RAF Santacruz

RAF Santacruz was a Royal Air Force airfield in Bombay (now called Mumbai), then British India which saw extensive use in World War II.

RAF Santacruz

Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorRoyal Air Force
LocationBombay, India
Built1941
In use1942-1947
Elevation AMSL37 ft / 11 m
Coordinates19°05′19″N 072°52′05″E
Map
RAF Santacruz
Location in India
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
04/22 5,174 1,577 Concrete
09/27 5,220 1,590 Concrete
14/32 5,030 1,530 Concrete
External image
A 1945-46 photo of RAF Santacruz taken from the air showing its three runways

History

The Airfield was constructed in the 1930s when the nearby Juhu Aerodrome, located close by, could not cope with the fighters, bombers and other large transport planes of the Air Force, that required longer and stronger runways. The Santacruz Airfield covered an area of about 1,500 acres (607 hectares). It had three runways originally[1] and built as a standard Class A airfield, the main feature of which was a set of three intersecting concrete runways placed in a triangular pattern. The technical area and apron were located to the south between 09/27 and 14/32 and connected to a 50 feet (15 m) wide perimeter track. After the end of the War, the airport was handed over to the Director General of Civil Aviation for Civil operations and continues civilian operations.[2]

Squadrons

Numerous Fighter Squadrons and support units were stationed at Santacruz from 1942 to 1947.[3]

Unit Dates Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 159 Squadron RAF 1945-1946 Consolidated Liberator Mk.VIII Detachment from RAF Salbani, West Bengal
No. 203 Squadron RAF November 1943-October 1944: Vickers Wellington Coastal patrols
No. 217 Squadron RAF 1947
No. 244 Squadron RAF

Current use

It is now known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

References
  1. "Transport by Air". Maharashtra State Gazetteers. 1987. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  2. "Airfield, Santacruz". Hansard. 30 October 1946. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  3. "RAF Santacruz". www.rafweb.org. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
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