Royal Flying Corps airfields
 |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2016) |
A list of airfields of the Royal Flying Corps.
British Isles
[edit]| Name | From | To | Current county | Country | Current use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andover | August 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Hampshire | England | British Army Headquarters |
| Anwick | September 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland |
| Ashington | October 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Northumberland | England | Potland Burn Surface Mine |
| Ayr | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Ayrshire | Scotland | Ayr Racecourse |
| Bacton | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Norfolk | England | |
| Baldonnel | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Co. Dublin | Ireland | Headquarters Irish Air Corps |
| Beaulieu | 1914 | 1 April 1918 | Hampshire | England | Open land |
| Beaumont Night Landing Ground | April 1916 | August 1916 | Essex | farmland | |
| Beddington Aerodrome | January 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Greater London | England | Housing |
| Bekesbourne | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | Housing/Farmland |
| Beverley Aerodrome | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | East Yorkshire | England | Beverley Racecourse[1] |
| Bicester | January 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Oxfordshire | England | Bicester Airfield |
| Biggin Hill | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Greater London | England | London Biggin Hill Airport |
| Blackheath Common NLG | March 1915 | July 1919 | Essex | farmland (army) | |
| Bogton | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Ayrshire | Scotland | |
| Boscombe Down | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Wiltshire | England | Military airfield |
| Bournes Green day LG | May 1917 | June 1917 | Essex | farmland | |
| Bracebridge Heath Landing Ground | 1918 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Industry/Agriculture |
| Braceby Landing Ground | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | |
| Braintree NLG | end of January 1917 | October 1918 | Essex | farmland/housing estate roads | |
| Bramham Moor Aerodrome | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Yorkshire | England | Now farmland |
| Brattleby (Cliff) | 1916 | 1917 | Lincolnshire | England | RAF Scampton (flying) |
| Brentingby | 1916 | 1916 | Leicestershire | England | Farmland |
| Brooklands Landing Ground | 1914 | 1 April 1918 | Surrey | England | Brooklands Museum |
| Broomfield Court NLG | August 1916 | August 1919 | Essex | farmland | |
| Brough Landing Ground | 1916 | 1916 | East Yorkshire | England | |
| Buckminster | 1 October 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland |
| Burgh Castle Landing Ground | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Suffolk | England | |
| Burnham-on-Crouch FS | 1915 | July 1919 | Essex | Farmland | |
| Bury/Ramsey | September 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Cambridgeshire | England | Farmland/Housing/Industry |
| Bury St Edmunds Landing Ground | 1916 | 1916 | Suffolk | England | |
| Calshot Naval Air Station | 29 March 1913 | July 1914 | Isle of Wight | England | Calshot Activities Centre |
| Castle Bromwich | 1918 | 1 April 1918 | West Midlands | England | Industry/ Housing |
| Catterick | September 1914 | 1 April 1918 | North Yorkshire | England | Marne Barracks |
| Chattis Hill | 1917 | 1918 | Hampshire | England | |
| Chiddingstone Causeway | December 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | Open land |
| Chingford FS | December 1914 | March 1919 | Essex | reservoirs | |
| Clacton seaplane station | August 1914 | Autumn 1916 | Essex | seafront | |
| Coal Aston | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Yorkshire | England | |
| Collinstown | 1 April 1918 | Co. Dublin | Ireland | Dublin Airport | |
| Copmanthorpe | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | North Yorkshire | England | |
| Coventry (Radford) | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Warwickshire | England | |
| Cramlington | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Northumberland | England | |
| Curragh Camp | 1913 | 1 April 1918 | Co. Kildare | Ireland | Irish Army barracks |
| Detling | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | |
| Didsbury | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Lancashire | England | |
| Doncaster | 1916 | 1918 | South Yorkshire | England | Doncaster Racecourse |
| Dover (Swingate Down) | 1914 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | |
| Eastburn | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | East Yorkshire | England | Alamein Barracks |
| Easington | Oct 1916 | Mar 1919 | Co. Durham | England | farmland |
| Easthorpe | April 1916 | December 1919 | Essex | England | farmland |
| Eastleigh | 1910 | 1 April 1918 | Hampshire | England | Southampton Airport[2] |
| Easton-on-the-Hill | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Northamptonshire | England | RAF Wittering (flying) |
| East Hanningfield NLG | April 1916 | January 1917 | Essex | farmland | |
| East Retford | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Nottinghamshire | England | |
| Edzell | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Angus | Scotland | Farmland |
| Elmswell (Great Ashfield) | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Suffolk | England | |
| Elsham | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland/Industrial estate |
| Fairlop FS | 1916 | summer 1919 | Essex | sports fields/car sales/WW1 officers' bungalows remain | |
| Farnborough | 1912 | 1 April 1918 | Hampshire | England | Farnborough Airport |
| Feltwell | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Norfolk | England | |
| Fermoy | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Co. Cork | Ireland | |
| Filton | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Gloucestershire | England | Bristol Filton Airport |
| Finningley | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | South Yorkshire | England | Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield |
| Folkestone/Hawkinge | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | Housing/Kent Battle of Britain Museum |
| Ford Farm/Old Sarum | August 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Wiltshire | England | Old Sarum Airfield |
| Ford (Junction)/Yapton | 1 March 1918 | 1 April 1918 | West Sussex | England | HM Prison Ford |
| Fyfield NLG | October 1916 | December 1919 | Essex | farmland | |
| Goldhanger FS | August 1915 | March 1919 | Essex | farmland | |
| Goldington Aerodrome | October 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Bedfordshire | England | Housing |
| Gormanstown | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Co. Meath | Ireland | Irish Army barracks |
| Gosberton | 1 October 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | |
| Gosport, Fort Grange | July 1914 | 1 April 1918 | Hampshire | England | HMS Sultan |
| Goxhill | ? | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland/Industrial estate |
| Grantham | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Prince William of Gloucester Barracks |
| Hainault Farm FS | October 1914 | December 1919 | was Essex, now Greater London | farmland | |
| Halton | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Buckinghamshire | England | RAF Halton (flying) |
| Harpswell | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland/ Museum |
| Harlaxton | Nov 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland |
| Harrietsham | December 1916 | ? | Kent | England | ? |
| Helperby | 1916 | 1920 | North Yorkshire | England | Farmland[3] |
| Hendon Aerodrome | November 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Greater London | England | Royal Air Force Museum London Housing |
| Heathfield | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Ayrshire | Scotland | Housing/Retail |
| Hingham | 1916 | 1917 | Norfolk | England | |
| Hooton Park | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Cheshire | England | Museum & Vauxhall car factory |
| Horndon-on-the-Hill | April 1916 | early 1918 | Essex | farmland | |
| Hove | East Sussex | England | |||
| Hucknall Aerodrome | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Nottinghamshire | England | Housing |
| Hounslow Heath Aerodrome | 14 October 1914 | 1 April 1918 | Greater London | England | Open land |
| Hylton | October 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Tyne & Wear | England | Nissan car factory North East Aircraft Museum |
| Jesson (Hythe) | September 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | Farmland |
| Joyce Green | 14 July 1911 | December 1919 | Kent | England | Open land |
| Kenley | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Greater London | England | RAF Kenley |
| Lake Down | 1917 | 1919 | Wiltshire | England | Open land |
| Larkhill | 1912 | 1914 | Wiltshire | England | (MoD land) – Artillery training |
| Leadenham | September 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland/Quarry |
| Leavesden Aerodrome | Hertfordshire | England | Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden Housing | ||
| Lilbourne | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Warwickshire | England | Open land |
| Little Clacton NLG | October 1916 | July 1919 | Essex | sports grounds/housing | |
| London Colney | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Hertfordshire | England | de Havilland Aircraft Museum |
