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RAF Christchurch
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the civil use of this facility, see Christchurch Airfield.
Royal Air Force Christchurch or more simply RAF Christchurch is a former Royal Air Force satellite station and was located southeast of the A337/B3059 junction in Somerford, Christchurch, Dorset, England.
Quick Facts RAF Christchurch USAAF Station AAF-416, Coordinates ...
RAF Christchurch USAAF Station AAF-416 | |||||||||||||||
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Christchurch, Dorset in England | |||||||||||||||
![]() Christchurch Airfield - 4 March 1944. Christchurch was unusual as it was constructed on an existing airfield. However the airfield used before the war for club and commercial flying was too small to accommodate wartime aircraft so the airfield was expanded by building further runway areas to the south of the existing. | |||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 50°44′23″N 001°44′22″W | ||||||||||||||
Type | Satellite Station | ||||||||||||||
Code | XC[1] | ||||||||||||||
Site information | |||||||||||||||
Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||||||
Operator | Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces | ||||||||||||||
Controlled by | RAF Fighter Command 1941-44 * No. 10 Group RAF * No. 11 Group RAF RAF Transport Command 1945 * No. 46 Group RAF[1] | ||||||||||||||
Site history | |||||||||||||||
Built | 1935 (1935) | ||||||||||||||
In use | 1935-1967 (1967) | ||||||||||||||
Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II | ||||||||||||||
Airfield information | |||||||||||||||
Elevation | 6 metres (20 ft)[1] AMSL | ||||||||||||||
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Christchurch Airfield was a civil airfield that started operation from 1926, enlarged for wartime operations in 1941, Christchurch was used during World War II by the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force. It returned to civilian flying postwar before being taken over by what became British Aerospace to manufacture jet fighters and civilian airliner types. The airfield complex was finally closed down and demolished in 1966 when housing was built on the site.