RAF Oulton

Royal Air Force Oulton is located to the west of the market town of Aylsham in Norfolk and 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.

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
Squadron Aircraft Dates at RAF Oulton
114 Blenheim Mk.IV July 1940 to March 1941[2][3]
18 Blenheim Mk.IV April 1941 to July 1941 and November to December 1941[1]
139 Blenheim Mk.IV December 1941 to February 1942[2][1]
1428 Hudson Conversion Flight Hudson Mk.III December 1941 to May 1942[1]
236 Beaufighter Mk.IC July 1942 to September 1942[1]
88 Boston Mk.III and IIIA September 1942[1] to March 1943
21 Ventura Mk.I and II April 1943 to September 1943[1]
1699 (Bomber Support) Flight Fortress May 1944[1] to June 1945
214 Fortress May 1944 to July 1945[1]
803rd Bomb Squadron USAAF Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator May 1944 to August 1944[1]
223 Fortress and Liberator August 1944 to July 1945[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Bowyer 1990, p. 172.
  2. ^ a b c Air Pictorial October 1967, p. 373.
  3. ^ Bowyer 1990, pp. 171–172.

External links