RAF Bircham Newton

RAF Bircham Newton
Near Bircham Newton, Norfolk in England
RAF Bircham Newton Shown within Norfolk
Coordinates	52°52′37″N 000°39′09″E / 52.87694°N 0.65250°E / 52.87694; 0.65250Coordinates: 52°52′37″N 000°39′09″E / 52.87694°N 0.65250°E / 52.87694; 0.65250
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force
Site history
Built	1917 (1917), 1938
In use	1918-1966 (1966)
Airfield information
Elevation	70 metres (230 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Asphalt 00/00  Asphalt 00/00  Asphalt

Royal Air Force Bircham Newton or more simply RAF Bircham Newton is a former Royal Air Force station located 2.1 miles (3.4 km) south east of Docking, Norfolk and 13.4 miles (21.6 km) north east of King's Lynn, Norfolk, England.

The site was first used during the First World War and received the largest British bomber of the time, the Handley Page V/1500. They would have carried out bombing missions against Berlin but the Armistice was arranged before any missions were actually flown.

The airfield was equipped with one aircraft repair shed and three double bay general service sheds, although these had been demolished by 1937. It had two Belfast hangars, three C Type hangars, three Bellman hangars and ten Blister hangars.

It operated through the Second World War as part of No. 16 Group RAF as part of Coastal Command.

No. 206 Squadron RAF was one of the squadrons being based there, on maritime patrol duties. Two satellite airfields, RAF Docking and RAF Langham were opened to accommodate units.

In 1965 the airfield was used for evaluation trials of the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel V/STOL aircraft.

After closure as an operational airfield in 1966, the airfield became the home of the Construction Industry Training Board. The runways have gone, but the majority of buildings on the site, including some hangars and the control tower, remain in use by the CITB.The control tower was demolished in 2010 due to its poor condition.