RAF Langham

RAF Langham
RAF Langham
Langham, Norfolk in England
	WWII ground-to-air training dome
	RAF Langham Location within Norfolk
Coordinates	52°56′17″N 0°57′29″E / 52.938°N 0.958°E
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Coastal Command; * No. 16 Group RAF
Site history
Built	1940
In use	1940 - 1961
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation	18 metres (59 ft) AMSL
Runways
00/00	1,800 metres (5,906 ft) Concrete/Tarmac
00/00	1,250 metres (4,101 ft) Concrete/Tarmac
00/00	1,250 metres (4,101 ft) Concrete/Tarmac

Royal Air Force Langham or more simply RAF Langham is a former Royal Air Force station, located at Langham, 27.2 miles (43.8 km) northwest of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. It operated between 1940 and 1961. The airfield was the most northerly of the wartime RAF airfields in Norfolk and its position, just 3.3 miles (5.3 km) from the North Sea at Blakeney,^[2] made it a suitable site for RAF Coastal Command aircraft.^[2]

The airfield was built during the early months of the Second World War as a dispersal and satellite station to RAF Bircham Newton. It became operational in the summer of 1940.^[2]

History

The airfield was originally laid out with three grass runways. The station became fully self-supporting in 1942, when it was upgraded with three concrete runways (tar-covered), three T2 type and four Blister hangars, an encircling perimeter track and 36 spectacle-shape hardstandings, plus a Type 12779/41 control tower and normal Mk 2 approach lighting for night operations.

Primarily used by RAF Coastal Command throughout the war, it was placed on Care and Maintenance in 1947, but reactivated during the Korean War. It was later used as an emergency landing strip for RAF Sculthorpe, before final closure in 1961.^[2]

Based units

The following units were based at Langham:^[3]

No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF 'K' Flight
No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF 'M' Flight
No. 2 Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp RAF
No. 2 Armament Practice Camp RAF
No. 2 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF
No. 24 Air Crew Holding Unit RAF
No. 254 Squadron RAF^[4]
No. 280 Squadron RAF^[5]
No. 455 Squadron RAAF^[6]
No. 489 Squadron RNZAF^[7]
No. 521 Squadron RAF^[8]
No. 524 Squadron RAF^[8]
No. 612 Squadron RAF^[9]
819 Naval Air Squadron
827 Naval Air Squadron
No. 1402 Meteorological Flight RAF
No. 1561 Meteorological Flight RAF
No. 1562 Meteorological Flight RAF
No. 1611 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
No. 1612 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
No. 1626 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF
No. 2705 Squadron RAF Regiment
No. 2731 Squadron RAF Regiment
No. 2765 Squadron RAF Regiment
No. 2776 Squadron RAF Regiment
No. 2802 Squadron RAF Regiment
No. 2809 Squadron RAF Regiment
No. 2820 Squadron RAF Regiment
No. 2848 Squadron RAF Regiment
No. 4044 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment
No. 4054 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment
No. 4149 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment
Coastal Command Fighter Affiliation Training Unit RAF

Notable operations and events

On 2 October 1944^[10] six Bristol Beaufighter of Coastal Command took off from Langham to carry out a night patrol along the Frisian Islands off the coast of the Netherlands. Their task was to randomly attack any enemy shipping encountered there. One of the aircraft (NT 909) was piloted by New Zealander Warrant Officer Douglas Mann with English navigator Flight Sergeant Donald Kennedy. Close to the island of Borkum the plane attacked a convoy, but in poor visibility struck an unknown obstacle causing Mann to lose control. The convoy's escort opened fire on the stricken plane shooting it down and, after some difficulty, Mann and Kennedy took to their rescue dinghy.

After several abortive rescue attempts the airmen were finally rescued by High Speed Launch 2679,^[10] stationed at Gorleston-on-Sea, on 10 October^[10] after being in the sea for eight days. Both men suffered from acute hypothermia and immersion foot. They were taken to Great Yarmouth Naval Hospital, eventually making a full recovery. Mann returned to 489 Squadron and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.^[10]^[11]

Current use

The station was purchased by Bernard Matthews Ltd, who constructed turkey sheds on the runways. This has preserved large sections of the runways.^[12]

A small aircraft repair and maintenance facility is based in buildings to the south side of the airfield, and uses the southern perimeter track and adjacent grass area for flying operations.

Surviving buildings on the site include the control tower and a dome trainer building used for the instruction of ground-to-air anti-aircraft gunnery.^[13] Langham Dome, which sits on the edge of the former base, is one of only a half dozen such sites surviving in the United Kingdom. It was built in 1942. Film of enemy aircraft was projected onto its walls for target practice.^[14] The structure has been restored and a museum installed with funding from English Heritage and the National Heritage Lottery Fund.^[15] In 2015 a documentary about the dome was broadcast by BBC One.^[16]

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b Falconer 2012, p. 123.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Smith, Graham (2007). Norfolk Airfields in the Second World War. Countryside Books. p. 143. ISBN 9781853063206.
^ "Langham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 79.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 83.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 93.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 94.
^ ^a ^b Jefford 1988, p. 96.
^ Jefford 1988, p. 100.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Pitchfork, Graham (2005). Shot Down and in the Drink. The National Archives – UK. p. 168 to 171. ISBN 9781903365878.
^ "Supplement to the London Gazette, 2 May 1945" (PDF). Annocment of DFC for D Mann. Bad Penny Books. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
^ Turkey sheds on runway at Langham
^ Views of Langham airfield^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ "Airfield Information Exchange". Retrieved 22 May 2015.
^ "WW2 Langham training dome restoration complete". BBC. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
^ "BBC One – The Dome: A Secret of World War Two". BBC. Retrieved 17 May 2015.

Bibliography

Falconer, Jonathan (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
Jefford, 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.

External links

[FOOTNOTEFalconer2012123-1] Falconer 2012, p. 123.

[NASWWL-2] Smith, Graham (2007). Norfolk Airfields in the Second World War. Countryside Books. p. 143. ISBN 9781853063206.

[ABCT-3] "Langham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 12 April 2020.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198879-4] Jefford 1988, p. 79.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198883-5] Jefford 1988, p. 83.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198893-6] Jefford 1988, p. 93.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198894-7] Jefford 1988, p. 94.

[FOOTNOTEJefford198896-8] Jefford 1988, p. 96.

[FOOTNOTEJefford1988100-9] Jefford 1988, p. 100.

[SHOT-10] Pitchfork, Graham (2005). Shot Down and in the Drink. The National Archives – UK. p. 168 to 171. ISBN 9781903365878.

[MANN-11] "Supplement to the London Gazette, 2 May 1945" (PDF). Annocment of DFC for D Mann. Bad Penny Books. Retrieved 3 September 2014.

[12] Turkey sheds on runway at Langham

[13] Views of Langham airfield^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[14] "Airfield Information Exchange". Retrieved 22 May 2015.

[15] "WW2 Langham training dome restoration complete". BBC. Retrieved 15 May 2015.

[16] "BBC One – The Dome: A Secret of World War Two". BBC. Retrieved 17 May 2015.

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