RAF Saltby

Infobox Military Structure
name= Royal Air Force Station Saltby
USAAF Station 538
location= Located Near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
coordinates=coord|52|49|45|N|000|42|37|W|


caption= Saltby Airfield - 18 April 1944
type= Military airfield
code=SY
built=1942
builder=
materials=
height=
used=1942-1955
demolished=
condition=
ownership=
controlledby=United States Army Air Forces
Royal Air Force
garrison=Ninth Air Force
RAF Bomber Command
commanders=
occupants=314th Troop Carrier Group
battles= European Theatre of World War II
Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945 Location map|Leicestershire
label =
lat = 52.83
long = -0.71
caption = Map showing the location of RAF Saltby within Leicestershire.
float = right
background = white
width = 200

RAF Saltby was a World War II airfield in England located 8 miles NE of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. During World War II the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force as a troop carrier base. It was also known as USAAF station 538. The airfield code was "SY".

Overview

Built in 1942, Saltby airfield was built to the Class A standard with concrete runways and hardstands. It was built as a satellite for RAF Cottesmore and was first used by the Vickers Wellingtons of RAF No. 14 Operational Training Unit.

As one of the northern airfields allocited for USAAF troop carrier use, the OTU moved out in August 1943, following which runways were built by units of the RAF's No, 5352 Airfield Construction Wing. Saltby had Class A facilities with the standard runway lengths, a main of 6,000 ft and secondaries of 4,200 ft. aligned 07-25, 02-20 and 13-31. respectively. The 50 hardstands were 33 loops plus 17 pans. Originally a B-1 and two T-2 hangers were provided, however another two T-2s were added when the airfield was also used for the storage of 32 Horse gliders in 1943. The dispersed domestic sites catered for 2.414 persons.

USAAF Use

=314th Troop Carrier Group=

Although a US ground party arrived in December 1943, it was not until the following February that a C-47 group moved in. This was the 314th Troop Carrier Group with Douglas C-47 and C-53 Skytrain transports which flew in from Sicily. Having earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for its operations in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations since May 1943 with Twelfth Air Force. Operational squadrons and fuselage codes of the 314th were:

* 32d Troop Carrier Squadron (S2)
* 50th Troop Carrier Squadron (2R)
* 61st Troop Carrier Squadron (Q9)
* 62d Troop Carrier Squadron (E5)

The 314th TCG was part of the 52nd Troop Carrier Wing.

The group quickly set to work with the men of the 82nd Airborne Division who were deployed around the Leicester area engaging in practice drops and glider launches in preparation for the Battle of Normandy. This came on 6 June when 51 C-47 and nine C-53 aircraft of the 314th dropped paratroops in the dark hours, following up the next day with re-supply and reinforcement missions. One C-47 was shot down and many damaged in these operations for which the group later received a Distinguished Unit Citation.

Although tactical missions were the priority during the following months, much time was spent in hauling cargo into France.

The air operations over Holland in September was the next major combat involvement and, on the 17th, the 314th Troop Carrier Group despatched two serials to north of Renkum. The first, comprising 36 C-47s, dropped 595 paratroops and 120 parapacks (from under-wing racks). The second, of 33 C-47s and three C-53s, carried 520 paratroops and 128 parapacks. Two of the men refused to jump and 19 parapacks failed to release. Three C-47s suffered flak damage but none were lost.

The group was not so fortunate the next day when 69 C-47s and three C-53s set out from Saltby to drop more British paratroops. One C-47 was lost to small arms fire and three to flak. Unbowed, the group put up two serials on 21 September, one of 27 carrying 395 Polish parachutists, 112 parapacks, eight motor cycles, six bicycles and five mortar trolleys. The second serial of 33 planes carried 396 Polish paratroops and 116 parapacks (a total lift of 29,183lbs). The weather was bad and 14 aircraft had to turn hack and another 16 received battle damage from anti-aircraft fire encountered. The 314th was not called upon again until September 26, when 29 C-47s flew in troops and supplies to the airstrip at Kccnt.

Throughout the winter of 1944-45, the 314th spent much time flying supplies between continued training for delivery of paratroops for the next great enterprise. During the crisis caused by the Germans' Ardennes offensive, the group transported troop reinforcements from bases in southern England to France.

At the end of February 1945, a move was made to the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Poix, France (ALG B-44), the squadrons leaving Saltby in early March.

Legacy

From Poix, the 314th released gliders carrying troops and equipment to the Wesel area on 24 Mar 1945 when the Allies launched the airborne assault across the Rhine.

Continually transported freight in the Mediterranean (MTO) and European Theater of Operations (ETO), when neither training for, nor participating in airborne operations; hauled supplies such as food, clothing, gasoline, aircraft parts, and ammunition. Also carried wounded personnel to rear-zone hospitals.

After V-E Day, the group evacuated Allied prisoners from Germany, and later made scheduled flights to transport freight and personnel in Europe as part of the European Air Transport Service known as EATS.

The 314th Troop Carrier Group was transferred, without personnel and equipment, to the United States in February 1946 where it was deactivated.

349th Troop Carrier Group

The USAAF returned to Saltby in May 1945 when a detachment of 349th TCG from RAF Barkston Heath with Curtiss C-46 Commandoes to carry British paratroops to Norway. These aircraft remained until the end of the month.

RAF Bomber Command Use

Later in March. the RAF's No. 1665 Heavy Conversion Unit, mainly with Short Stirlings, moved in and remained until August that year. In the autumn of 1945, Saltby became a RAF Maintenance Command station holding surplus stores. Activities were gradually run down and the airfield was disposed of in 1955.

Civil Use

Upon its release from military use, the airfield was returned to agriculture, although there are still crumbling remnants of the airfield to be seen and a plaque in nearby Sproxton village hall which commemorates the 62nd Troop Carrier Squadron.

Flying continues today as Buckminster Gliding Club operates 7 days a week from Saltby airfield. The club specializes in gliding, motor gliding and glider aerobatics.

ee also

* List of RAF stations
* USAAF Ninth Air Force - World War II
* 82nd Airborne Division
* Buckminster Gliding Club
* 314th Airlift Wing

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1994) UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913800
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* [http://www.armyairforces.com/dbgroups.asp?Group=135 ArmyAirForces.com 314th Troop Carrier Group.]

External links

* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/SK8688426553 Photographs of RAF Saltby from the Geograph British Isles project]
* [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=487000&Y=326500&width=700&height=400&gride=487000.999997606&gridn=326500.908830079&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=grid&pc=&zm=0&scale=10000&out.x=3&out.y=4Aerial Photo of RAF Saltby from Multimap.Com]