| Lopcombe Corner | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Wiltshire | England | |
| Lydd St Mary | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | |
| Lympne | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | |
| Manston | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | Manston Airport |
| Manton | December 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland |
| Marden | January 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | Farmland |
| Marham | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Norfolk | England | RAF Marham (flying)[4] |
| Marske-by-the-Sea | December 1917 | 1 April 1918 | North Yorkshire | England | Housing |
| Martlesham Heath | October 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Suffolk | England | Housing |
| Mattishall | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Norfolk | England | |
| Melton Mowbray | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Leicestershire | England | |
| Mill Farm Night Landing Ground | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland |
| Molesworth | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Cambridgeshire | England | RAF Molesworth (non-flying) |
| Montrose Air Station | 26 February 1913 | 1 April 1918 | Angus | Scotland | Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre |
| Mountnessing NLG | April 1916 | December 1916 | Essex | farmland | |
| Narborough | August 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Norfolk | England | RAF Marham (flying)[5] |
| Netheravon | 16 June 1913 | 1 April 1918 | Wiltshire | England | AAC Netheravon until 2012 |
| North Benfleet NLG | April 1916 | March 1919 | Essex | farmland/new arterial road | |
| North Coates Fitties | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland/Housing North Coates Flying Club |
| North Killingholme | July 1914 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland/Industry |
| North Ockendon NLG | April 1916 | October 1916 | Essex | farmland | |
| Northolt | 3 May 1915 | 1 April 1918 | Greater London | England | RAF Northolt (flying) |
| Orsett NLG | October 1916 | December 1919 | Essex | farmland/housing/golf course | |
| Perton | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Staffordshire | England | Housing |
| Plungar | Leicestershire | England | |||
| Redcar | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | North Yorkshire | England | Housing |
| Red House Farm | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Wiltshire | England | MoD Boscombe Down (flying) |
| Ripon | 15 September 1916 | 1 April 1918 | North Yorkshire | England | Ripon Racecourse |
| Rochford FS | Autumn 1915 | 1920 | Essex | airfield | |
| Runwell NLG | August 1917 | March 1920 | Essex | farmland | |
| Sadberge[6] | Co. Durham | England | Farmland | ||
| Saundby Aerodrome (Gainsborough)[7] | December 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Nottinghamshire | England | Farmland |
| Scalford | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Leicestershire | England | |
| Seaton Carew | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Co. Durham | England | Industrial estate |
| Sedgeford | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Norfolk | England | Farmland |
| Shawbury | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Shropshire | England | RAF Shawbury (flying) |
| Shenfield (Palmers Farm) NLG | September 1916 | February 1919 | Essex | farmland | |
| Shotwick | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Flintshire | Wales | MoD Sealand (non-flying) |
| Sible Hedingham NLG | April 1916 | June 1919 | Essex | farmland | |
| South Carlton | November 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland |
| Southfields | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Northumberland | England | HM Prisons Acklington & Castington |
| Stirling | 1916 | 1918 | Stirling | Scotland | Farmland |
| Stow Maries Aerodrome | August 1916 | March 1919 | Essex | England | airfield/Heritage Site |
| Sutton's Farm FS | summer 1915 | June 1919 | was Essex, now Greater London | part housing, part public open space | |
| Swinstead | Leicestershire | England | |||
| Tallaght | 1918 | South Dublin | Ireland | ||
| Tangmere | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | West Sussex | England | Tangmere Military Aviation Museum |
| Thaxted NLG | January 1917 | summer 1918 | Essex | farmland | |
| Throwley Aerodrome | October 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | Farmland |
| Ternhill | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Shropshire | England | RAF Ternhill/Clive Barracks |
| Turnberry | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Ayrshire | Scotland | Turnberry Golf Course |
| Turnhouse Aerodrome | 1915 | 1 April 1918 | City of Edinburgh | Scotland | Edinburgh Airport |
