| Summary : A military airfield, originally opened in 1916 as a RNAS base (HMS Daedalus). In 1929-1933 the airfield became an important RAF training college; Royal Air Force College Cranwell, which is the Royal Air Force's equivalent of Sandhurst. The First World War airfield had been first used by the Royal Naval Air Service, for fixed wing and airships. It had hutted accommodation at West Camp. In 1918 a Training Depot Station for the Royal Flying Corps as well as a Radio Training School were established at the site. The training college was built between 1929 and 1933 (for details see TF 04 NW 39 and TF 04 NW 40). The cadet training college was intended as a self contained site situated north of the B1429 road. New domestic buildings replaced the old hutting at West Camp in 1933-1934 (for the extant examples of this phase see SK 94 NE 30, SK 94NE 31 and TF 04 NW 41). The airfield and its buildings are considered to have been well planned and designed to a high standard, in response to the recommendations of the Royal Fine Art Commission made in 1932.The airfield has two flying fields, one near the college to the north of the B1429 road (Cranwell North), and another to the south of the road (Cranewell South). During the Second World War the airfield to the north had grass landing surfaces, whilst the south landing strips were a mixture of grass with some asphalt. There were two Type C, four Bellman and five Blister aircraft hangars. Accommodation was located mainly on the north site. The wartime Radio School was located on the south site. In the course of the war the base was used by a number of training units and also functioned as a supplies depot. By December 1944 there were 10,766 personnel stationed at the base. Post -war the training function continued. The south flying field was updated in 1954 with concrete runways and apron to allow use by Meteor and Vampire jet aircraft. New technical and domestic buildings were constructed between 1960 and 1964. |
More information : RAFC Cranwell, Cranwell and Byards Leap, Lincolnshire,TF 00 49. The airfield had been first used by the Royal Naval Air Service, with hutted accommodation at West Camp. Then in 1918 a Training Depot Station for the Royal Air Force was established at the site; in that year a Radio Training School was also based at Cranfield. In 1929 the site was renamed Royal Air Force College: however due to costing and logistical problems the building of the actual college was not completed until 1933. The cadet training college was intended as a self contained site situated north of the B1429 road, it became the Royal Air Force's equivalent of Sandhurst. New domestic buildings replaced the old hutting at West Camp in 1933-1934. The airfield and its buildings are considered to have been well planned and designed to a high standard, in response to the recommendations of the Royal Fine Art Commission made presented in 1932. The airfield has two flying fields, one near the college to the north of the B1429 road, and another to the south of the road. T E Lawrence ("Lawrence of Arabia") was stationed at Cranwell between 1925-1935 and his experiences there are recorded in his 1936 book "The Mint". Some of the college and airfield buildings have been recommended for consideration for potential future Listed Building status. (1-2)
Cranwell Airfield: Lincolnshire, TF 015 490. For much of WWI it was a naval base, The Royal Naval Air Service Central Training Establishment. During the Second World War the airfield to the north had grass landing surfaces, that to the south had grass with some asphalt. Accommodation was located on the north site. The wartime Radio School was located on the south site. In the course of the war the base was used by a number of training units and also functioned as a supplies depot. By December 1944 there were 10,766 personnel stationed at the base. Post -war the training function continued. The south flying field was updated in 1954 with concrete runways and apron to allow use by Meteor and Vampire jet aircraft. New technical and domestic buildings were constructed between 1960 and 1964. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales attended flying training courses here in 1970. (3)
Cranwell North TF 025 515, Cranwell South TF 015 488. In 1944 the aircraft hangars were listed as two Type C, eight seaplane sheds type F, four Bellman and Four Blister types. Personnel strength given as 8929 men and 1835 on 01-DEC-1944. (4)
Cranwell Airfield, (south flying field) TF 011 490, west end of RAF College TF 0005 4900, east end of college complex SK 9982 4990. Airfield (north flying field) TF 012 509 (NAT). See OS sheets TF 04 NW, TF 05 SW and SK 94 NE. (5-6)
Cranwell Airfield is seen as the spiritual home of the RAF. The airfield was established in 1916 as HMS Daedalus and fixed wing and airships were stationed there. For a detailed description of the site including plans and photographs please refer to this source. (7)
For a timeline of Cranwell please refer to this source. (8)
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