RAF Little Snoring

RAF Little Snoring
Near Little Snoring, Norfolk in England
RAF Little Snoring
Shown within Norfolk
Coordinates 52°51′43″N 000°54′52″E / 52.86194°N 0.91444°ECoordinates: 52°51′43″N 000°54′52″E / 52.86194°N 0.91444°E
Type Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner Air Ministry
Operator Royal Air Force
Site history
Built 1943
In use 1943-1958
Airfield information
Elevation 48 metres (157 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
01/19 1,280 metres (4,199 ft) Concrete
07/25 1,830 metres (6,004 ft) Concrete
13/31 1,280 metres (4,199 ft) Concrete

Royal Air Force Little Snoring or more simply RAF Little Snoring is a former Royal Air Force station located north of the Norfolk village of Little Snoring. The airfield remains open for general aviation use as Little Snoring Airfield.[1][2]

History

The station opened in July 1943[3] and was built to be a satellite station and dispersal for RAF Foulsham which is 6.0 miles (9.7 km) south-east of Little Snoring. Just a month after the station became operational, the stations status changed when No 3 Bomber Group gave the station full status.

Squadron Period Aircraft
23 Squadron 1944–1945 de Havilland Mosquito VI and XX
115 Squadron 1943[4] Avro Lancaster II
141 Squadron 1945 de Havilland Mosquito XXX
169 Squadron 1943–1944 de Havilland Mosquito II
515 Squadron 1943–1945 Bristol Beaufighter, de Havilland Mosquito II and VI
1678 Heavy Conversion Flight 1943 Avro Lancaster II

After this the airfield was retained on a care and maintenance until an anti-aircraft co-operation unit on civilian contract operated from Little Snoring for several years during the 1950s. Spitfires were the main type used, but were replaced by Vampires before the unit was disbanded in 1958.[5]

Current use

The site is currently used as Little Snoring Airfield, operated by the McAully Flying Group, formerly the Fakenham Flying Group. Airfield facilities include a private hangar and a clubhouse with pre-flight briefing facilities, kitchen and toilets.[6] The eastern and southern parts of all three runways have been removed but the remainder are retained for flying.

The airfield is also used for aircraft manufacturing, The Light Aircraft Company has an aircraft maintenance facility which produces the Sherwood Ranger microlite.[7]

The former mortuary is now a toilet and shower block at the villages' camp site. The site also features an air raid shelter and concrete pads for vehicles and temporary buildings.

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Moyes 1976, p. 162.
  2. ↑ Control Towers website (accessed 24/05/11)
  3. ↑ Smith, Graham (2007). Norfolk Airfields in the Second World War. Section 17 – Little Snoring – Reference to location, usage and operational timeline (Countryside Books). p. 147. ISBN 9781853063206.
  4. ↑ Collins and Halladay 1982, p. 35.
  5. ↑ http://www.the-snorings.co.uk/places/airfield/airfield.html The Snorings Website
  6. ↑ http://www.mcaullyflyinggroup.org/little-snoring-airfield.aspx McAully Flying Group
  7. ↑ http://www.the-snorings.co.uk/places/airfield/airfield.html The Snorings website

Bibliography

  • Collins, Dick and Jim Halladay. Despite the Elements: The History of Number 115 Squadron, 1917-1982. Brize Norton, UK: Nettlebed Press, 1983.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Snoring "RAF Stations - L", Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

External links