| Tydd St Mary | August 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland |
| Upavon | 19 June 1912 | 1 April 1918 | Wiltshire | England | Trenchard Lines |
| Uxbridge | 19 November 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Greater London | England | RAF Uxbridge/Housing |
| Vale Farm, Thornaby (Yarm) | 1914 | 1 April 1918 | North Yorkshire | England | Housing/Industry |
| Waddington | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | RAF Waddington (flying) |
| Waddon Aerodrome | 1918 | 1 April 1918 | Greater London | England | Housing |
| Wellingore Heath | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | Farmland |
| West Fenton Aerodrome/Gullane | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | East Lothian | Scotland | Museum |
| Weston-on-the-Green | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Oxfordshire | England | RAF Weston-on-the-Green (flying) |
| Widford NLG | December 1914 | summer 1916 | Essex | part farmland, part industry | |
| Stamford | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Lincolnshire | England | RAF Wittering (flying) |
| Wormingford NLG | December 1916 | June 1919 | Essex | England | farmland/WW2 airfield/gliding |
| Worthy Down | 1917 | 1 April 1918 | Hampshire | England | Worthy Down Barracks |
| Writtle NLG | October 1914 | November 1916 | Essex | farmland/nurseries | |
| Wye | May 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Kent | England | Farmland |
| Wyton | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Huntingdonshire | England | RAF Wyton (flying) |
| Yatesbury | 1916 | 1 April 1918 | Wiltshire | England | |
| Yokes Court | February 1917 | November 1917 | Kent | England |
France
[edit]- Saint-Omer, France, 1914–1918 (Headquarters) - now Saint-Omer Wizernes Airport and site of British Air Services Memorial
- Candas No 2 Aircraft Depot (2AD) formed 13.12.15 - Spring 1918[8]
- Fienvillers No 2 Aeroplane Supply Depot (2ASD) formed 1.11.17[8]
- Rang-du-Fliers 2AD moved after German Spring Offensive[8]
- St Andre aux Bois/Verton 2ASD moved after German Spring Offensive[8]
- Saint-Léger-lès-Authie[9]
- Sombrin (Vaulx-Vraucourt)[10]
Canada
[edit]The Royal Flying Corps Canada was established by the RFC in 1917 to train aircrew in Canada. Air stations were established in southern Ontario at the following locations:
- Camp Borden 1917–1918
- Armour Heights Field 1917–1918 (pilot training, School of Special Flying to train instructors)
- Leaside Aerodrome 1917–1918 (Artillery Cooperation School)
- Long Branch Aerodrome 1917–1918
- Curtiss School of Aviation (flying-boat station with temporary wooden hangar on the beach at Hanlan's Point on Toronto Island 1915–1918; main school, airstrip and metal hangar facilities at Long Branch)
- Camp Rathbun, Deseronto 1917–1918 (pilot training)
- Camp Mohawk (now Tyendinaga (Mohawk) Airport) 1917-1918 – located at the Tyendinaga Indian Reserve (now Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory) near Belleville 1917–1918 (pilot training)
- Hamilton (Armament School) 1917–1918
- Beamsville Camp (School of Aerial Fighting) 1917-1918 - located at 4222 Saan Road in Beamsville, Ontario; hangar remains and property now used by Global Horticultural Incorporated
Other locations
[edit]- Ismailia, Egypt (training - No. 57 TS, 32 (Training) Wing HQ) - now Al Ismailiyah Air Base
- Aboukir, Egypt 1916–1918 (training - No. 22 TS & No. 23 TS, 20 (Training) Wing HQ)
- Abu Sueir, Egypt 1917-1918 (training - No. 57 TS & No. 195 TS) - now Abu Suwayr Air Base, also used by RAF during World War II
- El Ferdan, Egypt (training – No. 17 TDS)
- El Rimal, Egypt 1917-1918 (training – No. 19 TDS) - later as RAF El Amiriya and now abandoned (after World War II)
- Camp Taliaferro, North Texas, USA 1917–1918 (training) - sites now either residential development or commercial/industrial parks
References
[edit]- ^ Administrator. "RFC Beverley". hullandeastridingatwar.co.uk.
- ^ "Naval Air Station Eastleigh". Retrieved 29 March 2022.
- ^ "Helperby (Brafferton) - Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust UK". www.abct.org.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "RAF Marham - RAF Marham 1916 - 1919". Archived from the original on 13 July 2007.
- ^ "RAF Marham - Narborough Aerodrome". Archived from the original on 29 October 2007.
- ^ "Sadberge Landing Ground".
- ^ "Beckingham cum Saundby ..."
- ^ a b c d RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Air-Britain (Historians). 2007. ISBN 978-0-85130-365-9.
- ^ Philpott, Ian (2013). The Birth of the Royal Air Force. Pen & Sword. p. 452. ISBN 978-1781593332.
- ^ Cross & Cockade Vol 4 No 3 1973 pp. 114–117 and papers of Lt H. Rhodes (12 Squadron).
| Command structure |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Airfields | ||
| Aircraft | ||
| Personnel | ||
| World War I | ||