Wattisham Airfield

Infobox Airport
name = Wattisham Airfield
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =

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image-width =
caption =
IATA =
ICAO = EGUW
type = Military
owner =
operator = Army Air Corps
city-served =
location = Stowmarket
elevation-f = 284
elevation-m = 87
coordinates = Coord|52|07|38|N|000|57|23|E|type:airport
website =
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 05/23
r1-length-f = 7,953
r1-length-m = 2,424
r1-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
stat1-header =
stat1-data =
stat2-header =
stat2-data =
footnotes = Location map
Suffolk
lat=52.1272
long=0.956389
width=180
float=right
caption="Wattisham Airfield shown within Suffolk"
(gbmapping|TM024518)

"For the former RAF base on this site see RAF Wattisham"

Wattisham Airfield is the biggest centralised operational Army Airfield in the UK. It is home to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps and 4 Regiment Army Air Corps. They are part of 16 Air Assault Brigade, whose headquarters is at Colchester. They fly one of the most advanced military helicopters in the world, the Westland WAH-64 Apache as well as the Westland Lynx and Aerospatiale Gazelle helicopters.

Also based at Wattisham is 7 Air Assault Battalion REME with a helicopter repair facility with worldwide capability, 132 Aviation Supply Unit and Royal Logistics Corps. The RAF maintains a presence at the base with B Flight 22 Squadron, flying the Sea King, with a search and rescue responsibility for the whole of the eastern coast, and Brigade Parachute Squadron RAF. Apart from the military, the police helicopter unit for Suffolk Constabulary also operates from Wattisham as well as the [http://www.angliaglidingclub.org.uk/ Anglia Gliding Club] (which, in fact, is the oldest serving member of Wattisham).

The Airfield covers a site of 1,072 acres. There are 2000 troops stationed on site with 600 houses for married personnel between Wattisham, Hadleigh and Ipswich. There are 300 HGVs, 200 Land Rovers, 72 helicopters including 2 Sea King helicopters (125 and 126) and the Suffolk Police Eurocopter and casual access for 2 Air Ambulances.

There is a museum on site which has the history of the airfield and this is open on Sundays during April to October.

History

Wattisham Airfield has had a long and distinguished history. First opening in April 1939 the based was used by the RAF before being lent to the United States Army Air Forces in 1942. After the Second World War Wattisham became one of our frontline RAF fighter bases during the Cold War.

For more detailed information about the base from 1939 to 1992, when the Army Air Corps began operating the base, see RAF Wattisham.

External links

* [http://www.wattisham.org.uk/ Wattisham Airfield by Wattisham Aviation Society]
* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/W-Z/Wattisham.htm]
* [http://www.springtime.co.uk/phantoms/raf.html History of Wattisham]
* [http://www.wattishamairfieldmuseum.fsnet.co.uk/history%20of%20airfield.htm Another history]
*