RAF Syerston
| Royal Air Force Station Syerston | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Code | , ICAO: EGXY |
| County | Nottinghamshire |
 | |
| Location | SK730478 53°1’24"N, -0°54’42"W |
| Runway(s) | 5,994 feet (asphalt) 4,420 feet (asphalt) 4,240 feet (asphalt) |
| Website | www.RAF.mod.uk/rafsyerston |
RAF Syerston is a Royal Air Force station by Syerston in Nottinghamshire, in the parish of Flintham, near Newark on Trent. Opened in 1940, it was used by the Royal Air Force as a bomber base during the Second World War, operating Vickers Wellingtons, Avro Manchesters, and the Avro Lancaster heavy bombers.[1] After the War, it became home to Jet Provosts of the 2 Flying Training School. It is now home to the Royal Air Force Central Gliding School.[2]
History
Bomber Command
RAF Syerston was built as part of the bomber expansion in the late 1930s, but did not open until 1 December 1940. The first aircraft were Vickers Wellingtons[2] crewed by Polish flyers who had joined the RAF. In July 1941, they were replaced by members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, flying Handley-Page Hampdens. From December 1941 until 5 May 1942, the base was closed whilst a concrete runway was built with two T2 hangars. When it re-opened, it became part of No. 5 Group. In 1942, several squadrons of Avro Lancaster aircraft arrived.[1]
In March 1943, Wing Commander Guy Gibson was commanding officer of 106 Sqn at Syerston, before he was given the task of forming 617 Sqn – The Dambusters, at RAF Coningsby.[3]
In 1943, Bill Reid of 61 Squadron won a Victoria Cross on a mission flown from Syerston.[1]
On 17 November 1943, the operational squadrons departed, and the station was used for bomber crew training,[2] led by Captain Robert White. It became known as the Lancaster Finishing School in January 1944. From November 1943 to July 1944, there was also a Bombing and Gunnery Defence Training Flight in attendance with several Wellingtons, Spitfires, Hurricanes, plus a few Martinet tug aircraft; all employed in brushing up the skills of air gunners on air-to-air exercises. The Finishing School left on 1 April 1945, with No. 49 Squadron arriving from RAF Fulbeck later in the month who only had one operation before leaving to RAF Mepal in September.[1]
Post-war use
On 25 October 1945, the station became part of Transport Command[2] with a Heavy Conversion Unit arriving from RAF Leicester East, which stayed until 5 January 1948 when it moved to RAF Dishforth. Syerston was taken over by Flying Training Command on 1 February 1948, when No. 22 Flying School (22 FS) arrived from RAF Ouston, which trained pilots for the Fleet Air Arm. Other nearby RAF airfields used for flying circuits were RAF Newton, RAF Wymeswold, and Tollerton airfield (now Nottingham Airport). The training school became No. 2 Flying Training School RAF (2 FTS) in 1955.[2] In November 1953, Percival Provosts began being used, being replaced by the (Hunting Percival) Jet Provost in 1959. The flying training school was disbanded on 16 January 1970 when the need for pilots had diminished, and the station lay vacant. Syerston was placed under care and maintenance from 1971.[2]
Role and operations
In January 1975, the Central Gliding School[2] and No. 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron (644 VGS) moved to Syerston, and have been there since, with No. 643 Volunteer Gliding Squadron also being based at Syerston since 10 October 1992. This was only meant to be a short term stay.
From 1990, Nottingham University Gliding Club, when affiliated with the Four Counties Gliding Club, used the airfield until 2004, when both moved to RAF Barkston Heath. In 2005, Nottingham University Gliding Club affiliated itself to Cranwell Gliding Club at RAF Cranwell, when Four Counties Gliding Club moved to RAF Wittering.
Most of the original station buildings were demolished in 1997 except for two hangars, the air traffic control tower, and one H-block.[1]
2014 saw the reformation of No. 2 Flying Training School (2 FTS) at Syerston, along with a permanent home for Headquarters No. 2 Flying Training School (HQ 2 FTS), the Royal Air Force Central Gliding School, and No. 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron.[2]
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about RAF Syerston) |
- RAF Syerston — official website at www.RAF.MoD.uk
- No. 644 Volunteer Gliding Squadron
- UK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Syerston (EGXY)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Unit History: RAF Syerston". Forces War Records. https://www.Forces-War-Records.co.uk/units/703/raf-syerston.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 RAF Syerston: Royal Air Force – Ministry of Defence
- ↑ "Wing Commander Guy Gibson". RAF Benevolent Fund. https://www.RAFBF.org/news-and-blogs/wing-commander-guy-gibson.