RAF Mepal

RAF Mepal
Summary
Airport type Military
Owner Air Ministry/Ministry of Defence
Operator Royal Air Force
Location Mepal, Cambridgeshire
Built 1942
In use 1943-1963
Coordinates 52°23′44″N 000°07′11″E / 52.39556°N 0.11972°E / 52.39556; 0.11972
Map
Mepal Airfield

Location in Cambridgeshire

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
08/26 0 0 Concrete
05/23 0 0 Concrete
14/32 0 0 Concrete
Runway information[1]

RAF Mepal is a former RAF station located 0.7 miles (1.1 km) south of Mepal, Cambridgeshire, England and 5.9 miles (9.5 km) west of Ely. Construction commenced in July 1942 and opened in June 1943.[1][2]

History

Mepal first hosted No. 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF flying Short Stirlings and later Avro Lancasters.[3]

Tiger Force

It was used towards the end of the Second World War to prepare Avro Lancaster bombers squadrons such as No. 44 (Rhodesia) squadron for use in Tiger Force which was to bomb Japan.[4]

Thor missiles

From 1957 PGM-17 Thor missiles were based at the airfield in the north east corner.[1][5]

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 "Bomber Command - Mepal". Ministry of Defence - Royal Air Force. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  2. ↑ "Mepal". Control Towers. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "Mepal". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "RAF Mepal". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  5. ↑ "RAF Mepal Thor Missile Site". English Heritage - Pastscape. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
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