RAF Woolfox Lodge

RAF Woolfox Lodge
IATA: none – ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Operator	Royal Air Force
Location	Pickworth
Coordinates	52°42′34″N 000°34′33″W / 52.70944°N 0.57583°WCoordinates: 52°42′34″N 000°34′33″W / 52.70944°N 0.57583°W
Map
RAF Woolfox Lodge Location in Rutland
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 00/00 0 0 Concrete 00/00 0 0 Concrete 00/00 0 0 Concrete

Royal Air Force Station Woolfox Lodge is a former RAF aerodrome 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 1965.

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 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 1149 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 Bloodhound surface-to-air missile site under No. 62 Squadron was positioned in a secure area adjacent to the A1 road near the former technical site.

RAF units and aircraft

^[1]

Unit	Dates	Aircraft	Variant	Notes
No. 61 Squadron RAF	1941-1942	Avro Manchester Avro Lancaster		Lancaster from April 1942
No. 62 Squadron RAF	1960-1964	Bristol Bloodhound	I
No. 218 Squadron RAF	1944	Short Stirling	III
No. 1651 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF	1945	Avro Lancaster

Current use

The site is now used for agriculture and employment purposes.^[2]

References

1. Jefford 1985, page 158
2. "WOOLFOX LODGE". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. September 1, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2014.

• Jefford, C.G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.

External links

• http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s85.html