Royal Air Force Poulton or more simply RAF Poulton (X4PL) is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located near Poulton, Cheshire and was operational from 1 March 1943 until 1945. It was used as an Operational Training Unit (OTU) and Tactical Exercise Unit (TEU) for Hawker Hurricanes.

RAF Poulton
Poulton, Cheshire in England
RAF Poulton, July 2022
RAF Poulton is located in Cheshire
RAF Poulton
RAF Poulton
Shown within Cheshire
Coordinates53°07′46″N 002°53′42″W / 53.12944°N 2.89500°W / 53.12944; -2.89500
TypeSatellite Station
CodePU
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command
Site history
Built1942 (1942)/43
Built byGeorge Wimpey & Co Ltd
In useMarch 1943 - August 1945 (1945)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation15 metres (49 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
01/19 1,800 metres (5,906 ft) Concrete
06/24 1,245 metres (4,085 ft) Concrete
14/32 1,254 metres (4,114 ft) Concrete

History

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It was part of 12 Group and was used as a satellite of RAF Hawarden. It had 8 Blister and 1 Bessonneau hangars.[2]

Based units and aircraft

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Current use

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Part of the site remains in use as a private airfield.[8]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Falconer 1998, p. 72.
  2. ^ Ferguson 2008, pp. 125–128.
  3. ^ "RAFCommands".
  4. ^ a b "OTUs 41 - 63". Archived from the original on 13 June 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  5. ^ "Flying Training Schools_P". Archived from the original on 25 November 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
  6. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 97.
  8. ^ Jones 2008, p. 00.

Bibliography

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  • Falconer, J (1998). RAF Fighter Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-7110-2175-9.
  • Ferguson, Aldon, Cheshire Airfields in the Second World War. Countryside Books, 2008. ISBN 978-1-8530-6927-7.
  • Jefford, C.G. (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Jones, I, Airfields and Landing Grounds of Wales: North. Tempus Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-0-7524-4510-6.
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