RAF Langar

Infobox Military Structure
name= Royal Air Force Station Langar
USAAF Station 490
RCAF Langar
location= Located Near Langar, Nottinghamshire, England
coordinates=coord|52|53|30|N|000|54|07|W|


caption= Langar airfield, September 1943
type= Military airfield
code=LA
built=1942
builder=
materials=
height=
used=1942-Present
demolished=
condition=
ownership=
controlledby=Royal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
Royal Canadian Air Force
garrison=RAF Bomber Command
Ninth Air Force
commanders=
occupants=No. 207 Squadron
435th, 438th, 441st Troop Carrier Groups
battles= European Theatre of World War II
Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945 Location map|Nottinghamshire
caption= RAF Langar, shown within Nottinghamshire
lat= 52.89
long= -0.90
width= 200

RAF Langar is a former military airfield in England. The field is located 12 miles south-east of the centre of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire, a few miles south of Bingham.

The airfield was opened in September 1942 and during World War II it was used by the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force. It was also known as USAAF Station 490, Station Code: LA.

Overview

Langar airfield was built during the early months of 1942 to Class A bomber airfield specifications. The three concrete runways were a main of 6,000ft at 01-19, and two secondaries of 4,200 ft at 07-25 and 4,200 ft at 13-31. The original 36 hardstandings were of the pan type but in the summer of 1943 14 loops were added to bring the total to 50. The original specification required the usual two T-2 hangars but an additional two were added when the airfield was required to hold 32 Horsa gliders in store. Accommodation was mainly Nissen type buildings which catered for 2.253 persons.

RAF Bomber Command use

The first flying unit arrived in September 1942 when No. 207 Squadron arrived with Lancaster bombers from RAF Bottesford. 207 Squadron was a major RAF Bomber Command unit and participated in major raids on occupied Europe.

Also, in September 1942, A.V. Roe Ltd. prepared to use a large hangar complex on the west side of the Langar/Harby road to carry out major repair and maintenance of Lancasters.

The RAF remained until October 1943 when it moved to RAF Spilsby.

USAAF use

In November 1943 Langar was transferred to the USAAF Ninth Air Force as a troop carrier group base. The airfield was used as a reception base for troop carrier groups flying in from the United States. The 10th Service Group and 27th Mobile Repair Maintenance Squadron was established to support these transitory groups before they moved onto their permanent airfields.

435th Troop Carrier Group

The 435th Troop Carrier Group arrived at Langar on 3 November 1943 from Baer AAF Indiana with four squadrons of 56 C-47s. Operational squadrons of the group were:

* 75th Troop Carrier Squadron (SH)
* 76th Troop Carrier Squadron (CW)
* 77th Troop Carrier Squadron (IB)
* 78th Troop Carrier Squadron (CM)

The 435th TCW was assigned to the 53rd Troop Carrier Wing.

The group began operational training at the airfield, however it was moved on 25 January 1944 to RAF Welford to train alongside the 101st Airborne Division.

438th Troop Carrier Group

Langar remained vacant for about a month until the 438th Troop Carrier Wing arrived in early February 1944 from Baer AAF, Indiana. Operational squadrons of the group were:

* 87th Troop Carrier Squadron (3X)
* 88th Troop Carrier Squadron (M2)
* 89th Troop Carrier Squadron (4U)
* 90th Troop Carrier Squadron (Q7)

The 438th TCW was assigned to the 53rd Troop Carrier Wing. Like its predecessor, the group was moved south after a month to a new station at RAF Greenham Common.

441st Troop Carrier Group

The 441st Troop Carrier Group arrived at Langar on 17 March Baer AAF Indiana with four squadrons of 56 C-47s. Those being:

* 99th Troop Carrier Squadron (3J)
* 100th Troop Carrier Squadron (8C)
* 301st Troop Carrier Squadron (Z4)
* 302d Troop Carrier Squadron (2L)

The 441st was a group of Ninth Air Force's 50th Troop Carrier Wing, IX Troop Carrier Command. It was scheduled to be assigned to Langar, however it only remained until 25 April until being moved to RAF Merryfield.

