RAF Odiham is a

Royal Air Force station The Royal Air Force (RAF) operates several stations throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. This includes front-line and training air bases, support, administrative and training stations with no flying activity, unmanned airfields used fo ...

situated a little to the south of the village of Odiham in

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook, and of the King’s Helicopter Flight (TKHF) . Its current station commander is

Group Captain Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...

Donal McGurk.RAF Odiham website
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History

Aircraft operations began from the site in 1925 but it was not until October 1937 that it was opened as a permanent airfield.

Second World War

During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

North American Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...

s and Hawker Typhoons were flown out of the base. After the Allied invasion of Europe the site became a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of ...

camp. * No. 2 Squadron RAF operated the Mustang I between 7 August 1943 and 22 September 1943 and again between 6 October 1943 and 14 November 1943. ** The squadron returned on 27 June 1944 with the Mustang II before leaving on 29 July 1944. * No. 4 Squadron RAF using the

Hawker Hector The Hawker Hector was a British biplane army co-operation and liaison aircraft of the late 1930s; it served with the Royal Air Force and saw brief combat in the Battle of France in May 1940. Some Hectors were later sold to Ireland. It was name ...

and the

Westland Lysander The Westland Lysander is a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft that was used immediately before and during the Second World War. After becoming obsolete in the army co-operation role, the aircraft' ...

I between 16 February 1936 and 24 September 1939. ** The squadron returned on 7 August 1943 using the Mustang I until 15 September 1943 before returning again on 6 October 1943 and staying until 14 November 1943. ** 4 Squadron returned again with

Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Gri ...

XI between 27 June 1944 and 16 August 1944 with a detachment at B 10/Plumelot. * No. 13 Squadron RAF with the

Mk III and the Bristol Blenheim Mk IV between 17 July 1941 and 1 August 1942 with detachments at RAF Detling, RAF Wattisham and RAF Thruxton. ** The squadron returned on 10 August 1942 again with the Blenheim IV and for the first time the Mk V version. They left on 15 November 1942. * No. 53 Squadron RAF with the

and the Blenheim IV between 8 April 1938 and 20 September 1939. *

No. 59 Squadron RAF No. 59 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force, based in Norfolk, England. History No.59 Squadron was formed at Narborough Airfield in Norfolk on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. On 13 February 1917, the Squadr ...

operated the Blenheim IV between 6 June 1940 and 3 July 1940. *

No. 63 Squadron RAF Number 63 Squadron was a bomber aircraft and training squadron of the Royal Air Force that was active during various periods from 1916 to 1992. Originally using De Havilland DH4 aircraft in World War I, it was last equipped with BAe Hawk je ...

using the Mustang Mk I between 21 November 1942 and 27 July 1943 with a detachment at RAF Macmerry. *

No. 82 Squadron RAF No. 82 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron that was first formed in 1917 and last disbanded in 1963. It served at times as a bomber unit, a reconnaissance unit and lastly as an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) unit. History For ...

with the Blenheim IV between August 1939 and 21 March 1942 as an detachment from RAF Watton. * No. 96 Squadron RAF operated the

de Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British twin-engined, shoulder-winged, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the World War II, Second World War. Unusual in that its frame was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the "Wooden ...

XIII between 24 September 1944 and 12 December 1944 before being disbanded here.

Postwar

Fighter role

Following the end of the War

RAF Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Brita ...

assumed control of the base. No. 247 Squadron was re-equipped with

Vampires A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or dea ...

in June 1946, while No. 54 Squadron and No. 72 Squadron were both re-equipped with Vampires in July 1946. No. 54 Squadron and No. 247 Squadron both converted to

night fighter A night fighter (also known as all-weather fighter or all-weather interceptor for a period of time after the Second World War) is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility. Night fighters began to be used i ...

units equipped with Meteor F.8s in 1951. As part of her coronation celebrations the Queen reviewed the Royal Air Force at Odiham in 1953. No. 46 Squadron was re-formed at RAF Odiham on 15 August 1954 as a

unit equipped with Meteor NF12s and 14s. In 1955 No. 54 Squadron and No. 247 Squadron started receiving

Hunter Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

s and, in 1956, No. 46 Squadron began converting to

Javelin A javelin is a light spear designed primarily to be thrown, historically as a ranged weapon, but today predominantly for sport. The javelin is almost always thrown by hand, unlike the sling, bow, and crossbow, which launch projectiles with the ...

s with the first arriving in February. Odiham closed as a fighter base in 1959.

