28:
68:
52:
334:; one of whom described a particularly clever attack a by a Luftwaffe pilot flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110, which looked like a Hampden. The aircraft lowered its landing gear and waggled its wings to mimic the procedures used by ATA pilots when they coming in to land. The bomber then applied thrust and strafed the base dropping at least three bombs on Kirkbride.
1369:
75:
349:). By the summer of 1945, when offensive operations by the air forces in Europe were winding down, the nature of the base changed from a servicing unit to that of a storage unit. In July 1945, the number of aircraft stored at Kirkbride was 930, which had risen to 1,206 stored airframes by November of the same year.
302:, England. Opened in June 1939, the base was intended to be an aircraft repair depot, as its location was deemed to be far enough away from the threat of enemy aircraft. After the Second World War, the site remained open as a maintenance unit and a disposal airfield for redundant aircraft. It was closed in 1960.
310:
The site was acquired in 1937, and intended to be operational by
December 1939, however, this was brought forward six months, and the airbase was operating by June 1939. Building work continued post-opening, with the first hangar not being completed until the end of July 1939. In the planning stage,
379:
The site is part of the Solway
Military Trail, which details access to parts of the site via existing footpaths. The former officers mess building has been converted into a hotel, and most of the hangars are now used for agricultural purposes.
1398:
1408:
1403:
1204:
233:
940:
1074:
950:
996:
970:
1156:
945:
392:
356:
in 1958, revealed that during the 1955–1956 financial year, over £100,000 (equivalent to £3,152,618 in 2023) was spent on repairing aircraft at the base.
1393:
960:
935:
315:. The first aircraft arrived by rail, as the runway was not ready until the autumn of 1939. The station was provided with 15 hangars at the outset; one
879:
425:
The dimensions are for the airfield when open at the start of the Second World War. The main runway is listed as now being 4,045 feet (1,233 m).
311:
the airfield was intended to be an ASU (aircraft storage unit), rather than an ARD (aircraft repair depot), which is what it became with the work of
1209:
1225:
1151:
1099:
991:
1291:
1255:
1250:
1173:
1084:
1334:
965:
930:
897:
327:
had trouble making an effective landing in 1941, and so approval was given to lengthen the runways, but this was not completed until 1943.
628:
368:
system, though in the eventuality, it was never used. The plan was that it would remain under RAF control, initially stated to be part of
323:
states that at the closure of the base in 1960, the site had expanded to include 38 hangars in total. The runways were not long enough, a
805:
Northern
England : Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire
1114:
1199:
1135:
831:
812:
783:
612:
67:
538:
1230:
1054:
986:
920:
353:
1357:
1324:
1286:
955:
1352:
1089:
925:
662:
587:
510:
1362:
1161:
1104:
872:
1319:
1276:
405:
365:
1168:
1094:
324:
312:
372:, and furnished with three radomes each about 100 feet (30 m) in diameter, (similar to the initial equipment at
1372:
1109:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1130:
101:
1281:
1235:
865:
383:
As an aerodrome, it remains open to light and recreational aviation, with 1280 metres of hard runway available
337:
No. 12 Maintenance Unit remained at the base for the duration of
Kirkbride's RAF existence. 12 MU's motto was
1245:
331:
179:
27:
1339:
1271:
1079:
701:
364:
The RAF abandoned the site in 1960, but it was considered as a possible ground station for the
American
1314:
1069:
776:
Flying units of the RAF : the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912
503:
The Royal Air force builds for war : a history of design and construction in the RAF, 1935-1945
1329:
369:
1309:
726:
295:
37:
852:
1189:
827:
808:
779:
683:
658:
608:
583:
506:
1064:
1059:
320:
291:
1194:
1044:
888:
373:
169:
750:
847:
342:
133:
1387:
1240:
316:
51:
1049:
159:
396:
402:
No. 12 Maintenance Unit (41 Maintenance
Command) - 5 June 1939 to 30 June 1960.
446:
687:
116:
103:
299:
41:
250:
857:
824:
Action stations. 3, Military airfields of Wales and the North-West
861:
1399:
Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United
Kingdom
330:
Most of the pilots operating out of the base were part of the
629:"No. 12 Maintenance Unit, Kirkbride (Hansard, 16 July 1958)"
408:(Air Transport Auxiliary) - July 1941 to September 1945.
