Royal Air Force Greatham or more simply RAF Greatham is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located in Greatham, County Durham, England.

RAF Greatham
Greatham, County Durham in England
RAF Greatham is located in County Durham
RAF Greatham
RAF Greatham
Shown within County Durham
RAF Greatham is located in the United Kingdom
RAF Greatham
RAF Greatham
RAF Greatham (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates54°38′58″N 001°12′46″W / 54.64944°N 1.21278°W / 54.64944; -1.21278
TypeRoyal Air Force Satellite Station
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Flying Training Command
Site history
Built1933 (1933)
In use1933 - 1958 (1958)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00  Grass
00/00  Grass

It was also known as RAF West Hartlepool and was located at Hartlepool and was little more than a grass airstrip, a satellite station of RAF Thornaby.

History

edit

It was home to four of 403 Squadron's Supermarine Spitfires from 19 June 1942 to 22 January 1943; operating forward from RAF Catterick.

The airfield was once home to No. 645 Volunteer Gliding School,[1] who operate Grob Vigilant Motor Gliders for the Air Training Corps. They are now located at RAF Topcliffe in Yorkshire.

The following units were also here at some point:[2]

Current use

edit

Little now remains, as the site was developed after the war by British Steel Corporation.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "645 Volunteer Gliding Squadron". 645 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
  2. ^ "West Hartlepool (Greatham)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 1 October 2021.