former RAF Bitteswell

 Second World War 1939-1945, abandoned / shut down, RAF - Royal Air Force, historical layer / disappeared object, former air force base

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RAF Bitteswell was a Royal Air Force station which was located 2.0 miles (3.2 km) west of Lutterworth, Leicestershire, England and 6.1 miles (9.8 km) north of Rugby, Warwickshire, England.

RAF Bitteswell opened in June 1940 and closed in December 1987. The base had one B1 Hangar and two T2 Hangar's. The original grass runways were replaced between July and December 1941 with concrete and asphalt.

RAF Bitteswell was home to many different units and aircraft, such as No. 1513 (Beam Approach Training) Flight (BAT Flt) flying Airspeed Oxfords from RAF Bramcote, RAF Lindley and Bitteswell between 23 October 1942 and 13 May 1946.A large number of operational training units (OTU) were based at the airfield. OTU were units which taught flying, navigation and basic Morse code. The difference between OTU's and other training units were that the OTU's performed live missions such as bombing(like the 1,000 Bomber raids), air sea rescue and occasionally mine laying.

Post war
A number of units used the airfield as an satellite to disperse aircraft and for maintenance such as Transport Command Aircrew Examination Unit from RAF Bramcote from December 1945 until August 1946, No.266 Maintenance Unit between January 1946 and 1947 and 20 Service Flying Training School from RAF Church Lawford used Bitteswell as an relief landing ground between July 1946 and May 1947.

www.controltowers.co.uk/B/Bitteswell.htm