RAF Waterbeach

RAF Waterbeach
Waterbeach Barracks

1945 aerial photograph
IATA: none – ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type Military
Owner Ministry of Defence
Operator Royal Air Force
1940-1966
Royal Engineers
1966-2013
Location Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire
Built 1940 (1940)
In use 1941-2013 (2013)
Elevation AMSL 33 ft / 10 m
Coordinates 52°16′28″N 000°11′24″E / 52.27444°N 0.19000°E / 52.27444; 0.19000Coordinates: 52°16′28″N 000°11′24″E / 52.27444°N 0.19000°E / 52.27444; 0.19000
Map
Waterbeach Barracks

Location in Cambridgeshire

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
04/22 6,070 1,850 Asphalt
10/28 4,140 1,262 Asphalt
16/34 4,250 1,296 Asphalt

Royal Air Force Station Waterbeach or more simply RAF Waterbeach is a former Royal Air Force station located in Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire which is 5.5 miles (8.9 km) north of Cambridge. The site was then used by the Royal Engineers, part of the British Army, from 1966, as Waterbeach Barracks until 2013 when the site closed to make way for housing.[1] The site is currently unoccupied, apart from the officers' houses still in use - though Urban&Civic are now looking at temporary uses.[2]

History

Royal Air Force

The airfield was built in 1940 on the northern edge of Waterbeach village and operated under the control of RAF Bomber Command.[3] The original control tower and many RAF buildings, including several hangars, are still present.[4]

RAF units and aircraft - Bomber Command, WW2

Years Unit Aircraft Variant Notes
1941-1942 No. 99 Squadron RAF Vickers Wellington Ic, II
1941-1942 26 Conversion Flight RAF Short Stirling I On 2 January 1942 it was upgraded to form 1651 CU
1942–1943 1651 Conversion Unit RAF Short Stirling I, III During 1942 it flew 49 operational sorties, with a loss of five aircraft
1942 214 Squadron Conversion Flight RAF Short Stirling I Two short stays April–May and August–October 1942
1943 1665 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF Short Stirling I
1943 1678 Conversion Unit RAF Avro Lancaster II The training unit for No. 514 Squadron RAF
1943-1945 No. 514 Squadron RAF Avro Lancaster I, II and III

Transport Command, 1945-1949

After the Second World War, Consolidated B-24 Liberators and Douglas Dakotas from RAF Transport Command flew from RAF Waterbeach.[5]

RAF units and aircraft - Transport Command

Years Unit Aircraft Variant Notes
1945-1946 No. 59 Squadron RAF Consolidated Liberator B, C and GR Carrying troops to and from India and the Far East
1945-1946 No. 220 Squadron RAF Consolidated Liberator C Mk V, VI and VIII
1946 1552 (BABS) Flight RAF Airspeed Oxford Training in Beam Approach Beacon System, March–July
1946-1947 No. 51 Squadron RAF Avro York C
1947–1949 No. 77 Squadron RAF Douglas Dakota Participated in Operation Plainfare, the Berlin Airlift
1947–1949 No. 62 Squadron RAF Douglas Dakota Participated in Operation Plainfare, the Berlin Airlift
1947–1949 No. 53 Squadron RAF Douglas Dakota Participated in Operation Plainfare, the Berlin Airlift
1947-1950 No. 18 Squadron RAF Douglas Dakota Participated in Operation Plainfare, the Berlin Airlift
1949-1950 No. 24 Squadron RAF Avro Lancastrian
Douglas Dakota
Avro York		 C2
C Mk IV
C Mk I		 Participated in Operation Plainfare and then European scheduled services

Fighter Command, 1950-1963

RAF Fighter Command took over the base on 1 March 1950 and used Gloster Meteors, Supermarine Swifts, de Havilland Venoms, de Havilland Vampires and Gloster Javelins. In addition Hawker Hunter fighters arrived in May 1955 and, two years later, the prototype English Electric P1 (Lightning) visited RAF Waterbeach.

RAF units and aircraft - Fighter Command

Years Unit Aircraft Variant Notes
1950-1959 No. 56 Squadron RAF Gloster Meteor
Supermarine Swift
Hawker Hunter		 F4 and F8
F1 and F2
F5 and F8		 27 Meteor F4s from RAF Thorney Island arrived on 10 May 1950
1950-1958 No. 63 Squadron RAF Gloster Meteor
Hawker Hunter		 F4 and F8
F6a
1955-1957 No. 253 Squadron RAF de Havilland Venom
de Havilland Vampire		 NF2a
T11
1957-1958 No. 153 Squadron RAF Gloster Meteor
Gloster Javelin		 NF12 and 14
FAW 7 and 9
1958-1961 No. 25 Squadron RAF Gloster Meteor
Gloster Javelin		 NF12 and 14
FAW 7 and 9
1959-1961 No. 46 Squadron RAF Gloster Javelin FAW 2
1961-1962 No. 64 Squadron RAF Gloster Javelin FAW 9
1961-1963 No. 1 Squadron RAF Hawker Hunter F6 and FGA9
1961-1963 No. 54 Squadron RAF Hawker Hunter FGA9 Hunter XG264 was the last to leave RAF Waterbeach for RAF West Raynham on 8 August 1963

After the last RAF fixed-wing aircraft, from No. 54 Squadron RAF, left in August 1963,[6] the site was used by the Airfield Construction Branch RAF until 1966.[7]

