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RAF Wyton

Coordinates: 52°21′26″N 000°06′28″W / 52.35722°N 0.10778°W / 52.35722; -0.10778
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RAF Wyton
Near St Ives, Cambridgeshire in England
Canberra PR9 'XH170' which is RAF Wyton's gate guardian
File:RAF Wyton Badge.jpg
Verum Exquiro
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RAF Wyton is located in Cambridgeshire
RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton
Shown within Cambridgeshire
Coordinates52°21′26″N 000°06′28″W / 52.35722°N 0.10778°W / 52.35722; -0.10778
TypeRoyal Air Force station
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byStrategic Command
ConditionOperational
Websitewww.raf.mod.uk/rafwyton
Site history
Built1915 (1915)
In use1916 – present
Garrison information
Current
commander		Wing Commander Keith Slack
Occupants
Airfield information
IdentifiersIATA: QUY, ICAO: EGUY, WMO: 03566
Elevation40.2 metres (132 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
08/26 799 metres (2,621 ft) Grass
Source: RAF Wyton Defence Aerodrome Manual[2]

Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton (IATA: QUY, ICAO: EGUY) is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.

In terms of organisation RAF Wyton was part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It is home to Equipment Support (Air) and Corporate Technical Services. The airfield is now decommissioned but was used for flight training by 57(R) Squadron EFT, the University Air Squadrons of London and Cambridge and No. 5 Air Experience Flight.

History

A Percival Petrel and Bristol Blenheim Mark IVs of No. 2 Group at Wyton between 1939 and 1941
"Map of Air Routes and Landing Places in Great Britain, as temporarily arranged by the Air Ministry for civilian flying", published in 1919, showing "Wyton" as a "military and civil station", and as a stop on the route between Hounslow, near London, and the north.
Hangars in 2013

Wyton has been a military airfield since 1916, when it was used for training by the Royal Flying Corps and then its successor the Royal Air Force (RAF).[3]

During the Second World War it was used primarily as a bomber base, flying Bristol Blenheim, de Havilland Mosquito and Avro Lancaster aircraft.[4] In 1942 it became the home of the Pathfinder Force under the command of Group Captain Don Bennett.[3]

After the war Wyton became home to the English Electric Canberras of the Strategic Reconnaissance Force.[5] Vickers Valiants arrived for No. 543 Squadron in 1955 and a Handley Page Victor arrived for the Radar Reconnaissance Flight in 1959.[5]

In 1974, three Nimrod R1s belonging to No. 51 Squadron arrived for use in the Elint and Sigint role, and in 1975, the T17 and T17A Canberras of No. 360 Squadron arrived: this was a joint RAF and RN Squadron specialising in Electronic countermeasures training.[5]

In the early 1990s one of its pilots was the rugby union player, Flight Lieutenant Rory Underwood.[6]

During a four-month period in 1989, two squadrons of U.S. Air Force Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II jets were operated out of RAF Wyton while the runway at their base, nearby RAF Alconbury, was resurfaced.[7]

In May 1995 both RAF Wyton and RAF Alconbury airfields were decommissioned and Wyton was formally amalgamated with RAF Brampton, and later with RAF Henlow to make all three locations a single RAF Station under a single station commander for administrative purposes.[8] The airfield continued to host light aircraft for the Cambridge and London University Air Squadrons until they both moved to RAF Wittering in 2015.[9]

2011–present

Following the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review the RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow formation was disbanded: RAF Henlow subsequently became a separate station again and RAF Brampton was demolished.[10]

RAF Wyton is undergoing transformation through the Programme to Rationalise and Integrate the Defence Intelligence Estate (PRIDE). Under JFC, RAF Wyton will become home to the Headquarters of the Joint Forces Intelligence Group (JFIG). Through JFIG, a number of key components of the Defence Intelligence community have been brought together. JFIG Headquarters will be alongside the imagery intelligence capability of the Defence Geospatial Intelligence Fusion Centre (DGIFC). Formerly the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (JARIC), DGIFC provides imagery intelligence to the armed forces and other customers. They do this through the use of satellite imaging, as well as airborne and ground-based systems. DGIFC use these sources to provide regional intelligence assessments.

Joining HQ JFIG and DGIFC at RAF Wyton from 2013 will be 42 Engineer Regiment. They will be accompanied by elements of Defence Human Intelligence and specialist staff from Defence Intelligence. These elements will come together to support worldwide operations from purpose-built facilities within the Pathfinder Building. In future years, other elements of JFIG and the wider Defence Intelligence community are expected to work together at Wyton.

