Current use

Very little remains of the original site, most of it razed to the ground after the USAF and their Thor missiles left. The site is now the Elean business park and is home to the world's only straw burning power station and a few manufacturing and warehousing operations. A small memorial plaque is in place at the entrance to the site.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Bomber Command – Mepal". Ministry of Defence – Royal Air Force. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "Mepal". Control Towers. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "Mepal". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "RAF Mepal". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  5. ↑ "RAF Mepal Thor Missile Site". English Heritage – Pastscape. Retrieved 24 April 2012.

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