RAF Langham

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name = Royal Air Force Station Langham


caption = Station crest
dates = May 1940 – 1961
country = United Kingdom
branch = Royal Air Force
command_structure =
type = Flying station
role = Coastal Command
size =
current_commander =
garrison = Norwich, Norfolk, England
garrison_label = Based near
ceremonial_chief =
ceremonial_chief_label =
colonel_of_the_regiment =
colonel_of_the_regiment_label =
nickname =
motto =
colors =
colors_label = Royal Air Force Ensign
march = Royal Air Force March Past
mascot =
equipment = Fairey Swordfish,
Bristol Beaufighter,
Vickers Wellington,
B-17 Flying Fortress
battles =
notable_commanders =
identification_symbol =
identification_symbol_label = Station crest heraldry
anniversaries =

The former Royal Air Force Station Langham, more commonly known as RAF Langham was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, 15 miles North-West of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, from 1940 to 1961.

History

The airfield was originally equipped with three grass runways. Originally opened as a satellite station for RAF Bircham Newton, the station became independent in 1942, when it was upgraded with concrete runways, perimeter track and hardstandings, and there is evidence to suggest that it was equipped with the FIDO fog dispersal system [ [http://members.aol.com/geogaddi9/lang.htm FIDO pipes at Langham] ] .

In 1947 the station was placed into care and maintenance, but it was reactivated during the Korean War. It was later used as an emergency landing strip for RAF Sculthorpe, before final closure in 1961.

Current Use

The station was purchased by Bernard Matthews, who constructed turkey sheds on the runways. The turkey farm is now operated by another farmer, but the construction of the sheds has preserved large sections of the runways [ [http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/582230 Turkey sheds on runway at Langham] ] .

Surviving buildings on the site include the control tower and a dome trainer building used for the instruction of ground to air anti-aircraft gunnery [ [http://lincolnshireairfields.fotopic.net/c1015072.html Views of Langham airfield] ] .

Langham Aicraft

Several types of aircraft have operated out of Langham, among these:
*Fairey Swordfish
*Bristol Beaufighter
*Vickers Wellington
*B-17 Flying Fortress

Langham Squadrons

* No. 455 Squadron RAAF
* No. 489 Squadron RNZAF
* No. 524 Squadron RAF
* No. 521 Squadron RAF

References

External links

* [http://www.rafbnmp.org.uk/langham.htm Bircham Newton Memorial Project]

ee also

*Royal Air Force station
*List of RAF stations
*List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons