Monument record 8678 - RAF Wittering

A military airfield opened in 1916, as a Royal Flying Corps training airfield, then known as "Stamford". In the interwar years until 1935 it was the home of the Central Flying School. In World War Two it was a fighter base, including functioning as a Sector Airfield as part of 12 Group during the Battle of Britain. It eventually incorporated the former Collyweston Airfield at its western end (HER no 5391). By 1944 it was a large airfield with a 4500 yard long runway and permanent accomodation, with a variety of hangar types. The personnel strength at the base in December 1944 was 2895 men and 518 women. It is still used by the RAF for Harrier Jet aircraft training. V-bomber base 1955-1969. Blue Danube deployed to Wittering 1953. Nuclear weapons testing 1957-8. The Blue Steel missile servicing facility is listed Grade II.

{1} Wittering was part of UK V-bomber force. For over a decade from late 1950s to late 1960s, the V-force was central to British & NATO policy of preventing war by the threat of unleashing the nuclear bomber force, should Warsaw pact have attacked western Europe. To accommodate fully laden V-bombers major alterations required - most distinctive was provision of a single 9000ft runway; charac H shaped dispersal points etc etc. ie substantial evolution in pattern of hardstanding reflecting necessity to get a/c airborne quickly. The deterrent effect of a nuclear equipped bomber force was the sole justification for the V-force. The provision of nuclear weapons storage & maintenance facilities is thus a key element of any V-force airfield. As nuclear bomb technology advanced so stores extended etc. First RAF operational atomic bomb was ‘Blue Danube’ a large & cumbersome device needing large protected stores and separate cubicles to hold its fissile cores. It was forseen that manned airborne nuclear deterrent would become increasingly vulnerable to improved Soviet defences. To extend life of the V-force, a stand- off missile, ‘Blue Steel’, was developed. Deployed at 2 main airfields (one of which was Wittering) with attendant servicing facilities.

RAF Wittering is one of V bomber sites featured in the MPP report. Considerable reconstruction took place in early 1950’s in anticipation of arrival of Bomber Command and the V-force - including strengthening and lengthening of the runway, new hanger. Valiants arrived in 1955. Further additions to airfield in 1960. 1962 Valiants replaced by Victors. In early 1960s Wittering became one of the 2 V-bomber bases to house the nuclear stand-off weapon, Blue Steel, and dedicated ground facilities built for its storage and maintenance. This role lasted to 1968 and following year the deterrent role passed to the Royal Navy with its Polaris equipped subs. Following withdrawal of Victors, in 1969 the first vertical take-off harriers arrived at Wittering; it remains the home of Britain’s Harrier force. Wittering identified by MPP as one of few V-bomber bases that retains its essential late 1950s charcater and is free from large scale alterations.

{6} Prior to 1945 Wittering airfield was separate to Collyweston and beyond county boundary. In 1945 Wittering expanded and Collyweston airfield was incorporated into its boundary. Now known as Wittering and still operating as airfield. See Gibson, 1982 and Bowyer, 1990.

{8} RAF Wittering: A military airfield opened in 1916, as a Royal Flying Corps training airfield, then known as "Stamford". In the interwar years until 1935 it was the home of the Central Flying School. In World War Two it was a fighter base. It is still used for Harrier jet training by RAF Operational Harrier Conversion Unit No. 20 (Reserve) Squadron.

{9} Wittering airfield TF 028 025. By 1944 it was a large airfield with a 4500 yard long runway and permanent accomodation, with a variety of hangar types. The personnel strength at the base in December 1944 was 2895 men and 518 women. See also p52 for the Collyweston airfield element.

{10} Wittering Airfield, centered at TF 032 027as depicted on the 1981 edition of OS sheet TF 00 SW.

{11} During the Battle of Britain, RAF Wittering functioned as a Sector Airfield for 12 Group RAF Fighter Command. As such it was provided with a Sector Operations Room and Staff. The following Squadrons were based here during the Battle: No. 266 Squadron from 14th May 1940, No. 74 Squadron from 14th August 1940, No. 266 Squadron from 21st August 1940, No. 1 Squadron from 9th September 1940.

{12} Joint Force Harrier taken out of service December 2010.

{13} RAF Wittering was closely connected with Britain's first nuclear deterrent programme. A number of buildings and structures associated with this period have been listed including [in Northamptonshire]; nuclear fissile core stores, the electical testing building, a nuclear bomb loading crane, nuclear bomb stores.

{14} Electrical Testing Building A08, TF 01497 01700, See List Entry for details (1402772) (7)

<1> Cocroft W.D., 2001, Cold War Monuments: An Assessment by the Monuments Protection Programme, (part checked) (Report). SNN101426.

<2> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<3> Royal Air Force, Royal Air Force web site, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN104629.

<4> Bowyer M.J.F., 1990, Action Stations 6: Military Airfields of The Cotswolds and The Central Midlands, (unchecked) (Book). SNN39505.

<5> Defence Estates, 2009, Sanctuary: the Minstry of defence conservation magazine, (unchecked) (Extract). SNN106581.

<6> Cadman G., 2014, 20th Century Military Archaeology in Northamptonshire: Logs 1, 2 & 3, v.9 p.8 (unchecked) (Report). SNN104868.

<7> Gibson M.L., 1982, Aviation In Northamptonshire: An Illustrated History, p.248-9 (unchecked) (Book). SNN100276.

<8> Mod Crown Copyright, 2003, Royal Air Force Flying Stations, updated 05-DEC-2003; accessed 04-FEB-2004 (Website). SNN113474.

<9> Willis, S. and Holliss, B., 1987, Military airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945 (Book). SNN111556.

<10> Ordnance Survey Map (Scale/date), 1:10000, 1981 (Map). SNN112944.

<11> Royal Air Force, Crown Copyright, 2005, Battle of Britain: 12 Group, Accessed 03-AUG-2010 (Website). SNN113475.

<12> Royal Air Force, Crown Copyright, 2005, RAF Wittering, Accessed 03-AUG-2010 (Website). SNN113476.

<13> Historic England (formerly English Heritage), Ongoing, National Heritage List for England, viewed 09 Sep 2014 (Website). SNN107872.

<14> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, [11-JUL-2011] East Northamptonshire (Report). SNN112993.

<15> Historic England, Undated, RAF Wittering, Wittering/Easton On The Hill, BF109426 (Archive). SNN113477.

Record last edited

Mar 7 2025 12:42PM