Bircham Newton Airfield |
| Hob Uid: 1385735 | |
Location :
Norfolk
King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Docking, Bircham
|
| Grid Ref : TF7850034500 |
| Summary : The site of a former military airfield, which was opened in 1916 and closed in 1965. During World War One the base was established as a Royal Flying Corps training school, with only grass runways. In 1918 166 Squadron were stationed at Bircham Newton but their V/1500 bomber aircraft never flew any operations. In 1923 the base became a heavy bomber station. In 1936 the airfield was transferred to coastal command and was rebuilt. During World War Two the airfield was operated by 16 group Coastal Command. The main functions of the aircraft operating from the airfield were to protect shipping convoys (including anti-U boat patrols) and to undertake reconnaissance duties. By 1944 landing surfaces of steel matting had been laid to provide runways up to 900 yards long, with some locally improvised hard standings. After the Second World War the base was used by the Air Beam Training Flight and the Transport Conversion Unit, from 1948 by Technical Training Command. Its last military role before closure in 1965 was use in trials of a Vertical Take Off and Landing aircraft, the Kestrel. By the 1980s the area of the former airfield was partly for agriculture and for the Construction Industry Training Board's training centre, now called the "National Construction College". |
More information : Bircham Newton Airfield was situated at TF 785345. The airfield was opened in 1916. During the Second World War landing surfaces of steel matting were laid, these were however unsuitable for some aircraft with "tricycle" type undercarriages. By 1944 there were 3 type C, 3 Bellman and 10 Blister hangars (in addittion to the two Belfast type hangars from the First World War). The base was used by 16 group Coastal Command. In December 1944 the aifield had 2431 male and 554 female personnel. The airfield closed in 1965 and by the 1980s the site was used by The Industry Training Board. The source includes a small sketch map showing the extent of the former base. (1)
On the 1980 edition of the OS sheet TF 73 SE the training facility mentioned in source one is labelled as "Bircham Newton Training Centre". The boundary of the large field adjacent to this matches the depiction of the former airfield on the sketch map in source one. This area is centred at TF 785 345. (2)
The following information was gathered from two web sites . Source 3 is a web page review by Peter Gunn of a book by George Miller : "Birch Newton A Norfolk Airfield in War and Peace". During World War One the base was established as a Royal Flying Corps training school, with only grass runways. In 1918 166 Suadron were stationed at Bircham Newton but their V/1500 bomber aircraft never flew any operations. In 1923 the base became a heavy bomber station. In 1936 the airfield was transferred to coastal command and was rebuilt. During World War Two the main functions of the aircraft operating from the airfield were to protect shipping convoys (including anti-U boat patrols) and to undertake reconnaissance duties. After the Second World War the base was used by the Air Beam Training Flight and the Transport Conversion Unit, from 1948 by Technical Training Command. Its last military role before closure in 1965 was use in trials of a Vertical Take Off and Landing aircraft, the Kestrel. By the 1980s the area of the former airfield was partly for agriculture and for the Construction Industry Training Board's training centre. (3-4)
Bowyers updated volume of the "Action Stations" series includes a detailed account of the development of Bircham Newton airfield, including the squadrons and aircraft that operated from it. It covers the base's history from its inception in World War One as a training base and pioneering bomber airfield to the post military civillian use of the site as the "National Construction College". (5)
For a detailed description including photographs and maps please refer to the book Military Airfields of Britain East Anglia. (6) |