RAF Westley 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 ...
satellite airfield located to the west of
Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds (), commonly referred to locally as ''Bury,'' is a cathedral as well as market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk District, West Suffolk district, in the county of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer map 211: Bury St. Edmunds an ...
, Suffolk, England, between 1938 and 1946. It was established by the
Straight Corporation
The Straight Corporation Ltd was a significant operator of British airlines, airports and flying clubs from 1935 until the mid 1970s. Its major unit, Western Airways, expanded to become an important parts manufacturer, a maintenance, repair and ...
which set up the West Suffolk Aero Club in May 1938,
before the airfield was taken over by the
RAF Volunteer Reserve.
History
In 1942
No. 652 AOP Squadron moved in to provide training, using
de Havilland Tiger Moth
The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland, de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other operators as a primary traine ...
s and
Taylorcraft Auster
The Taylorcraft Auster was a British military liaison aircraft, liaison and observation aircraft produced by the Auster Aircraft, Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Limited company during the Second World War.
Design and development
The Auster ...
s. This continued until 1943.
The following units were also here at some point:
*
No. 241 Squadron RAF (April - July 1941)
*
No. 268 Squadron RAF (September 1940 - April 1941
*
No. 656 Squadron RAF (December 1942 - March 1943)
*
No. 657 Squadron RAF (May - June 1943)
*
No. 662 Squadron RAF (February - June 1944)
*
No. 103 Gliding School RAF (October 1943 - April 1944 & June - December 1946)
Current use
By 1946 the airfield closed and is now the site of the
Westley suburb of Bury St Edmunds.
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
Westley
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