RAF Wyton

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RAF Wyton
IATA: QUY - ICAO: EGQY
Summary
Airport type		Military
Operator		Royal Air Force
Serves		St Ives, Cambridgeshire
Elevation AMSL		135 ft (41 m)
Coordinates		52°21′26″N, 000°06′28″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
09/27	8,225	2,507	Asphalt
15/33	2,500	762	Asphalt

RAF Wyton (IATA: QUY, ICAO: EGQY) is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.

In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It is home to Equipment Support (Air) and Corporate Technical Services. The only flying activity is the University Air Squadrons of London and Cambridge, and No 5 Air Experience Flight.

Wyton has been a military airfield since 1916, when it was used for training by the Royal Flying Corps. In 1935 it was upgraded to contemporary standards. During World War II it was used primarily as a bomber base, flying Bristol Blenheim, de Havilland Mosquito and Avro Lancaster aircraft. In 1942 it became the home of the Pathfinder Force under the command of Group Captain Don Bennett.

After the war Wyton became home to the Strategic Reconnaissance Force, adding English Electric Canberra to the aircraft flown. Vickers Valiants, modified for reconnaissance, moved there in 1955 and a Handley Page Victor in 1959. Provision was made to store nuclear weapons if necessary.

The Victor belonged to a separate Radar Reconnaissance flight (of one aircraft) 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 RN Sqn specialising in ECM training. In the early 90's one of its pilots was Ft Lt Rory Underwood.

RAF Wyton hosts the annual Pathfinder March, a 46 mile walk which starts and finishes at RAF Wyton.