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RAF Cottam

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Coordinates: 54°03′48″N 000°28′59″W / 54.06333°N 0.48306°W / 54.06333; -0.48306
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RAF Cottam
Langtoft, East Riding of Yorkshire in England
Disused runway
RAF Cottam is located in East Riding of Yorkshire
RAF Cottam
RAF Cottam
Shown within East Riding of Yorkshire
RAF Cottam is located in the United Kingdom
RAF Cottam
RAF Cottam
RAF Cottam (the United Kingdom)
Coordinates54°03′48″N 000°28′59″W / 54.06333°N 0.48306°W / 54.06333; -0.48306
TypeRoyal Air Force satellite station
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Maintenance Command
Site history
Built1939 (1939)
In use1939 - 1954 (1954)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation150 metres (492 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00 1,610 metres (5,282 ft) Concrete and Wood chips
00/00 1,230 metres (4,035 ft) Concrete and Wood chips
00/00 1,210 metres (3,970 ft) Concrete and Wood chips

Royal Air Force Cottam or more simply RAF Cottam is a former Royal Air Force satellite station near Cottam in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England and 3.9 miles (6.3 km) north west of Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire. The airfield was used only occasionally for flying, mostly being utilised as a bomb storage site.

History

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Despite being built as a bomber airfield as a satellite to RAF Driffield, poor weather conditions meant it was never used as its intended use as operational airfield, though some flying did occur.[1] The site was constructed with three runways measuring 5,280 feet (1,610 m), 4,050 feet (1,230 m), and 3,960 feet (1,210 m).[2] The airfield was used temporarily as a dispersal site in August 1940 after a devastating raid on RAF Driffield. An attack by up to 30 Junkers Ju 88's saw 169 bombs dropped, 13 personnel killed, 12 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bombers destroyed, and as a result of the raid, Driffield was non-operational for the rest of 1940.[3][4][5] Cottam's watch office was demolished in 1980.[6] The airfield operated until June 1954.[7]

The airfield was then used by RAF Maintenance Command as No. 91 Maintenance Unit RAF (MU) used the runways and buildings for bomb storage, until the 1950s.[6][8] In December 1944, the station was listed as having 1,057 and 188 women from Maintenance Command and No. 42 Group billeted there.[9]

Current use

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The airfield is currently farmland with little remaining buildings spread over the entire site and the dispersed areas, however the traces of the runways and dispersals can be seen from the air.[10] Ordnance Survey mapping from 1982 shows that the main north east/south west runway had been removed by that time.[11]

RAF Cottam has a unique claim to fame as the 'virtual' airfield for RAF Air Traffic Controller as well as Flight Operations simulator training at RAF Shawbury.[12]

Units

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Unit Dates Details Ref
No. 4 Group Target Towing Flight September–October 1940 Based at nearby RAF Driffield, a detachment flew from here using Lysander aircraft [10]
No. 91 Maintenance Unit 1946–1954 [8]
No. 244 Maintenance Unit September 1944–December 1945 Transferred in from RAF Connel in autumn 1944 [13][14]

References

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  1. ^ Delve 2006, pp. 89–90.
  2. ^ Halpenny 1982, p. 54.
  3. ^ "RAF Cottam – Hull & East Riding at War". hullandeastridingatwar.co.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  4. ^ Halpenny 1982, p. 66.
  5. ^ Otter, Patrick (1998). Yorkshire airfields in the Second World War. Newbury: Countryside Books. pp. 89–90. ISBN 1-85306-542-0.
  6. ^ a b "RAF Cottam airfield". Control Towers. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  7. ^ "Cottam". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  8. ^ a b "Maintenance Unit: No 91, RAF Cottam, East Yorks and No 91 M.U. Satellite, Southburn". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  9. ^ Willis, Steve; Holliss, Barry R (1987). Military airfields in the British Isles, 1939-1945. Sherington: Enthusiasts. p. 54. ISBN 0907700128.
  10. ^ a b Delve 2006, p. 90.
  11. ^ Historic England. "Cottam Airfield (1392698)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  12. ^ "First Deployment on Operations by a junior Air Operations Officer". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  13. ^ "Connel (Oban) - Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust UK". www.abct.org.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  14. ^ Delve 2006, p. 89.

Sources

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  • Delve, Ken (2006). Northern England : Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire. Ramsbury: Crowood. ISBN 1-86126-809-2.
  • Halpenny, Bruce Barrymore (1982). Action stations 4; Military Airfields of Yorkshire. Wellingborough: Stephens. ISBN 0-85059-532-0.
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