Sleap Airfield

Sleap Airfield
IATA: none – ICAO: EGCV
Summary
Airport type		Private
Operator		Shropshire Aero Club Ltd
Location		Shrewsbury
Elevation AMSL		275 ft / 84 m
Coordinates		52°50′05″N 002°46′13″W
Map
EGCV Location in Shropshire
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
05/23	799	2,621	Asphalt
18/36	775	2,543	Asphalt
Sources: UK AIP at NATS

Sleap Airfield (IATA: n/a, ICAO: EGCV) is located 10 NM (19 km; 12 mi) north of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

Sleap Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P641) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Shropshire Aero Club Limited).

RAF Sleap

Sleap (pronounced "Slape") is an ex-RAF airfield, which was opened in April 1943, and used by RAF advanced flying training units. Initially it was the base for No.81 OTU within No. 93 Group of RAF Bomber Command equipped with Whitley bomber aircraft.

From 1 January 1944 Sleap was assigned to the RAF's No.38 Group, Airborne Forces. 81 OTU's Whitleys towed Horsa heavy troop-carrying gliders on training missions and the Horsas made practice formation landings at Sleap to simulate the attacks to come on German-occupied territory. Vickers Wellingtons replaced the Whitleys from November 1944 and by January 1945 the strength was 51 T.Xs, being used to train Transport Command air crews. The RAF finally released Sleap in 1964, but the location is still used as a relief airfield by nearby RAF Shawbury for Squirrel helicopter training.

The Shropshire Aero Club members' bar (also a cafe open to the public) at Sleap is named after Bayston Hill born Flight Lieutenant Eric Lock the World War II Battle of Britain pilot who was the highest scoring British-born pilot in the battle with sixteen and a half victories during the epic battle. There is also a museum of wartime relics.

External links

• Shropshire Aero Club Ltd
• Exploring RAF Sleap