RAF Worcester

Royal Air Force Worcester or more simply RAF Worcester is a former Royal Air Force relief landing ground (RLG) which was located 1.7 miles (2.7 km) north east of Worcester city centre, Worcestershire, England and 4.4 miles (7.1 km) south west of Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire.

RAF Worcester
Worcester, Worcestershire in England
RAF Worcester
Shown within Worcestershire
Coordinates52°12′59″N 002°12′14″W
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Flying Training Command
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
In use1940-1945 (1945)
Battles/warsSecond World War
Airfield information
Elevation30 metres (98 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
12/30 900 metres (2,953 ft) Grass

Posted units

The following units were here at some point:[1]

  • No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School RAF (2 EFTS)[1] became No. 6 (Supplimentary) Flying Instructors School RAF[1] became No. 6 Flying Instructors School RAF[1] became No. 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

5 June 1940 Bristol Blenheim L1232 of No. 5 Operational Training Unit overshot at night and hit a house.[3]

17 October 1941 de Havilland Tiger Moth T5856 of No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) crashed when landing.[4]

15 July 1942 Miles Magister R1956 of No. 6 Flying Instructors School (FIS) hit a gunpost on take-off.[5]

September 1942 Douglas Dakota en route from Pershore with a film crew crashed blocking the Bilford Road. The co-pilot was the American film actor Clark Gable who was involved with a planned gunnery training film.[6]

16 May 1943 Airspeed Oxford R9983 of No. 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF crashed on take off.[7]

The airfield today

The airfield has been turned into Perdiswell Park and Ravenmeadow Golf Course.[1]

References

Citations
  1. "Worcester II (Perdiswell)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  2. Lake 1999, p. 102.
  3. Aviation Archaeology - crashes in the south west midlands during 1940
  4. Aviation Archaeology - crashes in the south west midlands during 1941
  5. Aviation Archaeology - crashes in the south west midlands during 1942
  6. Clarke Gable Perdiswell Feature - BBC
  7. Aviation Archaeology - crashes in the south west midlands during 1943

Bibliography
  • Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
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