RAF Oulton
Oulton, near Aylsham, Norfolk in England
Aerial photograph of Oulton airfield 20 April 1944
RAF Oulton is located in Norfolk
RAF Oulton
RAF Oulton
Shown within Norfolk
Coordinates52°47′57″N 001°10′53″E / 52.79917°N 1.18139°E / 52.79917; 1.18139
TypeRoyal Air Force Satellite station
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
In use1940-1952 (1952)
Garrison information
GarrisonNo. 2 Group RAF
No. 3 Group RAF
No. 100 Group RAF
Airfield information
Elevation47 metres (154 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
06/24 1,220 metres (4,003 ft) Concrete
12/30 1,760 metres (5,774 ft) Concrete
16/34 1,350 metres (4,429 ft) Concrete

Royal Air Force Oulton or more simply RAF Oulton is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Aylsham, Norfolk and 12.5 miles (20.1 km) northwest of Norwich, Norfolk, England.

The airfield was built over 1939 and 1940 as a bomber airfield with T2 type hangars and grass runways, the facility operating as a satellite airfield of nearby RAF Horsham St. Faith between July 1940 and September 1942 after which it operated as a satellite airfield of RAF Swanton Morley.

History

In September 1943, Oulton was transferred from 2 Group to 3 Group and closed to flying for re-construction as a heavy bomber base with concrete runways, taxiways and parking areas. The work was completed in April 1944 and the airfield transferred to No. 100 Group RAF.[1] Flying operations ceased at the end of July 1945, after which it was taken over by RAF Maintenance Command which used it to store de Havilland Mosquitos until November 1947.[2]

RAF Oulton Order of Battle
SquadronAircraftDates at RAF Oulton
114 Blenheim Mk.IVJuly 1940 to March 1941[2][3]
18 Blenheim Mk.IVApril 1941 to July 1941 and November to December 1941[1]
139 Blenheim Mk.IVDecember 1941 to February 1942[1][2]
1428 Hudson Conversion Flight Hudson Mk.IIIDecember 1941 to May 1942[1]
236 Beaufighter Mk.ICJuly 1942 to September 1942[1]
88 Boston Mk.III and IIIASeptember 1942[1] to March 1943
21 Ventura Mk.I and IIApril 1943 to September 1943[1]
No. 1699 (Bomber Support) Flight RAF FortressMay 1944[1] to June 1945
214 FortressMay 1944 to July 1945[1]
803rd Bomb Squadron Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 LiberatorMay 1944 to August 1944[1]
223 Flying Fortress and LiberatorAugust 1944 to July 1945[1]
Additional Units
[4]

Current use

The site is now farmland.[4]

Museum

The RAF Oulton Museum is housed on the Blickling Hall estate, belonging to the National Trust.[5]

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Bowyer 1990, p. 172.
  2. 1 2 3 Air Pictorial October 1967, p. 373.
  3. ↑ Bowyer 1990, pp. 171–172.
  4. 1 2 "Oulton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Blickling Estate's RAF Oulton museum". National Trust. Retrieved 8 November 2019.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, J.F. Action Stations 1: Wartime military airfields of East Anglia 1939. Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited, Second edition, 1990. ISBN 1-85260-377-1.
  • "Your Questions Answered...Oulton, Norfolk". Air Pictorial, October 1967. p. 373.
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