No. 1 Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Squadron of the RAF moved to Wyton from RAF Marham in April 2017.[11]

By 2014, RAF Wyton's population grew 5-fold to approximately 1,800 personnel, with a further 1,500-2,000 personnel expected to join before the end of the decade.[citation needed][needs update] Alongside the build-up of the Defence Intelligence footprint at RAF Wyton, the Station also plays host to several Lodger Units. The active airfield hosts the 57 (Reserve) Sqn Elementary Flying Training School, No. 5 Air Experience Flt, 2 University Air Squadrons (UAS) as well as the Pathfinder Flying Club. 57(R) Squadron is responsible for conducting Elementary Flying Training (EFT) for around 50 percent of the RAF's entry of new student pilots. Students arrive following completion of Initial Officer Training (IOT) at RAF Cranwell and remain for around 6 months of flying training on the Grob Tutor 115E. The course is broadly split into 2 phases. During the 1st phase, students are taught the basics of flying an aircraft, fly solo and learn general handling, including aerobatics. The 2nd phase of the course sees the students progress onto more advanced flying, including instrument flying, low level navigation and formation flying. The course culminates in a demanding final test, where all elements taught on the course can be assessed. Following the successful completion of this test, students are moved to either fast jet, rotary or multi engine to continue their flying training.

The 2 UAS's teach undergraduate students to fly to the standard of a Private pilot licence (PPL), with additional opportunities to fly Aerobatics, Formation Flying and Low Level Navigation.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) also has a large presence at Wyton with both its Operations Accommodation and International elements. DIO Ops Accommodation is responsible for the management of 49,000 Service Family Accommodation in the UK and infrastructure support for the United States Visiting Forces. DIO International looks after the International Estate used by Defence, including the maintenance and provision of facilities on the Permanent Joint Operating Bases.

Other units include the Chief Information Officer's Defence Security Assurance Service, the Air Training Corps Headquarters for the Central and Eastern Region, 2331 (St. Ives) Squadron ATC, and the US Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA).

DCMA International maintains a significant presence at Wyton. DCMA International established the headquarters for DCMA Northern Europe at Wyton in 2013. Shortly thereafter, in 2014, DCMA disestablished DCMA Northern Europe and established DCMA United Kingdom (UK). Since 2014, from its headquarters at Wyton, DCMA UK has been providing itinerant contract administration services throughout the UK, Northern Europe, and Scandinavia. In addition, DCMA UK manages its footprints in contractor plants from its headquarters at Wyton.

RAF Wyton hosts the annual Pathfinder March, a 46-mile (74 km) walk which starts and finishes at RAF Wyton.

Former units

The following squadrons were posted to Wyton between 1916 and 1935:

The following squadrons were posted to Wyton between 1935 and 1939:

The following squadrons were posted to Wyton between 1939 and 1945:

The following squadrons were posted to Wyton between 1946 and 2011:

Other units moved (now disbanded)

The following other units were posted to Wyton at some point:[37]

Currently operational units moved

On 25 March 2013 it was decided to relocate the following flying units from Wyton due to the high maintenance costs of the airfield.[39]

Based units

Notable units based at RAF Wyton.[40][11][41]

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 249. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  2. ^ "RAF Wyton Defence Aerodrome Manual (DAM)" (PDF). RAF Wyton. Military Aviation Authority. 31 March 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  3. ^ a b "RAF Wyton". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Avro Lancaster B.Mk.1 R5868/7325M Museum Accession Number 74/A/12" (PDF). RAF Museum. p. 3. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "RAF Wyton". Vulcan to the Sky Trust. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Sport. Rugby Union. pic: January 1989. RAF. Wyton, Cambridgeshire. England wing Rory Underwood, a pilot flight-lieutenant in the RAF, poses in the cockpit his Canberra jet". Getty Images. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  7. ^ "A-10A Thunderbolt of 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron/10th Tactical Fighter Wing on detachment to RAF Wyton in May 1989". Airport Data. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Air Officer Scotland: Air Vice Marshal Ross Paterson". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  9. ^ "University of London Air Squadron". Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Dramatic Footage Shows Demolition Of RAF Base". 13 January 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ a b Ellwood, Tobias (21 December 2017). "Air Force: Military Intelligence:Written question - 120057". UK Parliament. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  12. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 40.
  13. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 45.
  14. ^ a b c Jefford 1988, p. 50.
  15. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 53.
  16. ^ a b c Jefford 1988, p. 54.
  17. ^ a b c d Jefford 1988, p. 57.
  18. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 59.
  19. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 63.
  20. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 70.
  21. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 39.
  22. ^ a b c Jefford 1988, p. 60.
  23. ^ a b c Jefford 1988, p. 29.
  24. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 38.
  25. ^ a b c Jefford 1988, p. 43.
  26. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 55.
  27. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 64.
  28. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 28.
  29. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 33.
  30. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 41.
  31. ^ Raynham News (1991). "RAF West Raynham Missile Squadron to be Disbanded" (PDF). Retrieved 28 August 2018.
  32. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 52.
  33. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 69.
  34. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 89.
  35. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 96.
  36. ^ a b c Jefford 1988, p. 97.
  37. ^ "Wyton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  38. ^ Lake 1999, p. 58.
  39. ^ a b c d e "Defence Estate Rationalisation Update" (PDF). Ministry of Defence (MoD). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  40. ^ "RAF Wyton". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 25 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. ^ "DCMA United Kingdom | Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire". Defense Contract Management Agency. Retrieved 25 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Bibliography

  • 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.
  • Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  • RAF Annual Review 2012
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