Airfield History

RAF Little Rissington is an RAF Aerodrome and former RAF station in Gloucestershire, England. It was once home to the Central Flying School, the Red Pelicans and the Red Arrows.

Built during the 1930s, the station was opened in 1938 and closed in 1994. The married-quarters and main technical site were sold in 1996 (the former becoming the village of Upper Rissington), but the aerodrome has been retained by the Ministry of Defence and remains active along with the southern technical sites, under the operational control of HQAC at RAFC Cranwell.

It is now home to

• 637 Volunteer Gliding Squadron
• The Home Office Experimental Still-Air Fire Test Facility
• The aviation storage/maintenance company, Devonair

The airfield is also used by the forces as a relief landing ground, training area and parachute dropping area. In previous years, the Royal Air Force estate has been used as a film set: including The Avengers (film), part of the ice chase in Die Another Day and the Thunderbirds (film). VGSs formed as Gliding Schools for Home Command back in the early 1940s, with some Units now reaching their 60th Anniversaries. 637 VGS was one of the last Units to be formed and in 2006 celebrated its 40th Anniversary.

Contents

1. The beginning: 1930s into war
2. Central Flying School: 1946 to 1976
3. Imjim Barracks: 1977 to 1979
4. USAF(E) RAF Little Rissington: 1981 to 1993
5. The draw down: 1994 to 2005
6. Revival: 2006 to present

The beginning: 1930s into war

During the build-up to the Second World War, the Air Ministry began constructing major airfields across the United Kingdom under what was known as the Expansion Period. RAF Little Rissington was one of these airfields.

Royal Air Force Station Little Rissington officially opened in 1938, comprising the domestic site and a grass airfield. During 1942, three asphalt runways were laid. Extra land was added to accommodate Sites A to E. Later in the war, the main runway 05/23 was extended northerly (later to become the main runway for instrument landings), 09/27 and 14/32 were extended easterly and south-easterly respectively.

Up to 1945 the station accommodated No. 6 Service Flying Training School and No. 8 Maintenance Unit. No. 8 Maintenance Unit was originally designated No. 8 Aircraft Storage Unit (ASU), however as the Second World War increased its momentum, so did the number of aircraft being stored. During the mid-1940s dispersal areas began openly storing aircraft, that had arrived straight from the manufacture. Due to security concerns, the level of security protection stepped up during the war, including the Station's own fighter force of several Spitfires. Later in the war, various satellite airfields were used to spread out the increased number of aircraft.

Central Flying School: 1946 to 1976

1946 the Royal Air Force Central Flying School moved to Little Rissington. The airfield also became the home to the RAF's aerobatics teams which included the Red Pelicans and later the Red Arrows. The airfield was expanded during this period, and a new fire station and control tower were built.

Imjim Barracks: 1977 to 1979

After CFS's departure, the airfield was used by the Army, and with the arrival of the Royal Irish Rangers Little Rissington became "Imjim Barracks". In November 1977, 637 GS moved to the once hallowed ground at Royal Air Force Little Rissington, the recently vacated home of

USAF(E) RAF Little Rissington: 1981 to 1993

With the arrival of the United States Air Force in Europe, Little Rissington became the largest military contingency hospital in Europe. The aerodrome was cleared for C-130 Hercules and C5 Galaxies. During the Gulf War, Little Rissington was held on its highest readiness state for several decades as it prepared for casualties. The USAF left Little Rissington in 1993 and it was handed back to the Royal Air Force.

The draw down: 1994 to 2005

Little Rissington was identified as surplus to requirements in the Government's "Options for Change" package and the entire site was put up for sale. The domestic and main technical sites of the station were sold to a property developer and became a business park.

Revival: 2006 to present

Following a Defence Review, the planned disposal of RAF Little Rissington was stopped, and so the immediate future of the aerodrome was secured. Several buildings received some minor upgrades. At the end of 2006, an civilian aircraft maintenance firm called 'Devonair' moved in under an agreement with the Ministry of Defence.

Today, RAF Little Rissington remains active for elementary flying training, and aircraft maintenance. With the increasing reduction in military aerodromes, RAF Little Rissington is steadily becoming more active for military flying and ground training. Much of the original station is still almost untouched, though the control tower and several hangars have been demolished.

In 2008, RAF Little Rissington was designated a Core Site up to 2030, under the Defence Estates Development Plan 2008. While nothing has yet been confirmed, RAF Little Rissington has been looked at to support various changes:

• Satellite for RAF Brize Norton in supporting Project CATARA with C130 Hercules training and maintenance.
• Satellite for RAF Benson, to provide a relief landing ground for helicopter training, and potentially relief storage pending the future decision on the Lyneham estate.

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