Cranfield Airport (Former RAF Cranfield)

 airport, university, Second World War 1939-1945, RAF - Royal Air Force, closed / former military, former air force base

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Cranfield Airport (ICAO: EGTC) is an airfield just outside the village of Cranfield, 7 NM (13 km; 8.1 mi) south-west of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It was originally a World War II aerodrome, RAF Cranfield.

Cranfield Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P803) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Cranfield University) situated next to the site.

Cranfield is used extensively by fixed-wing and helicopter flight training organisations, of which there are many who operate out of the field. Additionally, general aviation, small business aircraft and private jets make use of the facilities. The airfield is 3 mi (4.8 km) from the M1 motorway and the city of Milton Keynes, making it the nearest to the town. Although the length of the runway means that Cranfield can handle some larger airliners, the rest of the immediate infrastructure is not geared up for passenger flights. The nearest such airport is London Luton Airport.

Former RAF Cranfield

It was built on 100 acres (0.40 km2) of farmland acquired by the Air Ministry in 1935 as Britain re-armed to face the growing threats on the continent. It was formally opened on 1 June 1937 and initially became the base for No. 62 Squadron RAF and No. 82 Squadron RAF of No. 1 (Bomber) Group, flying the already obsolescent Hawker Hind biplanes.

Both squadrons converted to Blenheim 1s in 1938. 62 Squadron was moved to Singapore in August 1939 where it was destroyed by the invading Japanese. RAF Cranfield's grass airstrip was replaced with three hardened runways in the winter of 1939 and spring of 1940 and became a target for enemy action in the late summer of that year, with mines, bombs and incendiaries dropped on it and the nearby village of Cranfield.

August 1941 saw the fast developing station become a night fighter training centre with the arrival of No. 51 Night fighter Operational Training Unit. This was disbanded after the end of the war in Europe in June 1945 and the airfield became the site for a new College of Aeronautics. This college helped develop the highly successful Harrier Jump Jet and has serviced the Hurricanes and Spitfires of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. The UK's sole remaining airworthy Avro Lancaster was based at Cranfield until 1964.

www.cranfieldairport.eu/
www.wartimememories.co.uk/airfields/cranfield.html