751:
http://kirkbrideairfield.weebly.com/airfield-info.html
678:"British Midas Station Will Give Six-Minute Warning".
561:
559:
473:
471:
469:
467:
1409:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1960
853:
Kirkbride on
Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust
399:, but routinely used Kirkbride for training flights.
319:, four type-D hangars, six type-E, and four type-L.
1300:
1264:
1218:
1182:
1144:
1123:
1035:
1005:
979:
913:
904:
582:. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation. p. 127.
229:
224:
216:
208:
200:
195:
185:
175:
165:
155:
150:
142:
132:
95:
23:
1404:Military units and formations established in 1939
607:. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. p. 159.
655:Britain and ballistic missile defence, 1942-2002
505:. London: Stationery Office. 1997 . p. 68.
873:
393:No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF
8:
395:- 1940 to 1943. The OTU was based at nearby
682:. No. 55138. 20 July 1961. p. 9.
910:
880:
866:
858:
20:
438:
418:
16:Former RAF airfield in Cumbria, England
1251:Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment
1174:List of equipment of the RAF Regiment
761:
565:
525:
489:
477:
74:
7:
1368:
447:"Site/Airfield Details | NOTAM Info"
1394:Royal Air Force stations in Cumbria
1075:Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service
826:(2 ed.). Cambridge: Stephens.
778:. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 24.
657:. London: Frank Cass. p. 104.
1315:Combined Cadet Force (RAF section)
14:
1367:
1231:Assistant Chief of the Air Staff
270:1,250 yards (1,143 m)
262:1,400 yards (1,280 m)
73:
66:
50:
26:
1325:RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine
1205:List of serving senior officers
352:An inquiry during a session of
294:era airfield in the village of
277:1,000 yards (914 m)
220:Disposed of; private ownership
1:
727:"Forgotten airfields europe"
1100:RAF Mountain Rescue Service
1095:RAF Search and Rescue Force
339:Nunquam intermittere cursum
1425:
1256:Warrant Officer of the RAF
951:Operational Training units
731:www.forgottenairfields.com
543:www.heritagegateway.org.uk
1348:
1200:List of notable personnel
1131:Royal Auxiliary Air Force
997:Satellite Landing Grounds
895:
578:Schrader, Helena (2006).
254:
249:
244:
240:
61:
49:
35:
1335:RAF Football Association
1236:Air Member for Personnel
956:Schools / Training units
822:Smith, David J. (1990).
653:Stocker, Jeremy (2004).
406:No. 16 Ferry Pilots Pool
1246:Air Member for Materiel
605:A dictionary of mottoes
332:Air Transport Auxiliary
180:RAF Maintenance Command
87:Location within cumbria
346:
1136:RAF Volunteer Reserve
807:. Ramsbury: Crowood.
706:Solway Military Trail
347:Never to break flight
1169:List of RAF missiles
1152:List of RAF aircraft
1070:RAF Medical Services
1055:RAF Chaplains Branch
539:"Kirkbride Airfield"
225:Airfield information
56:Hangar RAF Kirkbride
1330:RAF Benevolent Fund
1265:symbols and uniform
898:Ministry of Defence
803:Delve, Ken (2006).
774:Lake, Alan (1999).
764:, pp. 157–158.
113: /
1310:Air Training Corps
1226:Chief of Air Staff
1090:RAF Music Services
603:Pine, L G (1983).