Support helicopters

After a short period in "care and maintenance" status the base was reopened as part of Transport Command in 1960. In this role No. 72 Squadron was re-equipped with

Bristol Belvedere The Bristol Type 192 Belvedere is a British twin-engine, tandem rotor military helicopter built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was designed by Raoul Hafner for a variety of transport roles including troop transport, supply dropping and cas ...

helicopters in 1961 and then with Westland Whirlwind helicopters in 1964. The Westland helicopters were joined by the Aérospatiale Pumas of No. 33 Squadron and No. 230 Squadron in 1971. The first Chinook HC.1s arrived at Odiham in 1981. These were replaced by the Chinook HC.2 in 1993. The RAF ordered the Chinook HC.3, a

special forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equi ...

variant, in 1995. After being in storage for eight years due to

avionics Avionics (a blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, and the hundreds of systems that are fit ...

certification problems, the HC.3 airframes were retro-fitted with HC.2 avionics during 2009 and 2010, to enable them to finally enter RAF service. The Mk6, which incorporates a new Digital Automatic Flight Control System (DAFCS), is a new buy of 14 aircraft which arrived in 2013. No. 618 Volunteer Gliding Squadron arrived in July 2000. The Unit operated the Vigilant T Mk 1 self-launching glider, providing basic flying and gliding training to members of the Air Cadet Organisation. Due to a fleet-wide airworthiness issue, the Vigilant (and its cousin, the Viking conventional glider) were grounded in April 2014. No. 618 Volunteer Gliding Squadron was subsequently disbanded. In May 2015, it was announced that the Chinook Operational Conversion Flight, comprising six Chinooks and 150 personnel would transfer from Odiham to RAF Benson to form a joint Puma and Chinook Operational Conversion Unit. The move began in December 2015 as the unit joined their Puma counterparts at Benson under a reformed No. 28 Squadron. With the Lynx reaching the end of its operational life in January 2018, No. 657 Squadron of the Army Air Corps and their Lynx AH9A disbanded in May 2018. To extend their life for at least 15 years, Odiham's runways were upgraded in early 2021. The runway surfaces and lighting were replaced, with the airfield remaining open throughout the works.

Role and operations

RAF Odiham's mission statement is to ''Deliver and sustain Chinook and Special Forces aviation operations world-wide, in order to support UK defence missions and tasks".''

Support Helicopter Force (SHF)

To fulfil this mission, the station is home to No. 7 Squadron, No. 18 Squadron and No. 27 Squadron, all operating the Boeing Chinook and forming part of the RAF's Support Helicopter Force. The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter used for tactical troop and load movements and casualty evacuation across the battlefield. The aircraft can carry up to fifty-five troops or around ten-tonnes of mixed cargo either internally or as an under-slung load. The Chinook Display Team is also based at the Station.

Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing

Odiham is home to the headquarters of the Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing (JSFAW). The wing is a Royal Air Force and

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

organisation that coordinates the provision of

rotary wing A rotorcraft or rotary-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft with rotary wings or rotor blades, which generate lift by rotating around a vertical mast. Several rotor blades mounted on a single mast are referred to as a rotor. The Inte ...

aviation support to the

United Kingdom Special Forces The United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) is a directorate comprising the Special Air Service, the Special Boat Service, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, the Special Forces Support Group, 18 (UKSF) Signal Regiment and the Joint Special Forc ...

(UKSF). Providing this role are Chinooks of No. 7 Squadron at Odiham and Army Air Corps Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II and Westland Gazelle AH1 aircraft based at

Stirling Lines Stirling Lines is a British Army garrison in Credenhill, Herefordshire; the headquarters of the 22 Special Air Service Regiment (22 SAS). The site was formerly a Royal Air Force (RAF) non-flying station for training schools, known as RAF Crede ...

Herefordshire Herefordshire () is a county in the West Midlands of England, governed by Herefordshire Council. It is bordered by Shropshire to the north, Worcestershire to the east, Gloucestershire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Monmouths ...

Other activities

The Kestrel Gliding Club continues to fly from Odiham at weekends, having become part of the Royal Air Force Gliding and Soaring Association in 2006.

Based units

The following flying and notable non-flying units are based at RAF Odiham.

Royal Air Force

Joint Helicopter Command *Support Helicopter Force **Headquarters, Support Helicopter Force ** No. 18 Squadron – Chinook HC5, HC6, HC6A ** No. 27 Squadron – Chinook HC5, HC6, HC6A **Chinook Display Team No. 22 Group (Training) RAF * Air Training Corps **No. 1827 (Odiham) Squadron, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wing, Air Training Corps

Strategic Command

* Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing **Headquarters, Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing ** No. 7 Squadron – Chinook HC5, HC6, HC6A

Civilian

* Kestrel Gliding Club * The King's Helicopter Flight – S-76 C++

Heritage

Station badge and motto

RAF Odiham's

badge A badge is a device or accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath (e.g., police and ...

