RAF Silloth

RAF Silloth
IATA: none – ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Silloth
Built	1939
In use	1939-1960
Elevation AMSL	23 ft / 7 m
Coordinates	54°52′10″N 003°21′37″W / 54.86944°N 3.36028°WCoordinates: 54°52′10″N 003°21′37″W / 54.86944°N 3.36028°W
Map
RAF Silloth Location in Cumbria
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt
Operational dates.[1]

Royal Air Force Station Silloth or RAF Silloth is a former Royal Air Force station located 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east of Silloth, Cumbria, England and 6.7 miles (10.8 km) south-west of Kirkbride, Cumbria. The station was used by RAF Coastal Command

Station history

The airfield as camouflaged during World War II

The airfield was originally designed to be used by RAF Maintenance Command but was handed over to Coastal Command during November 1939.^[1] It had a satellite at RAF Hornby Hall.

Based units

• No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (OTU) using Avro Ansons, Bristol Beauforts and Bothas.^[1]
• No. 6 Operational Training Unit RAF with the Vickers Wellington and Anson.^[1]
• No. 215 Squadron RAF using the Wellington.^[2]
• No. 320 Squadron RAF using the Avro Anson I.^[3]
• No. 22 Maintenance Unit RAF.^[1]
• 1353 Target Towing Flight using the Supermarine Spitfire and the Vultee A-31 Vengeance.^[1]
• No. 5 Ferry Pool.^[1]

Current use

A large amount of the buildings survive including the hangars however the runways are in a bad condition.^[1]

A farmers market and Seacote Caravan Park occupy the outer edge of the airport. A number of private homes are found on the northwest side of the former airfield. Enkev, a natural fibre company has their UK office at airfield (Enkev House).

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Citations

1. "RAF Silloth". Control Towers. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
2. Jefford 1988, p. 71.
3. Jefford 1988, p. 86.

Bibliography

• Jefford MBE, Wg Cdr C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.

External links