{{Short description|Former military airfield in Norfolk, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Use British English|date=May 2013}} {{Infobox military installation | name = RAF Oulton | ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg | ensign_size = 90px | native_name = | partof = | location = Oulton, near Aylsham, Norfolk | nearest_town = | country = England | image = RAF Oulton - 20 Apr 1944 Airphoto.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Aerial photograph of Oulton airfield 20 April 1944 | pushpin_map = Norfolk | pushpin_label = RAF Oulton | pushpin_label_position = top | pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Norfolk | coordinates = {{Coord|52|47|57|N|001|10|53|E|region:GB_type:airport|display=inline,title}} | type = Royal Air Force Satellite station | code = | site_area = | height = | ownership = Air Ministry | operator = Royal Air Force | controlledby = | open_to_public = | condition = | built = {{Start date|1940}} | builder = | used = 1940-{{End date|1952}} | materials = | fate = | battles = | events = | past_commanders = <!-- past notable commander(s) --> | garrison = No. 2 Group RAF<br />No. 3 Group RAF<br />No. 100 Group RAF | occupants = | elevation = {{Convert|47|m|0}} | IATA = | ICAO = | FAA = | WMO = | r1-number = 06/24 | r1-length = {{Convert|1220|m|0}} | r1-surface = Concrete | r2-number = 12/30 | r2-length = {{Convert|1760|m|0}} | r2-surface = Concrete | r3-number = 16/34 | r3-length = {{Convert|1350|m|0}} | r3-surface = Concrete | website = }} '''Royal Air Force Oulton''' or more simply '''RAF Oulton''' is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located {{Convert|3|mi}} west of Aylsham, Norfolk and {{Convert|12.5|mi}} northwest of Norwich, Norfolk, England.
The airfield 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. Faith between July 1940 and September 1942 after which it operated as a satellite airfield of RAF Swanton Morley.
==History==
In September 1943, Oulton was transferred from 2 Group to 3 Group and closed to flying for re-construction as a heavy bomber base with concrete runways, taxiways and parking areas. The work was completed in April 1944 and the airfield transferred to No. 100 Group RAF.<ref name="Act p172"/> Flying operations ceased at the end of July 1945, after which it was taken over by RAF Maintenance Command which used it to store de Havilland Mosquitos until November 1947.<ref name="pict"/>
{| class="wikitable" |+'''RAF Oulton Order of Battle''' |- ! Squadron !! Aircraft !! Dates at RAF Oulton |- | 114 | Blenheim Mk.IV || July 1940 to March 1941<ref name="pict">''Air Pictorial'' October 1967, p. 373.</ref><ref name="Act p171-2">Bowyer 1990, pp. 171–172.</ref> |- | 18 | Blenheim Mk.IV || April 1941 to July 1941 and November to December 1941<ref name="Act p172">Bowyer 1990, p. 172.</ref> |- | 139 | Blenheim Mk.IV || December 1941 to February 1942<ref name="Act p172"/><ref name="pict"/> |- | 1428 Hudson Conversion Flight | Hudson Mk.III || December 1941 to May 1942<ref name="Act p172"/> |- | 236 | Beaufighter Mk.IC || July 1942 to September 1942<ref name="Act p172"/> |- | 88 | Boston Mk.III and IIIA || September 1942<ref name="Act p172"/> to March 1943{{citation needed|date=December 2011}} |- | 21 | Ventura Mk.I and II || April 1943 to September 1943<ref name="Act p172"/> |- | No. 1699 (Bomber Support) Flight RAF | Fortress || May 1944<ref name="Act p172"/> to June 1945{{citation needed|date=December 2011}} |- | 214 | Fortress|| May 1944 to July 1945<ref name="Act p172"/> |- | 803rd Bomb Squadron | Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator || May 1944 to August 1944<ref name="Act p172"/> |- | 223 | Flying Fortress and Liberator|| August 1944 to July 1945<ref name="Act p172"/> |- |}
;Additional Units:<ref name="ABCT"/> * No. 18 Heavy Glider Maintenance Section * No. 274 Maintenance Unit RAF * No. 1428 (Ferry Training) Flight RAF * No. 2873 Squadron RAF Regiment * No. 2874 Squadron RAF Regiment
==Current use==
The site is now farmland.<ref name="ABCT">{{cite web|url=http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/oulton |title=Oulton |publisher=Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust|access-date=23 April 2015}}</ref>
==Museum== The RAF Oulton Museum is housed on the Blickling Hall estate, belonging to the National Trust.<ref>{{cite web |title=Blickling Estate's RAF Oulton museum |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/blickling-estate/features/the-raf-oulton-museum |website=National Trust |access-date=8 November 2019}}</ref>
==See also== * List of former Royal Air Force stations
==References==
===Citations=== {{Reflist}}
===Bibliography=== *Bowyer, J.F. ''Action Stations 1: Wartime military airfields of East Anglia 1939''. Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited, Second edition, 1990. {{ISBN|1-85260-377-1}}. *"Your Questions Answered...Oulton, Norfolk". ''Air Pictorial'', October 1967. p. 373.
==External links== *{{OS coord|614570_327165_region:GB_scale:10000|Map and aerial photos}}
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oulton}} Category:Royal Air Force stations in Norfolk Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom Category:Military airbases established in 1940 Category:Military airbases closed in 1947