# RAF Booker

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/RAF_Booker
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/RAF_Booker.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Booker
> Source revision: 1355425255
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Former RAF base in Buckinghamshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name = RAF Booker
|ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
|ensign_size = 90px
|native_name = 
|partof = <!-- for elements within a larger physical site -->
|nearest_town = [High Wycombe](/source/High_Wycombe), Buckinghamshire
|country = England
|image = 
|caption = Teach Learn Apply
|map_type = Buckinghamshire#UK
|map_caption = Location in Buckinghamshire
|type = [Royal Air Force station](/source/Royal_Air_Force_station)
|coordinates = {{coord|51.617|-0.804|type:landmark_region:GB-BKM|display=inline}}
|code = 
|built = {{Start date|1940}}
|builder = 
|fate = [Wycombe Air Park](/source/Wycombe_Air_Park)
|materials = 
|height = 
|used = 1941-{{End date|1963}}
|demolished = 
|condition = 
|ownership = [Air Ministry](/source/Air_Ministry)
|operator = [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force)
|controlledby = [RAF Flying Training Command](/source/RAF_Flying_Training_Command)
|commanders = 
|occupants = 
|battles = [European theatre of World War II](/source/European_theatre_of_World_War_II)
|events = 
|image2 = 
|caption2 = 
<!-- begin airfield information  -->
| IATA = 
| ICAO = 
| LID = 
| GPS = 
| WMO = 
| elevation = <!-- {{Convert||m|0}} -->
| r1-number = 00/00
| r1-length = <!-- {{Convert||m|0}} -->
| r1-surface = Grass
| h1-number = 
| h1-length = <!-- {{Convert| |m|0}} -->
| h1-surface = 
| airfield_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| airfield_other = <!-- for other sorts of airfield facilities -->
<!--  end airfield information   -->
}}
'''Royal Air Force Booker''' or more simply '''RAF Booker''' was a [Royal Air Force station](/source/Royal_Air_Force_station) located {{Convert|3|mi|0}} southwest of [High Wycombe](/source/High_Wycombe), Buckinghamshire, England. 

Booker was opened as a flying training school in 1941 on the site of a civilian flying school requisitioned and closed on the outbreak of war in 1939.<ref name=wap>{{cite web|title=History of Wycombe Air Park|url=http://www.bookergliding.co.uk/history.html|publisher=Booker Gliding Club}}</ref>

In 1965 the site was taken over by Airways Aero Associations (now the [Airways Flying Club](/source/Airways_Flying_Club)), who have operated the airfield as an increasingly commercial training and recreational field, now called [Wycombe Air Park](/source/Wycombe_Air_Park).  Booker featured in many of the airfield scenes in the 1965 feature film ''[Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines](/source/Those_Magnificent_Men_in_their_Flying_Machines)''.

==History==
RAF Booker was opened as the home of [No. 21 Elementary Flying Training School RAF](/source/No._21_Elementary_Flying_Training_School_RAF) in 1941.<ref>{{cite web|title=WW2 Peoples War|publisher=BBC History|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/41/a5237741.shtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720181819/http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/41/a5237741.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 July 2012}}</ref> The flying school operated 72 [de Havilland Tiger Moth](/source/de_Havilland_Tiger_Moth)s and [Miles Magister](/source/Miles_Magister)s. No. 21 EFTS trained 120 pupils on a seven-week course - later to become 11 weeks.

In May 1942, training was also started on the airfield for the [Glider Pilot Regiment](/source/Glider_Pilot_Regiment).

In 1950, the [University of London Air Squadron](/source/University_of_London_Air_Squadron) (ULAS) resumed flying out of Booker, and it also temporarily hosted the Manchester and Liverpool University Squadrons.

In 1955, a hard runway (made of 90 feet wide pierced steel planking) was added to the four wartime grass runways.

From 1956, part of the facilities, including a hangar, were used for accommodation and annual training of Air Training Corps staff of Warrant Officer rank.  This week of training was an intense course in gaining a deeper understanding of duties and of the modern requirements of an ever-improving service.

During the [Cold War](/source/Cold_War) the [Director UKWMO](/source/United_Kingdom_Warning_and_Monitoring_Organisation) was located at the United Kingdom Regional Air Operations Command (UK RAOC) at RAF Booker tasked with instigating the national [four-minute air raid warnings](/source/Four-minute_warning).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5ktyqbWssgAC&pg=PT62|title=The Inner Man: The Life of J.G. Ballard|first= John |last=Baxter|publisher=W&N|year=2011|isbn=978-0297863526|page=62}}</ref>

The RAF continued to base its [Bomber Command Communication Flight RAF](/source/Bomber_Command_Communication_Flight_RAF) at RAF Booker until 1963.{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=79}}

The following units were also here at some point:<ref name="ABCT">{{cite web|url=https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/booker-marlow-wycombe-air-park/ |title=Booker (Marlow) (Wycombe Air Park) |publisher=[Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust](/source/Airfields_of_Britain_Conservation_Trust)|access-date=22 April 2023}}</ref>
* No. 1 Basic Flying Training School RAF (1950-53) using [de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk](/source/de_Havilland_Canada_DHC-1_Chipmunk) T.10s operated by Airwork Ltd{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=78}}
* Temporary dispersal for [No. 5 Maintenance Unit RAF](/source/No._5_Maintenance_Unit_RAF){{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=176}}
* [No. 126 Gliding School RAF](/source/No._126_Gliding_School_RAF) between August 1943 and 1 September 1955{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=145}}
* Air Crew Allocation Unit between 28 February 1955 and 1 July 1958{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=43}}
* Home Command Modified Officer Cadet Training Unit from 1 June 1956{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=165}}
* Joint Services Staff College Flight between 15 January 1947 and 31 October 1952{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|2007|p=170}}

==Current use==

In 1965, the airfield became privately run, and is now [Wycombe Air Park](/source/Wycombe_Air_Park).

==See also==
* [List of former Royal Air Force stations](/source/List_of_former_Royal_Air_Force_stations)

==References==
;Citations
{{Reflist}}

;Bibliography
*{{cite book |last1=Sturtivant|first1=R.|last2=Hamlin|first2=J.|title=Royal Air Force flying training and support units since 1912 |year=2007 |publisher= Air-Britain (Historians)|location= UK|isbn=978-0851-3036-59}}

{{Royal Air Force}}
{{Royal Air Force stations in Buckinghamshire}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Booker}}
Category:Airports in England
Category:Royal Air Force stations in Buckinghamshire
Category:History of Buckinghamshire
Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom
Category:Military airbases established in 1941
Category:Military airbases closed in 1963

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [RAF Booker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Booker) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Booker?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.