, awarded in November 1951, features a port

portcullis A portcullis (from Old French ''porte coleice'', "sliding gate") is a heavy vertically-closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood, metal, or a combination of the two, which slides down ...

between two towers each displaying a red rose behind two silver arrows with red feathers, crossing one another. The arrows are entwined by a

jess Jess is a unisex given name, often a short form ( hypocorism) of Jessica, Jesse, Jessie, etc., and a surname. It may refer to: Given name * Jess Atkinson (born 1961), American football player * Jess Cain (1926–2008), American radio host * ...

and surmounted by a bell. The portcullis and towers relate to Odiham Castle, a ruin dating from the 13th century, located approximately 2 km north of the station. The portcullis also originates from the badge of Fighter Command, under which the station operated during the 1950s. The roses reference the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

and the arrows represent the speed of the aircraft flown from the station. Representing a falconer and bird, jess and bell, refer to the control of hunting aircraft and refer to the role of squadrons at the station. The station's

motto A motto (derived from the Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of an individual, family, social group, or organisation. M ...

is Promise and Fulfil'''.

Gate Guardian

RAF Odiham's

gate guardian A gate guardian or gate guard is a withdrawn piece of equipment, often an aircraft, armoured vehicle, artillery piece, or locomotive, mounted on a plinth and used as a static display near to and forming a symbolic display of "guarding" the main ...

is a former

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

Boeing CH-47F Chinook. The airframe was donated by

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and ...

and reassembled at the station by Boeing and the RAF, using retired parts from several US and RAF Chinooks. It was unveiled in May 2012 by

Secretary of State for Defence The secretary of state for defence, also referred to as the defence secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the business of the Ministry of Defence. The incumbent is a membe ...

Philip Hammond during a visit to the station to celebrate 30 years of RAF Chinook operations.

List of station commanders

* 1938–1940: Group Captain Freddie West; recipient of the Victoria Cross * 1949–????: Acting Group Captain

Deryck Stapleton Air Vice Marshal Deryck Cameron Stapleton, (15 January 1918 – 16 February 2018) was a Royal Air Force officer who served as Commandant of the RAF Staff College, Bracknell from 1966 to 1968. RAF career Educated at King Edward VI School i ...

* 1950–1952: Group Captain

Harold Maguire Air Marshal Sir Harold John Maguire, (12 April 1912 – 1 February 2001) was a senior Royal Air Force officer and public servant. He was Director-General of Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence from 1968 to 1972. RAF career Harold Maguire ...

* 1952–????: Group Captain

John A. Kent Group Captain John Alexander Kent, (23 June 1914 – 7 October 1985), nicknamed "Kentski" (sometimes given as "Kentowski") by his Polish comrades, was a Canadian fighter ace flying in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Considered o ...

* 1955–????: Group Captain

Ken Gatward Group Captain Alfred Kitchener Gatward, (28 August 1914 – 19 November 1998), known as Ken Gatward, was a British Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot of the Second World War. Early life Gatward was born in 1914 above Hornsey police station, where ...

* 1979–1981: Group Captain Colin Reineck * 1981–1983: Group Captain

Sandy Hunter Air Vice Marshal Alexander Freeland Cairns "Sandy" Hunter, (born 8 March 1939) is a former Royal Air Force officer who served as Commandant of the RAF Staff College, Bracknell. RAF career Educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and the University ...

* 1983–1985: Group Captain Brian Wright * 1985–1987: Group Captain

Timothy Garden Air Marshal Timothy Garden, Baron Garden, , FRUSI, FCGI (23 April 1944 – 9 August 2007) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force (RAF) who later became a university professor and a Liberal Democrat politician. Garden gained degrees fr ...

* 1987–1989: Group Captain John Day * 1989–1991: Group Captain Joe French * 1991–1993: Group Captain Chris Chambers * 1993–1995: Group Captain Peter Crawford * 1995–1997: Group Captain Paul Luker * 1997–1999: Group Captain Al Campbell * 1999–2001: Group Captain Mike Barter * 2001–2003: Group Captain Andrew Pulford; later Chief of the Air Staff * 2003–2005: Group Captain Trevor Milburn * 2005–2007: Group Captain Sean Reynolds * 2009–2011: Group Captain Steve Shell * 2011–2013: Group Captain Dom Toriati * 2013–-2015: Group Captain Richard Madison * 2015–2017: Group Captain Philip Robinson * 2017–2019: Group Captain Lee Turner * 2019–2021: Group Captain Nicholas Knight * 2021–present: Group Captain Donal McGurk

References

Citations

Bibliography

* *

External links

*
RAF Odiham Defence Aerodrome ManualUK Military Aeronautical Information Publication – Odiham (EGVO)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Odiham Royal Air Force stations in Hampshire Airports in England 618 VGS RAF Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom