RAF Wyton is a
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
station near St. Ives,
CambridgeshireCambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station
RAF Brampton Wyton HenlowRAF Brampton Wyton Henlow is an RAF unit covering 3 distinct sites in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The three sites, separately known as RAF Brampton, RAF Wyton and RAF Henlow, house a number of flying training, intelligence, security and other RAF support organisations.-RAF Brampton:**Joint Air...
, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases,
RAF BramptonRAF Brampton is a Royal Air Force station near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. Formerly the home of RAF Support Command, it now houses several elements of Defence Equipment & Support , which itself was a result of a merger between the Defence Logistics Organisation and the Defence Procurement Agency...
and
RAF HenlowRAF Henlow is a Royal Air Force station in Bedfordshire, England, equidistant from Bedford, Luton and Stevenage. It houses the Centre of Aviation Medicine, the RAF Signals museum and the 616 Volunteer Gliding Squadron.- History :...
. Wyton is the largest of the three. It is home to
Equipment Support (Air) and
Corporate Technical Services. The airfield is used for flying training by 57(R) Squadron EFT, the
University Air SquadronUniversity Air Squadrons are training units of the Royal Air Force which primarily provide basic flying training and adventurous training to undergraduate students at British universities...
s of London and Cambridge and No 5
Air Experience FlightAn Air Experience Flight is a training unit of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve whose main purpose is to give introductory flying experience to Air Cadets or the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force.- History :...
.
Wyton has been a military airfield since 1916, when it was used for training by the
Royal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance...
.
RAF Wyton is a
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
station near St. Ives,
CambridgeshireCambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station
RAF Brampton Wyton HenlowRAF Brampton Wyton Henlow is an RAF unit covering 3 distinct sites in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The three sites, separately known as RAF Brampton, RAF Wyton and RAF Henlow, house a number of flying training, intelligence, security and other RAF support organisations.-RAF Brampton:**Joint Air...
, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases,
RAF BramptonRAF Brampton is a Royal Air Force station near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. Formerly the home of RAF Support Command, it now houses several elements of Defence Equipment & Support , which itself was a result of a merger between the Defence Logistics Organisation and the Defence Procurement Agency...
and
RAF HenlowRAF Henlow is a Royal Air Force station in Bedfordshire, England, equidistant from Bedford, Luton and Stevenage. It houses the Centre of Aviation Medicine, the RAF Signals museum and the 616 Volunteer Gliding Squadron.- History :...
. Wyton is the largest of the three. It is home to
Equipment Support (Air) and
Corporate Technical Services. The airfield is used for flying training by 57(R) Squadron EFT, the
University Air SquadronUniversity Air Squadrons are training units of the Royal Air Force which primarily provide basic flying training and adventurous training to undergraduate students at British universities...
s of London and Cambridge and No 5
Air Experience FlightAn Air Experience Flight is a training unit of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve whose main purpose is to give introductory flying experience to Air Cadets or the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force.- History :...
.
Wyton has been a military airfield since 1916, when it was used for training by the
Royal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance...
. In 1935 it was upgraded to contemporary standards. During
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was used primarily as a bomber base, flying
Bristol BlenheimThe Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was later adapted into a successful long-range and night fighter...
,
de Havilland MosquitoThe de Havilland Mosquito was a British combat aircraft that excelled in versatility during the Second World War. Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, the Mosquito adapted to many other roles in during the air war in both the Pacific theatre of Operations and the European theatre,...
and
Avro LancasterThe Avro Lancaster was a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF and squadrons from other...
aircraft. In 1942 it became the home of the Pathfinder Force under the command of
Group CaptainGroup Captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above Wing Commander and immediately below Air Commodore...
Don BennettAir Vice Marshal Donald Clifford Tyndall Bennett CB CBE DSO RAF was an Australian aviation pioneer and bomber pilot who rose to be the youngest Air Vice-Marshal in the Royal Air Force. He led the "Pathfinder Force" from 1942 to the end of the Second World War in 1945...
.
After the war Wyton became home to the Strategic Reconnaissance Force, adding
English Electric CanberraThe English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. It proved to be highly adaptable, serving in such varied roles for tactical bombing, photographic, electronic, and meteorological reconnaissance...
to the aircraft flown.
Vickers ValiantThe Vickers-Armstrongs Valiant was a British four-jet bomber, once part of the Royal Air Force's V bomber force.The Valiant was originally developed for use as high-level strategic bomber. When the other V-bombers came into use it was also used as a tanker. However, when the RAF moved to low-level...
s, modified for reconnaissance, moved there in 1955 and a
Handley Page VictorThe Handley Page Victor was a British jet bomber aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company. It was the third and final of the "V bombers" which provided Britain's nuclear deterrent...
in 1959. Provision was made to store nuclear weapons if necessary.
The Victor belonged to a separate Radar Reconnaissance Flight (initially of one aircraft - rising to three by the time RRF was disbanded in 1962) to supplement the work of the Valiants of 543 Sqn. The Canberras of 58 Sqn were a mix of PR7 and PR 9s.
Also based at RAF Wyton were the T17 and T17A Canberras of 360 Sqn, the only joint RAF and
RNThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
Sqn specialising in ECM training. In the early 90's one of its pilots was Ft Lt
Rory UnderwoodRory Underwood MBE is a former English rugby union footballer who played wing for, most notably, Leicester Tigers and Bedford. He represented England and the British Lions and is a former Royal Air Force pilot. He was educated at Barnard Castle School and RAF College Cranwell...
. Other residents at RAF Wyton were 100 Sqn with a mixture of Canberra types in the Targeting Role also resident but "never officially present" were the three Nimrod R1s belonging to 51 Sqn used in the Elint and Sigint role.
RAF Wyton hosts the annual
Pathfinder MarchThe Pathfinder March is an annual 46-mile long-distance walk in Cambridgeshire, England. The walk, which typically draws between three- and five-hundred participants, commemorates the role of the Royal Air Force Pathfinder Force in the Second World War.The event, beginning and ending at the Royal...
, a 46 mile walk which starts and finishes at RAF Wyton.
During the middle 1990's, RAF Wyton hosted an RAF-sponsored Microlight club. Boasting a small group of flex-wing microlight & 3 Axis aircraft, there was a thriving flight school with two instructors. Former Chief inspector of BMAA David Marshall & Training Instructor Pilot Paul Foggoa, The school was based in the old crash building - the original purpose of which was to house the crash-rescue fire engines. The success of the club, and the inclusion of non-RAF members, led to the club expanding to the corner of one of the large hangars.
Operational units
-
- 57(R) Squadron
-History:57 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed on 8 June 1916 at Copmanthorpe, Yorkshire. In December 1916 the squadron was posted to France equipped with the FE2d. The squadron re-equipped with Airco DH4s in May 1917 and commenced long range bombing and reconnaissance operations near...
- Cambridge University Air Squadron
University Air Squadrons are training units of the Royal Air Force which primarily provide basic flying training and adventurous training to undergraduate students at British universities...
- London University Air Squadron
University Air Squadrons are training units of the Royal Air Force which primarily provide basic flying training and adventurous training to undergraduate students at British universities...
- 5 Air Experience Flight
An Air Experience Flight is a training unit of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve whose main purpose is to give introductory flying experience to Air Cadets or the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force.- History :...
- Defence Equipment & Support
Defence Equipment and Support is the name of the merged procurement and support organisation within the UK Ministry of Defence. It came into being on 2 April 2007, bringing together the MoD's Defence Procurement Agency and the Defence Logistics Organisation under the leadership of General Sir...
- RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow HQ Wing
External links