IX Troop Carrier Command depot

Although no further flying combat units were stationed at Langar, the airfield became a major maintenance and supply depot for the IX Troop Carrier Command. In addition, Langar became a center for assembly and modification of CG-4A Waco Gliders, primarily the fitting of reinforced noses for better crew protection in rough landings. During this time several hundred gliders were assembled there.

In August 1944 Langar was released to RAF control for operational use, however the need for forward operating bases in connection with Operation Market-Garden, the 441st Troop Carrier Group using the airfield as part of the operation.

On 17 September 45 C-47s of the 441st TCG dropped paratroops of the 82d Airborne near Nimegen Holland. Five aircraft were lost to Flak. On 18 September, 40 C-47s, all towing CG-4A gliders carried out a reinforcement mission without loss or casualties.

No further missions were flown until 23 September when 90 C-47s, all towing gliders to Holland encountered flak that brought down one C-47. This was the last operational mission by the USAAF from Langar, and ended the association of the Ninth Air Force with the airfield

Post D-Day use

In October 1944, RAF Bomber Command returned to Langar moving in with No. 1669 Heavy Conversion Unit with 32 Lancasters which used the station until March 1945. Although retained by the Ministry of Defence, the airfield was deserted until 1952 when the Royal Canadian Air Force took up residence.

Royal Canadian Air Force use

The air field was used for eleven years (1952 - 1963) by the Royal Canadian Air Force as RCAF Langar. Langar was the RCAF's primary supply base for No. 1 Air Division RCAF in Europe, a complex of four fighter bases set up on in France and West Germany by Canada to help meet NATO's European air defence commitments during the Cold War. It was the only Canadian base in the UK.

The RCAF established No. 30 Air Materiel Base (AMB), to handle the transportation of supplies, equipment, aircraft, personnel, and other support essential for the operation of the four NATO air bases and its headquarters. Several units were attached to 30 AMB. No. 137 (Transport) Flight, which was attached to the Movements Unit of 30 AMB, operated several types of aircraft including six Bristol Freighters, one Beechcraft Expeditor, and two Dakotas. No. 312 Supply Depot handled medical supplies and spares for mechanical equipment, including aircraft (e.g. the F-86 Sabre) and vehicles. No. 314 Technical Services Unit was tasked with inspecting all supplies before they were forwarded to operational bases. This unit also assisted with repair contracts and provided technical advice.

Civil Use

With the facility released from military control in 1963, the airfield is the base for the British Parachute Schools, who use the original control tower for their headquarters. The former Avro industrial complex is used by private industry. Local groups of modified car enthusiasts meet for speed tests. There is a go-karting [http://www.one4allgroup.com track] .

The airfield is relatively intact, with most of its wartime facilities still in use.

See also

* List of RAF stations
* USAAF Ninth Air Force - World War II
* 435th Air Base Wing
* 438th Air Expeditionary Group
* 441st Troop Carrier Group
* Royal Canadian Air Force

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1994) UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913800
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/L/Langar.htm www.controltowers.co.uk RAF Langar]

External links

* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/SK7386633290 Photographs of RAF Langar from the Geograph British Isles project]
* [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=475000&Y=332500&width=700&height=400&gride=470000&gridn=335000&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&pc=&zm=0&scale=50000&multimap.x=272&multimap.y=138 Aerial photo of RAF Langar from Multimap.com]
* [http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s73.html RAF Langar from RAF Bomber Command History site]
* [http://www.lancastered627.bravehost.com Crews of Lancasters EM-N and EM-V of 207 Squadron, kia 28th August 1943]
* [http://www.207squadron.rafinfo.org.uk 207 Squadron Association website]
* [http://wikimapia.org/2251019/Former-RAF-Langar WikiMapia]

Video clips

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7439257.stm Skydive in June 2008] by Archbishop John Sentamu
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuoxyTqlCEc Skydiving]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlzUvmayVzU 2007 skydive]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3jtcoG7Pw8 2006 skydive]