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Bircham Newton

Major

Did you know?

"

Often claimed to be the best preserved disused airfield in Britain, Bircham Newton’s current owner the CITB highlights the enormous subtle effects our airfields have upon everyday life as every construction worker in England, Scotland and Wales receives training here. Handley Page V/1500 bombers also intended to take off from Bircham Newton on 9 November 1918 to mount an audacious bombing raid upon Berlin, well over twenty years before RAF Bomber Command actually achieved this feat. But bad weather stopped these biplanes from taking off for 48 hours, by which time the Armistice had been declared to end fighting.

"
Also known as: Bircham / Bircham Newton Aerodrome / RAF Bircham Newton / National Construction College (NCC) East
County: Norfolk
Current Status: Industry (main position) / Museum
Date: May 1918 - 18 December 1962
Current Use: Disused
Used By: RAF / RAF (Dutch) / FAA / RCAF
Landing Surface Types: Unpaved, later metal
Prominent People: Raymond Collishaw
Aircraft Roles: Air-sea rescue / Anti-aircraft co-operation / Anti-shipping / Bomber (main role) / Communications / Maritime patrol (main role) / Meteorological reconnaissance / Naval aviation / Trainer

The following organisations are either based at, use and/or have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield (as at 01/09/2011):

  • Bagthorpe with Barmer Parish Meeting
  • Barwick Parish Meeting
  • Bircham Parish Council
  • CITB-ConstructionSkills
  • Docking Parish Council
  • RAF Bircham Newton Memorial Project
  • St. Mary's Church, Great Bircham

Main unit(s) present:

  • No 1 AACU 'B' Flight

  • No 1 AACU 'C' Flight

  • No 1 AACU 'D' Flight

  • No 1 AACU 'K' Flight

  • No 1 AACU 'M' Flight

  • No 2 APC

  • No 2 General Reconnaissance Unit

  • No 3 Fighting School

  • No 3 School of Aerial Fighting & Gunnery

  • No 5 Comms Sqn

  • No 6 Comms Sqn

  • No 7 AACU

  • No 7 Comms Sqn

  • No 7 Sqn

  • No 8 Comms Sqn

  • No 11 Sqn

  • No 18 Sqn

  • No 18 (RCAF) ACHU

  • No 21 Sqn

  • No 22 Sqn
  • No 27 ACHU

  • No 32 Sqn

  • No 34 Sqn

  • No 35 Sqn

  • No 39 Sqn

  • No 42 Sqn

  • No 48 Sqn

  • No 49 Sqn

  • No 53 Sqn

  • No 54 MU

  • No 56 Sqn

  • No 59 Sqn

  • No 60 Sqn

  • No 90 Sqn
  • No 99 Sqn

  • No 101 Sqn

  • No 119 Sqn

  • No 157 (General Reconnaissance) Wing

  • No 166 Sqn

  • No 167 Sqn

  • No 168 Sqn
  • No 200 Sqn

  • No 206 Sqn

  • No 207 Sqn

  • No 217 Sqn
  • No 220 Sqn

  • No 221 Sqn

  • No 229 Sqn
  • No 233 Sqn

  • No 235 Sqn

  • No 236 Sqn
  • No 248 Sqn

  • No 252 Sqn

  • No 254 Sqn

  • No 269 Sqn

  • No 274 Sqn

  • No 279 Sqn

  • No 280 Sqn

  • No 320 Sqn

  • No 401 Met Flight

  • No 403 Met Flight

  • No 407 Sqn

  • No 415 Sqn

  • No 500 Sqn

  • No 502 Sqn
  • No 521 Sqn

  • No 524 Sqn

  • No 598 Sqn

  • No 695 Sqn

  • No 811 Sqn

  • No 812 Sqn

  • No 815 Sqn

  • No 816 Sqn

  • No 819 Sqn

  • No 826 Sqn

  • No 855 Sqn

  • No 1401 Met Flight

  • No 1403 Met Flight

  • No 1525 BAT Flight

  • No 1555 RAT Flight

  • No 1559 RAT Flight

  • No 1611 (AAC) Flight

  • No 1612 (AAC) Flight

  • No 1626 (AAC) Flight

  • No 2743 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2749 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2765 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 4031 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment
  • Air Crew Allocation Centre

  • Air Sea Rescue Training Unit

  • Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit

  • Coastal Command Preparation Pool

  • Officers Advanced Training School

  • Transport Command Initial Conversion Unit

  • Warwick Training Unit

001Guardroom 15:07:2006.JPG

The Guardroom, 15 July 2006.

002Mixed period design support buildings now used by the CITB 15:07:2006.JPG

Mixed period design support buildings now used by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), 15 July 2006.

003Type C hangar and other facilities forming part of the CITB 15:07:2006.JPG

Type C hangar and other facilities forming part of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), 15 July 2006.

004Type C hangar and other buildings now part of the CITB 15:07:2006.JPG

Type C hangar and other buildings now part of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), 15 July 2006.

005geograph-438987-by-Nigel-Jones.jpg

The control tower at Bircham Newton, 20 May 2007.

006Parachute Store - 15 March 2008.png

Parachute Store at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2008. © Richard Flagg

007Hangar : C Type Aircraft Shed - 15 March 2008.png

C Type Aircraft Shed at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2008. © Richard Flagg

008Station Headquarters - 15 March 2008.png

Station Headquarters at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2008. © Richard Flagg

009Main Stores (Old) - 15 March 2009.png

The old main stores buildings at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

010Central Heating Station - 15 March 2009.png

The Central Heating Station at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

011Hangar : C Type Aircraft Shed - 15 March 2009.png

C Type Aircraft Shed at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

012Main Workshops - 15 March 2009.png

Main Workshops at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

013Hangar : Bellman Aircraft Shed - 15 March 2009.png

Bellman Aircraft Shed at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

014Control Tower : Watch Office With Tower - 15 March 2009.png

The control tower at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

015Sergeants Mess - 15 March 2009.png

Sergeants Mess at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

016Observation Post : Secondary Battle Headquarters - 15 March 2009.png

Observation Post at Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

017Aerial View of RAF Bircham Newton Airfield - 15 March 2009.png

Aerial view of Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

018Aerial View 2 of RAF Bircham Newton Airfield - 15 March 2009.png

Aerial view of Bircham Newton, 15 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

019Battle Headquarters - 3 February 2012.png

Battle Headquarters at Bircham Newton, 3 February 2012. © Richard Flagg

020geograph-6275160-by-Hugh-Venables.jpg

Airfield buildings at Bircham Newton, 14 September 2019.

King George V and Queen Mary visit Bircham Newton on Empire Air Day, 1934. Courtesy of British Pathé

A Construction School at Bircham Newton, 1968. Courtesy of British Pathé

An account of John Hurren's National Service at Bircham Newton and Padgate. Courtesy of Shirley2107

Parent(s)/HQ Airfield(s):

West Raynham

Satellite(s):

Docking

Decoy Airfield(s):

Burnham Sutton / Coxford Heath / SalthouseSedgeford

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