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RAF Woolfox Lodge
Pickworth, Rutland in England
RAF Woolfox Lodge is located in Rutland
RAF Woolfox Lodge
RAF Woolfox Lodge
Shown within Rutland
Coordinates52°42′34″N 000°34′33″W / 52.70944°N 0.57583°W / 52.70944; -0.57583
TypeRoyal Air Force station
CodeWL[1]
Site information
OwnerMinistry of Defence
OperatorRoyal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
Controlled byRAF Bomber Command
* No. 3 Group RAF
* No. 5 Group RAF
* No. 7 (T) Group RAF
Site history
Built1939 (1939)/40
Built byJohn Mowlem Ltd[1]
In useDecember 1940 - January 1966 (1966)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation105 metres (344 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00  Tarmac
00/00  Tarmac
00/00  Tarmac

Royal Air Force Woolfox Lodge, or more simply RAF Woolfox Lodge, is a former Royal Air Force station next to the A1 road in Rutland, UK. The airfield is split between the parishes of Empingham and Greetham. It was open from 1940 until 1966.

History

Woolfox opened as a reserve landing ground for RAF Cottesmore then became a satellite to RAF North Luffenham in October 1941. Full station status was granted from June 1943. The wartime airfield comprised three tarmac runways and one Type B1 and four T2 aircraft hangars. There was temporary accommodation for 1,149 male and 252 female personnel.

RAF Woolfox Lodge was used in later years as a relief landing ground but the runways deteriorated to such a degree that the airfield had to be closed to flying by spring 1954. In 1960 a Bristol Bloodhound surface-to-air missile site under No. 62 Squadron RAF was positioned in a secure area adjacent to the A1 road near the former technical site.

RAF units and aircraft

Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 61 Squadron RAF September 1941 - May 1942 Avro Manchester
Avro Lancaster 		I
I & III 		Lancaster from April 1942[2]
No. 62 Squadron RAF February 1960 - September 1964 Bristol Bloodhound I [2]
No. 218 Squadron RAF March - August 1944 Short Stirling III [3]

The following units were here at some point:[4]

Current use

The site is now used for agriculture and employment purposes.[4]

The landowner in 2019 has proposed it as a site for a possible garden village.[13][14]

References

Citations
  1. ^ a b c Falconer 2012, p. 218.
  2. ^ a b Jefford 1988, p. 44.
  3. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 72.
  4. ^ a b "Woolfox Lodge". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  5. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 171.
  6. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 136.
  7. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 201.
  8. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 202.
  9. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 183.
  10. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 122.
  11. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 97.
  12. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 99.
  13. ^ Martin, Dan (28 March 2019). "Huge 7,500 home 'garden village' planned for Rutland former RAF base". Leicester Mercury. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
  14. ^ "Woolfox Garden Village". Retrieved 28 March 2019.
Bibliography

External links


Royal Air Force
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