# RAF Staverton

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> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/RAF_Staverton.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Staverton
> Source revision: 1352557756
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Short description|Former RAF base, Gloucestershire}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = RAF Staverton
| ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
| ensign_size = 90px
| native_name = 
| partof = <!-- for elements within a larger site -->
| nearest_town = [Staverton](/source/Staverton%2C_Gloucestershire), Gloucestershire
| country = England
| image = <!--250px-->
| caption = 
| image2 = <!--secondary image, major command emblems for airfields -->
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| type = [Royal Air Force Station](/source/Royal_Air_Force_Station)
| coordinates = {{coord|51|53|39|N|002|10|02|W|region:GB_type:airport|display=inline,title}}
| gridref = 
| pushpin_map = Gloucestershire#UK
| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Gloucestershire
| pushpin_label = RAF Staverton
| pushpin_label_position = 
| ownership = [Air Ministry](/source/Air_Ministry)
| operator = [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force)
| controlledby = [RAF Flying Training Command](/source/RAF_Flying_Training_Command)
| open_to_public = <!-- for out of use sites/sites with museums etc -->
| site_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| site_other = <!-- for other sorts of facilities – radar types etc -->  
| site_area = <!-- area of site m2, km2 square mile etc -->
| code = <!--facility/installation code -->
| built = {{Start date|1936}}
| used = 1936 - {{End date|1951}}
| builder = 
| fate = 
| condition = 
| battles = [European theatre of World War II](/source/European_theatre_of_World_War_II)
| events = 
| past_commanders = <!-- past notable commander(s) -->
| garrison = <!-- such as the 25th Bombardment Group -->
| occupants = <!-- squadrons only -->
| designations = 
| website = 
| footnotes = <!-- catchall in case it's needed to preserve something in infobox -->
<!-- begin airfield information  -->
| IATA = 
| ICAO = 
| LID = 
| GPS = 
| WMO = 
| elevation = {{Convert|48|m|0}}
| r1-number = 00/00
| r1-length = <!-- {{Convert||m|0}} -->
| r1-surface = [Asphalt](/source/Asphalt_concrete)
| r2-number = 00/00
| r2-length = <!-- {{Convert||m|0}} -->
| r2-surface = Asphalt
| r3-number = 00/00
| r3-length = <!-- {{Convert||m|0}} -->
| r3-surface = Asphalt
| 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 Staverton''' or more simply '''RAF Staverton''' is a former [Royal Air Force](/source/Royal_Air_Force) [station](/source/Royal_Air_Force_station) about {{convert|4|mi|km|0}} west of [Cheltenham](/source/Cheltenham), Gloucestershire, England. The station was used for training and operations from 1936 until the 1950s. The site is now [Gloucestershire Airport](/source/Gloucestershire_Airport).

==History==
thumb|left|Aerial view in 1941
From 1931 there was an airfield near [Down Hatherley](/source/Down_Hatherley),<ref name="glos" /> and plans were in place pre-war to develop the new site. The RAF took over the site as a training school on 16 July 1936<ref name="ABCT">{{cite web|url=http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/staverton-gloucestershire |title=RAF Staverton|publisher=[Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust](/source/Airfields_of_Britain_Conservation_Trust)|accessdate=2 April 2012}}</ref> for training until August 1946. Flying training was conducted at the site on [de Havilland Tiger Moth](/source/de_Havilland_Tiger_Moth)s, but for the first 18&nbsp;months, during construction, the practical element of the course had to be undertaken at the relief landing ground at [RAF Worcester](/source/RAF_Worcester). [No. 31 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School](/source/No._31_Elementary_and_Reserve_Flying_Training_School_RAF) was based at Staverton between 29 September 1938 and 3 September 1939.<ref name="RAFWEB" />

