RAF Weybourne

RAF Weybourne was a Second World War anti-aircraft establishment. 'X' Flt, No 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit were based at the station between 16 May and 14 September 1939, with 'T' Flt, No 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit there between 25 February and 29 April 1942. No 6 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit were based there between 7 December 1942 and 30 November 1943.[2]

RAF Weybourne
Norwich, Norfolk in England
Weybourne airfield in 2012
RAF Weybourne
Shown within Norfolk
Coordinates52.9505°N 1.1215°E / 52.9505; 1.1215
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Site history
Built1939 (1939)
In use1939-1942 (1942)[1]
Airfield information
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00  Grass
00/00  Grass

Associated with the anti-aircraft gunnery, the station operated the De Havilland DH-82B Queen Bee target drone aircraft, a radio-controlled target tug version of the Tiger Moth II.

Postwar

Although the published closure date known for this airfield relates to the World War II airfield, the Army maintained an Anti Aircraft training camp across from RAF Weybourne using Bofors 40 mm guns linked to AA4 mk7 gun-laying radar. When that closed in 1958 the radars were transferred to the RAF. A very small permanent detachment was maintained there using the obsolete radar into the 1980s for cross-tell training, decoy work and to extend low level coverage. In the late 1980s, after the obsolete radars were removed, trials were carried out to confirm the site's suitability for deployment of the new mobile radars that were coming into service.

A Marconi Type 91 'Martello' radar was moved from RAF Trimingham to Weybourne in September 1996, operated by 432 Signals Unit acting as a Ready Platform (along with RAF Hopton and Trimingham) for the IUKADGE Series II (United Kingdom Air Defence Ground Environment) Radar System controlled from the R3 underground control centre at RAF Neatishead.

In October 1997 the Type 91 at RAF Weybourne was de-built; replaced when the Type 93 at RAF Trimingham became operational.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Weybourne". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  2. RAF Web: Stations W
  3. A History Of Royal Air Force Neatishead
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