Royal Engineers

in 1966 the station and airfield remained the property of the Ministry of Defence, but was transferred from the Royal Air Force to the Royal Engineers, part of the British Army.[8] Until the closure of nearby RAF Oakington in the early 1970s, the main runway at Waterbeach remained active, along with the control tower, and was used as a relief landing ground for Varsities used in the advanced pilot training role. The barracks, airfield and surrounding quarters most recently housed 12 (Air Support) Engineer Group. The former airfield was used as a training area for troops, with occasional visits by helicopters and, in the past, by Harriers.[9] 25 Engineer Regiment was disbanded on 19 April 2012. Two of its squadrons (34 Field Squadron and 53 Field Squadron) have become part of 39 Engineer Regiment and will move to RAF Kinloss.[10]

In July 2011 the Ministry of Defence announced that Waterbeach Barracks will close, and the site sold for housing.[11] In November 2011 and March 2012 the Ministry of Defence announced that 39 Engineer Regiment would move to RAF Kinloss in July 2012. A total of 930 Service personnel will move to Kinloss, and 44 Service personnel to Wittering.[12] HQ 12 (Air Support) Engineer Group will move from Waterbeach to RAF Wittering in October 2012, with the compete closure of Waterbeach Barracks by 1 April 2013.[12][13] After that date, the vacated site is in the care of G4S on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Urban&Civic.

First units of 39 Engineer Regiment (Air Support) arrived at RAF Kinloss in June 2012, with the majority leaving Waterbeach during July.[14] Their move was complete by September 2012. On 26 July 2012 at 1200 the RAF Ensign was lowered at RAF Kinloss for the last time, to be replaced by the flag of 39 Engineer Regiment (Air Support), Royal Engineers.[15]

The barracks closed on 28 March 2013.[16]

Future Development

The site was subject to an MoD disposal process by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, and in August 2014 Urban&Civic were appointed as Development Partners.[17] In October 2015 they held Open Days for local residents to tour the site and meet the design team, as the first stage of their Consultation on the development of the MoD site and surrounding farmland, as new settlements.[18] Regular Newsletters for local residents are being issued.[19] In December 2015 a community engagement report on the Open Days was published by David Lock Associates, for Urban&Civic, which includes the Open Day display boards.[20]

During 2016 Design Workshops are being held bringing together the Urban&Civic and RLW Estates design teams, key local authority partners, the Parish Council, Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, and local residents.[21]

Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum

In June 1984 a Station Museum was established by the Army to record and preserve items from RAF Waterbeach - in particular from 514 Squadron who hold their Reunions at the barracks every year - as well as artefacts from the Army (39 Engineer Regiment). As the Barracks closed in March 2013, the Museum closed to visitors on 30 September 2012.[22]

In 2011 John Hamlin, an aviation historian, and the Museum Curator wrote a book documenting the history of RAF Waterbeach and Waterbeach Barracks, to raise money for the museum.[23] In 2014 it was updated to include closure and contact information [24]

In December 2012, a group of villagers set up a trust, the Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum, and the Army gifted the collection to it. The Barracks Museum contents were stored outside the barracks. The honorary Curator from the barracks continued to answer enquiries and carry out research. He had an assurance from the most likely developers of the MOD-owned airfield and barracks (RLW Estates, and then Urban&Civic) that the inclusion of a Museum will form an important part of the site's heritage.[25][26]

During 2015 the Museum started the move back into its building at the Barracks, and hopes to re-open there in early summer 2016. The building will also be used for community groups and workshops by Urban&Civic.[27][28]

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks closes to make way for housing". BBC. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  2. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks and former Airfield". Urban&Civic. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Hamlin and Merrington 2011
  4. ↑ Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum, displays and unpublished archives.
  5. ↑ Hamlin and Merrington & 2011 p.31-35
  6. ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 42.
  7. ↑ Hamlin & Merrington 2011, p. 21-22.
  8. ↑ Planning Application CP88 - Denny St Francis (Waterbeach), Cambridgeshire County Council, accessed 2011-07-20
  9. ↑ Waterbeach Barracks, 12 (Air Support) Engineer Group
  10. ↑ "First tranche of Army unit moves confirmed". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  11. ↑ "Waterbeach military base to close". Cambridge News Online. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  12. 1 2 "First tranche of Army unit moves confirmed". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 10 November 2011.
  13. ↑ "Waterbeach Forward - March 2012". Waterbeach Forward. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  14. ↑ Moray gets ready to welcome the Army as advance party settles in, 19 June 2012.
  15. ↑ RAF Kinloss Mountain Rescue Team, 7 July 2012.
  16. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks closes to make way for housing". BBC. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks and former Airfield". Urban&Civic. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  18. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield, Open Days 17 and 21 October". Urban&Civic. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield, Latest News from U&C". Urban&Civic. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  20. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield, Open Day report published". Urban&Civic. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  21. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield, Latest News from U&C". Urban&Civic. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  22. ↑ Waterbeach Barracks Museum, March 2013.
  23. ↑ Hamlin, John F; Merrington, Oliver J (2011). At the 'Beach: the story of Royal Air Force Waterbeach and Waterbeach Barracks. GMS Enterprises, Peterborough.
  24. ↑ At the 'Beach, January 2016.
  25. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks museum contents saved by villagers". Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  26. ↑ "Museum's collection is saved". Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  27. ↑ "Waterbeach Military Heritage Museum". Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  28. ↑ "Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield, Facilities to be opened up for local use". Urban&Civic. Retrieved 7 February 2016.

Bibliography

External links

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