255:Length and surface
176:Controlled by
1381:
1380:
1210:Personnel numbers
1105:RAF Marine Branch
1085:RAF ground trades
1031:
1030:
633:api.parliament.uk
285:
284:
281:
280:
1416:
1371:
1370:
1301:associated civil
1065:RAF Legal Branch
1060:RAF Intelligence
946:Conversion units
911:
882:
875:
868:
859:
848:EGZF information
837:
818:
790:
789:
771:
765:
759:
753:
748:
742:
741:
739:
737:
723:
717:
716:
714:
712:
698:
692:
691:
675:
669:
668:
650:
644:
643:
641:
639:
625:
619:
618:
600:
594:
593:
575:
569:
563:
554:
553:
551:
549:
535:
529:
523:
517:
516:
499:
493:
487:
481:
475:
462:
461:
459:
457:
443:
426:
423:
321:Historic England
292:Second World War
242:
241:
151:Site information
128:
127:
125:
124:
123:
118:
117:54.882°N 3.204°W
114:
111:
110:
109:
106:
77:
76:
70:
54:
45:
30:
21:
1424:
1423:
1419:
1418:
1417:
1415:
1414:
1413:
1384:
1383:
1382:
1377:
1344:
1320:RAF Association
1302:
1296:
1292:Heraldic badges
1260:
1214:
1178:
1140:
1119:
1045:Air Force Board
1037:
1027:
1001:
975:
906:
900:
891:
889:Royal Air Force
886:
844:
834:
821:
815:
802:
799:
794:
793:
786:
773:
772:
768:
760:
756:
749:
745:
735:
733:
725:
724:
720:
710:
708:
702:"RAF Kirkbride"
700:
699:
695:
677:
676:
672:
665:
652:
651:
647:
637:
635:
627:
626:
622:
615:
602:
601:
597:
590:
580:Sisters in arms
577:
576:
572:
564:
557:
547:
545:
537:
536:
532:
524:
520:
513:
501:
500:
496:
488:
484:
476:
465:
455:
453:
445:
444:
440:
435:
430:
429:
424:
420:
415:
389:
374:RAF Fylingdales
370:Fighter Command
362:
308:
188:the public
187:
121:
119:
115:
112:
107:
104:
102:
100:
99:
91:
90:
89:
88:
85:
84:
83:
82:
78:
57:
44:in England
36:
31:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1422:
1420:
1412:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1386:
1385:
1379:
1378:
1376:
1375:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1349:
1346:
1345:
1343:
1342:
1337:
1332:
1327:
1322:
1317:
1312:
1306:
1304:
1298:
1297:
1295:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1268:
1266:
1262:
1261:
1259:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1222:
1220:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1186:
1184:
1180:
1179:
1177:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1165:
1164:
1159:
1148:
1146:
1142:
1141:
1139:
1138:
1133:
1127:
1125:
1124:reserve forces
1121:
1120:
1118:
1117:
1112:
1110:RAF Air Cadets
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1041:
1039:
1033:
1032:
1029:
1028:
1026:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1009:
1007:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
994:
989:
983:
981:
977:
976:
974:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
917:
915:
908:
902:
901:
896:
893:
892:
887:
885:
884:
877:
870:
862:
856:
855:
850:
843:
842:External links
840:
839:
838:
832:
819:
813:
798:
795:
792:
791:
784:
766:
754:
743:
718:
693:
670:
663:
645:
620:
613:
595:
588:
570:
568:, p. 109.
555:
530:
528:, p. 157.
518:
511:
494:
492:, p. 156.
482:
480:, p. 108.
463:
437:
436:
434:
431:
428:
427:
417:
416:
414:
411:
410:
409:
403:
400:
388:
385:
361:
358:
307:
304:
283:
282:
279:
278:
275:
272:
271:
268:
264:
263:
260:
257:
256:
253:
247:
246:
238:
237:
231:
227:
226:
222:
221:
218:
214:
213:
210:
206:
205:
202:
198:
197:
193:
192:
189:
183:
182:
177:
173:
172:
167:
163:
162:
157:
153:
152:
148:
147:
144:
140:
139:
136:
134:Grid reference
130:
129:
122:54.882; -3.204
97:
93:
92:
86:
80:
79:
72:
71:
65:
64:
63:
62:
59:
58:
55:
47:
46:
33:
32:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1421:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1391:
1389:
1374:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1351:
1350:
1347:
1341:
1338:
1336:
1333:
1331:
1328:
1326:
1323:
1321:
1318:
1316:
1313:
1311:
1308:
1307:
1305:
1303:organisations
1299:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1269:
