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Royal Air Force North Creake or more simply RAF North Creake is a former
The RAF relinquished the station in 1947, and the area is now used for agriculture, though some evidence of runways, buildings and facilities remains.
The control tower survives, and has been converted into a house, offering bed and breakfast.
The Stagecoach in Norfolk bus company in March 2016 registered the setting up of an Operating Centre on this site for 10 vehicles.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
station located southwest of Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea is a port town on the north coast of Norfolk, England.
The civil parish has an area of and in 2001 had a population of 2,451,Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household c ...
, Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
and northwest of Fakenham
Fakenham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, about north west of Norwich. The town is the junction of several local roads, including the A148 from King's Lynn to Cromer, the A1067 to Norw ...
, Norfolk, England.
History
Second World War
Originally used in 1941 as a decoy site forRAF Docking
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
, construction of this Class A airfield began in October 1942, with the station being provided with accommodation for 2,951 male and 411 female staff. The airfield had 36 loop type hardstandings, two T2 hangars and one B1 hangar.
By December 1943 the airfield had passed to 100 Group, although it did not immediately become operational as consideration was given to upgrading the airfield to Very Heavy Bomber Standard. In the event, this did not take place, with RAF Sculthorpe
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
being selected for upgrade.
Short Stirling III's from 199 Squadron arrived in May 1944 to complete Window
A window is an opening in a wall, door, roof, or vehicle that allows the exchange of light and may also allow the passage of sound and sometimes air. Modern windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent materia ...
and Mandrel
A mandrel, mandril, or arbor is a gently tapered cylinder against which material can be forged or shaped (e.g., a ring mandrel - also called a triblet - used by jewelers to increase the diameter of a wedding ring), or a flanged or tapered or ...
operations against enemy radar tracking of Bomber Command raids, however during March 1945 these were changed to Handley Page Halifax III's. In September 1944, No. 199's 'C' Flight was used to re-form 171 Squadron, who contributed to 100 Group's radio counter-measures activities with Halifaxes.
Seventeen aircraft were lost during operations from the airfield, eight Stirlings and nine Halifaxes.
Post-war
After the War, the airfield was used for the storage and scrapping of aircraft, mostlyde Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British twin-engined, shoulder-winged, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the Second World War. Unusual in that its frame was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the "Wooden Wonder", or ...
es by No. 274 Maintenance Unit RAF.
Current use
The RAF relinquished the station in 1947, and the area is now used for agriculture, though some evidence of runways, buildings and facilities remains.
The control tower survives, and has been converted into a house, offering bed and breakfast.
The Stagecoach in Norfolk bus company in March 2016 registered the setting up of an Operating Centre on this site for 10 vehicles.
See also
*List of former Royal Air Force stations
This list of former RAF stations includes most of the stations, airfields and administrative headquarters previously used by the Royal Air Force.
The stations are listed under any former county or country name which was appropriate for the du ...
*List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
Squadron (aviation), Squadrons are the main form of flying unit of the Royal Air Force (RAF). These include Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) squadrons incorporated into the RAF when it was formed on 1 April 1918, dur ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:North Creake Royal Air Force stations in Norfolk Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom Walsingham