RAF Booker

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=RAF Booker


caption=
dates= 1941 – 1963
country=United Kingdom
branch=Royal Air Force
command_structure=
type=Training
role=Flying training
size=
current_commander=
garrison=High Wycombe, England
garrison_label= Based near
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
colonel_of_the_regiment_label=
nickname=
motto=Teach Learn Apply
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=
anniversaries=

RAF Booker was a Royal Air Force airfield, opened as a flying training school in 1941 on the site of a civilian flying school requisitioned and closed on the outbreak of war in 1939.cite web|title=History of Wycombe Air Park|url=http://www.bookergliding.co.uk/history.html]

In 1965 the site was taken over by Airways Aero Associations (now the British Airways flying club), who have operated the airfield ever since as a training and recreational field, now called Wycombe Air Park

Detachments

RAF Booker was opened as the home of 21 Elementary Flying Training School in 1941. [cite web|title=WW2 Peoples War|publisher=BBC History|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/41/a5237741.shtml] The flying school operated 72 Tiger Moths and Miles Magisters. 21 EFTS trained 120 pupils on a seven week course - later to become 11 weeks.

In May 1942, training was also started on the airfield for the Glider Pilot Regiment.

In 1953, the University of London Air Squadron resumed flying out of Booker, and it also temporarily hosted the Manchester and Liverpool University Squadrons.

In 1955, a hard runway (made of 90ft wide pierced steel planking) was added to the four wartime grass runways.

The RAF continued to base its Bomber Command Communications Flight at RAF Booker until 1963 (in close proximity to other Bomber Command bases nearby, such as RAF Daws Hill).

In 1965, the airfield became privately run, and is now Wycombe Air Park

References