1267:
1263:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1241:Air Secretary
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1223:
1221:
1217:
1211:
1208:
1206:
1203:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1190:Officer ranks
1188:
1187:
1185:
1181:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1154:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1143:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1128:
1126:
1122:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1042:
1040:
1034:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1004:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
984:
982:
978:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
918:
916:
912:
909:
903:
899:
894:
890:
883:
878:
876:
871:
869:
864:
863:
860:
854:
851:
849:
846:
845:
841:
835:
833:1-85260-375-5
829:
825:
820:
816:
814:1-86126-809-2
810:
806:
801:
800:
796:
787:
785:1-84037-086-6
781:
777:
770:
767:
763:
758:
755:
752:
747:
744:
732:
728:
722:
719:
707:
703:
697:
694:
689:
685:
681:
674:
671:
666:
660:
656:
649:
646:
634:
630:
624:
621:
616:
614:0-7100-9339-X
610:
606:
599:
596:
591:
585:
581:
574:
571:
567:
562:
560:
556:
544:
540:
534:
531:
527:
522:
519:
514:
508:
504:
498:
495:
491:
486:
483:
479:
474:
472:
470:
468:
464:
452:
451:notaminfo.com
448:
442:
439:
432:
422:
419:
412:
407:
404:
401:
398:
394:
391:
390:
386:
384:
381:
377:
375:
371:
367:
359:
357:
355:
350:
348:
344:
340:
335:
333:
328:
326:
322:
318:
314:
305:
303:
301:
297:
293:
289:
288:RAF Kirkbride
276:
274:
273:
269:
266:
265:
261:
259:
258:
252:
248:
243:
239:
235:
232:
228:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
194:
190:
184:
181:
178:
174:
171:
168:
164:
161:
158:
154:
149:
145:
141:
137:
135:
131:
126:
98:
94:
81:RAF Kirkbride
69:
60:
53:
48:
43:
39:
34:
29:
24:RAF Kirkbride
22:
19:
1219:appointments
1050:RAF Regiment
1036:branches and
966:Glider units
823:
804:
775:
769:
757:
746:
734:. Retrieved
730:
721:
709:. Retrieved
705:
696:
679:
673:
654:
648:
636:. Retrieved
632:
623:
604:
598:
579:
573:
546:. Retrieved
542:
533:
521:
502:
497:
485:
454:. Retrieved
450:
441:
421:
382:
378:
363:
360:Post closure
351:
338:
336:
329:
309:
287:
286:
196:Site history
186:Open to
160:Air Ministry
18:
1195:Other ranks
961:Ferry units
397:RAF Silloth
230:Identifiers
209:In use
120: /
96:Coordinates
1388:Categories
1340:RAF Museum
1115:Operations
1080:RAF Police
1038:components
971:Misc units
905:formations
762:Delve 2006
664:0714656968
589:1844153886
566:Smith 1990
526:Delve 2006
512:0117724696
490:Delve 2006
478:Smith 1990
433:References
354:Parliament
105:54°52′55″N
1183:personnel
1145:equipment
1018:Squadrons
936:Squadrons
907:and units
736:15 August
711:15 August
688:0140-0460
680:The Times
638:15 August
548:29 August
456:29 August
325:Liberator
313:No. 12 MU
296:Kirkbride
251:Direction
212:1939–1960
204:1938–1939
108:3°12′14″W
38:Kirkbride
1358:timeline
1282:Roundels
1006:Regiment
980:stations
921:Commands
290:, was a
166:Operator
146:Airfield
138:NY228548
1373:commons
1353:history
1287:Uniform
1157:current
1023:Flights
941:Flights
797:Sources
306:History
300:Cumbria
245:Runways
42:Cumbria
1363:future
1272:Ensign
1162:future
992:Former
987:Active
926:Groups
830:
811:
782:
686:
661:
611:
586:
509:
317:type-C
236:: EGZF
1277:Badge
1013:Wings
931:Wings
914:units
413:Notes
387:Units
366:MIDAS
343:Latin
267:10/28
201:Built
156:Owner
828:ISBN
809:ISBN
780:ISBN
738:2022
713:2022
684:ISSN
659:ISBN
640:2022
609:ISBN
584:ISBN
550:2022
507:ISBN
458:2022
234:ICAO
217:Fate
143:Type
376:).
191:Yes
170:RAF
1390::
729:.
704:.
631:.
558:^
541:.
466:^
449:.
345::
298:,
40:,
881:e
874:t
867:v
836:.
817:.
788:.
740:.
715:.
690:.
667:.
642:.
617:.
592:.
552:.
515:.
460:.
341:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
