Royal Air Force Silverstone or more simply RAF Silverstone is a former

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

(RAF)

station Station may refer to: Agriculture * Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production * Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle ** Cattle statio ...

, built during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and used by the RAF from 1943 until 1947. It straddles the

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire ( ; abbreviated Northants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshi ...

and

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

border south west of

Northampton Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...

, and is named after the nearby village of Silverstone. In 1948 the

Royal Automobile Club The Royal Automobile Club is a British private Club (organization)#Country or sports club, social and athletic club. It has two clubhouses: one in London at 89 Pall Mall, London, Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, ne ...

hosted the first British Grand Prix at this location, and the site is now a racing circuit known simply as 'Silverstone'.

RAF use 1943–1947

The station was the base for No. 17 Operational Training Unit RAF operating the

Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington (nicknamed the Wimpy) is a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson, a key feature of t ...

bomber.Sturtivant 2007, pp. 198-206

Since 1948

Today the airfield is a major racing circuit known as

Silverstone Silverstone is a village and civil parish in the West Northamptonshire unitary authority area of Northamptonshire, England. The village is about south-southwest of Towcester and northeast of Brackley, both accessed via the A43 road, A43 main ...

. Private aircraft and helicopters have continued to use this location, particularly in 2009 for the World Aerobatic Championships, but mostly it is now helicopters in connection with motor racing events. The airfield's three runways, in a standard World War II era triangle, lie within the outline of the classic racetrack, but have either been removed, or re-purposed and are no longer available as dedicated runways. In 2010 the main straight between turn 5 and turn 6, following the line of one of the runways, was renamed the 'Wellington Straight'. The circuit is also home to the Silverstone Heliport.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Silverstone Royal Air Force stations in Northamptonshire Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom

RAF use 1943–1947

Since 1948

See also

References