Royal Air Force Worcester,or more simplyRAF Worcester,is a formerRoyal Air Forcerelief landing ground (RLG) which was located 1.7 miles (2.7 km) north east ofWorcestercity centre,Worcestershire,Englandand 4.4 miles (7.1 km) south west ofDroitwich Spa,Worcestershire.
RAF Worcester | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester,Worcestershirein England | |||||||
  RAF Worcester Shown within Worcestershire | |||||||
| Coordinates | 52°12′59″N002°12′14″W/ 52.21639°N 2.20389°W | ||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||
| Controlled by | RAF Flying Training Command | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1940 | ||||||
| In use | 1940-1945 | ||||||
| Battles/wars | Second World War | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Elevation | 30 metres (98 ft)AMSL | ||||||
| |||||||
Posted units
editThe following units were here at some point:[1]
- No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School RAF(2 EFTS)[1]becameNo. 6 (Supplementary) Flying Instructors School RAF[1]becameNo. 6 Flying Instructors School RAF[1]becameNo. 6 Flying Instructors School (Elementary) RAF[1]became 2 EFTS[2]
- No. 24 Group Communication Flight RAF[1]
- No. 81 Group Communication Flight RAF[1]
- No. 2790 Squadron RAF Regiment[1]
Accidents and incidents
edit5 June 1940Bristol BlenheimL1232 ofNo. 5 Operational Training Unitovershot at night and hit a house.[3]
17 October 1941de Havilland Tiger MothT5856 of No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) crashed when landing.[4]
15 July 1942Miles MagisterR1956 of No. 6 Flying Instructors School (FIS) hit a gunpost on take-off.[5]
September 1942Douglas Dakotaen route from Pershore with a film crew crashed blocking the Bilford Road. The co-pilot was the American film actorClark Gablewho was involved with a planned gunnery training film.[6]
16 May 1943Airspeed OxfordR9983 ofNo. 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAFcrashed on takeoff.[7]
Postwar
editBetween 1954 and 1968 aSpitfirewas used as agate guardat the site.[8]Since 2005 the spitfire in question has been in theKelvingrove Art Gallery and Museumin Glasgow.[8]
The airfield has been turned into Perdiswell Park and Ravenmeadow Golf Course.[1]
References
editCitations
edit- ^abcdefghi"Worcester II (Perdiswell)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved27 May2020.
- ^Lake 1999,p. 102.
- ^Aviation Archaeology – crashes in the south west midlands during 1940
- ^Aviation Archaeology – crashes in the south west midlands during 1941
- ^Aviation Archaeology – crashes in the south west midlands during 1942
- ^Clarke Gable Perdiswell Feature – BBC
- ^Aviation Archaeology – crashes in the south west midlands during 1943
- ^abBanner, Tom (18 August 2020)."What happened to the Worcester Spitfire? Iconic plane's story revealed".Worcester News.Retrieved29 September2023.
Bibliography
edit- Lake, A (1999).Flying units of the RAF.Shrewsbury:Airlife.ISBN1-84037-086-6.