During the [Second World War](/source/World_War_II) a number of units and flights were based at the airfield including [No. 44 Group Communication Flight RAF](/source/No._44_Group_Communication_Flight_RAF), which operated between 15 August 1941 and 9 August 1946. [No. 6 Air Observers Navigation School RAF](/source/No._6_Air_Observers_Navigation_School_RAF) was also based at Staverton from 1 November 1939 until 17 January 1942.<ref name="RAFWEB">{{cite web|url=http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-S.htm#Staverton |title=RAF Staverton|publisher=Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation|accessdate=2 April 2012}}</ref>

Post-war, a number of small units and detachments used the airfield including a sub-site of [No. 7 Maintenance Unit RAF](/source/No._7_Maintenance_Unit_RAF) between 4 June 1945 and 11 August 1953.<ref name="RAFWEB"/>

The Ministry of Aircraft Production Guard Dog School was formed in late 1942, located at Woodfold in [Down Hatherley](/source/Down_Hatherley). In 1946 the unit, by now called the RAF Police Dog Training School, moved from Woodfold to Staverton. In February 1951, the School left Staverton and moved to [RAF Netheravon](/source/RAF_Netheravon).

The following units were also here at some point:<ref name="ABCT"/>
* [No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School RAF](/source/No._2_Elementary_Flying_Training_School_RAF) became [No. 6 Flying Instructors School (Supplementary) RAF](/source/No._6_Flying_Instructors_School_(Supplementary)_RAF){{sfn|Lake|1999|p=61}} became [No. 6 Flying Instructors School RAF](/source/No._6_Flying_Instructors_School_RAF) became [No. 6 Flying Instructors School (Elementary) RAF](/source/No._6_Flying_Instructors_School_(Elementary)_RAF) became [No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School RAF](/source/No._2_Elementary_Flying_Training_School_RAF){{sfn|Lake|1999|p=102}}
* [No. 6 Civil Air Navigation School RAF](/source/No._6_Civil_Air_Navigation_School_RAF){{sfn|Lake|1999|p=48}} became [No. 6 Air Observers Navigation School RAF](/source/No._6_Air_Observers_Navigation_School_RAF){{sfn|Lake|1999|p=20}} became [No. 6 Air Observers School RAF](/source/No._6_Air_Observers_School_RAF){{sfn|Lake|1999|p=21}} became [No. 6 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit RAF](/source/No._6_(Observers)_Advanced_Flying_Unit_RAF){{sfn|Lake|1999|p=141}}
* [No. 7 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF](/source/No._7_Anti-Aircraft_Co-operation_Unit_RAF)
* [No. 24 Group Communication Flight RAF](/source/No._24_Group_Communication_Flight_RAF)
* A detachment of [No. 225 Squadron RAF](/source/No._225_Squadron_RAF) between 1 July 1940 and 29 July 1941 operating [Westland Lysander](/source/Westland_Lysander) IIs & IIIs{{sfn|Jefford|1988|p=73}}

==Staverton Airport==
In civilian hands, the site was known as Staverton Airport before changing its name to [Gloucestershire Airport](/source/Gloucestershire_Airport) in 1993.<ref name="glos">{{cite web|title=Airport History|url=https://www.gloucestershireairport.co.uk/the-airport-history/|website=Gloucestershire Airport|accessdate=28 September 2016|archive-date=8 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808084308/https://www.gloucestershireairport.co.uk/the-airport-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

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

===Bibliography===
*{{cite book |last1=Jefford |first1= C.G. |title= RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912 |year=1988 |publisher= Airlife |location= [Shrewsbury](/source/Shrewsbury) |isbn= 1-85310-053-6 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Lake |first1=Alan |title= Flying units of the RAF |year=1999 |publisher= Airlife |location= [Shrewsbury](/source/Shrewsbury) |isbn= 1-84037-086-6 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|RAF Staverton}}
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/70/a8499270.shtml BBC History – Continuation of My War Service]

{{Royal Air Force}}
{{Royal Air Force stations in Gloucestershire}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Staverton}}
Category:Royal Air Force stations in Gloucestershire
Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom
Category:Military airbases established in 1936
Category:Military airbases closed in 1951

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