RAF Silloth

RAF Silloth
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Silloth
Built	1939 (1939)
In use	1939-1960 (1960)
Elevation AMSL	23 ft / 7 m
Coordinates	54°52′10″N 003°21′37″W
Map
RAF Silloth Location in Cumbria
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt 00/00 0 0 Asphalt
Operational dates.

Royal Air Force Silloth or RAF Silloth is a former Royal Air Force station one mile (1.6 km) north-east of Silloth, Cumbria, England, and 6.7 miles (10.8 km) south-west of Kirkbride, Cumbria. The station was used by RAF Coastal Command

Station history

The airfield as camouflaged during World War II

The airfield was originally designed to be used by RAF Maintenance Command but was handed over to Coastal Command in November 1939. It had a satellite at RAF Hornby Hall.

Based units

• No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (OTU) using Avro Ansons, Bristol Beauforts and Bothas.
• No. 6 Operational Training Unit RAF with the Vickers Wellington and Anson.
• No. 215 Squadron RAF using the Wellington.
• No. 320 Squadron RAF using the Avro Anson I.
• No. 22 Maintenance Unit RAF.
• 1353 Target Towing Flight using the Supermarine Spitfire and the Vultee A-31 Vengeance.
• No. 5 Ferry Pool.

Current use

Many of the buildings still survive, including the hangars, but the runways are in a bad condition.

A farmers market and Seacote Caravan Park occupy the outer edge of the airport. A number of private homes are found on the north-west side of the former airfield. Enkev, a natural fibre company, has its UK office at the airfield.

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Bibliography

• Jefford MBE, Wg Cdr C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.