RAF Swannington
Encyclopedia
RAF Swannington was a World War II
era airfield located just to the north of the Norfolk
village of Swannington
, England
, also occupying a substantial part of the neighbouring parish of Brandiston
. It was opened in April 1944 and sold in 1957, though the RAF left in November 1947. The site is now used for agriculture though evidence of concrete runways and buildings remains. Part of the Brandiston-Swannington road still runs over remains of the runways.
The station was developed from the estate of Haveringland Hall, and took its name from the nearby village.
Swannington was the mother Maintenance Unit (MU) 274 for RAF Little Snoring
, RAF North Creake
and RAF Oulton
. All these stations had mothballed Mosquitos of all MKs. There were also several hundred new Merlin engines, in their crates. During 1946-48 the role of the site was to service and carry out important modifications before aircraft were flown out to a permanent MU for an in-depth service, from where they were sold to foreign powers. Airframes which were beyond their sell-by date were towed to the dump after recovery of spares including engines and burnt.
Haveringland Hall was the officers' mess and quarters. The Hall was demolished c 1948. Many Nissen hut
s were sited in the extensively wooded and landscaped garden. After decommissioning, these grounds were used for a caravan and camping ground.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era airfield located just to the north of the Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
village of Swannington
Swannington, Norfolk
Swannington is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is located approximately north of Norwich between the villages of Taverham, Felthorpe, Brandiston and Cawston....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, also occupying a substantial part of the neighbouring parish of Brandiston
Brandiston
Brandiston is a small village and civil parish in the county of Norfolk, England, about two miles south-east of the small market town of Reepham, five miles south-west of the larger town of Aylsham and 10 miles north-west of the city of Norwich. For the purposes of local government, it falls within...
. It was opened in April 1944 and sold in 1957, though the RAF left in November 1947. The site is now used for agriculture though evidence of concrete runways and buildings remains. Part of the Brandiston-Swannington road still runs over remains of the runways.
The station was developed from the estate of Haveringland Hall, and took its name from the nearby village.
Swannington was the mother Maintenance Unit (MU) 274 for RAF Little Snoring
RAF Little Snoring
RAF Little Snoring was a World War II era RAF Heavy Bomber airfield located just to the north of the Norfolk village of Little Snoring. The airfield remains open for general aviation use-Operational units and aircraft:* Heavy Conversion...
, RAF North Creake
RAF North Creake
RAF North Creake was a world war two era RAF Heavy Bomber airfield located just to the north of the Norfolk medieval village of Egmere, five miles northwest of Fakenham.-Second World War usage:...
and RAF Oulton
RAF Oulton
Royal Air Force Oulton is located to the west of the market town of Aylsham in Norfolk and was built over 1939 and 1940 as a bomber airfield with T2 type hangars and grass runways, the facility operating as a satellite airfield of nearby RAF Horsham St...
. All these stations had mothballed Mosquitos of all MKs. There were also several hundred new Merlin engines, in their crates. During 1946-48 the role of the site was to service and carry out important modifications before aircraft were flown out to a permanent MU for an in-depth service, from where they were sold to foreign powers. Airframes which were beyond their sell-by date were towed to the dump after recovery of spares including engines and burnt.
Haveringland Hall was the officers' mess and quarters. The Hall was demolished c 1948. Many Nissen hut
Nissen hut
A Nissen hut is a prefabricated steel structure made from a half-cylindrical skin of corrugated steel, a variant of which was used extensively during World War II.-Description:...
s were sited in the extensively wooded and landscaped garden. After decommissioning, these grounds were used for a caravan and camping ground.