RAF Carnaby
Encyclopedia
RAF Carnaby was an emergency landing strip
that enabled crippled bomber
s a safe place to land near the English coast during World War II. It was situated two miles southwest of Bridlington
.
RAF Carnaby opened in March 1944. Unlike most RAF airfields there was a single runway, five times the width of a standard runway and 9000 ft (2,743.2 m) long, lying approximately east-west to enable bombers crossing the coast an easier landing.
Over 1,400 bombers made an emergency landing at the airfield up until the end of the war. Carnaby was one of fifteen airfields operating the fog dispersal system known as Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO)
. The system consisted of two rows of burning petrol one on each side of the runway, the heat from this fire raised the air temperature above the runways, cutting a hole in the fog and provided crews with a brightly lit strip indicating the position of the runway.
Two other similar functioning airfields were either constructed or further developed along the east coast of England, at Manston
and Woodbridge
, all three providing an emergency option for wartime bomber crews.
RAF Carnaby was a Thor missile base from 1959 to 1963.
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
that enabled crippled bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s a safe place to land near the English coast during World War II. It was situated two miles southwest of Bridlington
Bridlington
Bridlington is a seaside resort, minor sea fishing port and civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It has a static population of over 33,000, which rises considerably during the tourist season...
.
RAF Carnaby opened in March 1944. Unlike most RAF airfields there was a single runway, five times the width of a standard runway and 9000 ft (2,743.2 m) long, lying approximately east-west to enable bombers crossing the coast an easier landing.
Over 1,400 bombers made an emergency landing at the airfield up until the end of the war. Carnaby was one of fifteen airfields operating the fog dispersal system known as Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO)
Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO)
Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation was a system used for dispersing fog from an airfield so that aircraft could land safely...
. The system consisted of two rows of burning petrol one on each side of the runway, the heat from this fire raised the air temperature above the runways, cutting a hole in the fog and provided crews with a brightly lit strip indicating the position of the runway.
Two other similar functioning airfields were either constructed or further developed along the east coast of England, at Manston
RAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...
and Woodbridge
RAF Woodbridge
Royal Air Force Station Woodbridge, more commonly referred to as RAF Woodbridge, is a former Royal Air Force military airbase situated to the east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, England...
, all three providing an emergency option for wartime bomber crews.
RAF Carnaby was a Thor missile base from 1959 to 1963.