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Because of the proximity of HMP Gartree, no aviation activity now takes place on the site and today it is largely used for agricultural purposes. In 1990 an application was submitted to develop some of the site into a cattle market on the area known as
Airfield Farm. In the mid 1990s a further
427:
The complement of aircraft on the
Stations as of 1943 is listed as 61 Vickers Wellingtons, 4 Miles Martinets and an Avro Anson. The Wellingtons were the primary training aircraft by that time largely withdrawn from front-line operations, the Martinets would have been used for the target towing
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Opening in 1965, HMP Gartree was initially used as s
Category C training center before it was upgraded to a maximum security facility. The most notorious episode occurred in December 1987 and concerned the escape of two inmates who were helped with the aid of a hijacked
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Following the cessation of military activity on the site at the end of the 1950s, part of the former RAF Market
Harborough was earmarked for the construction of HMP Gartree in the 1960s.
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in 1941, and work commenced on the construction of the
Station during 1942. The construction work was undertaken by J.R. Mowlem & Co. and was completed in 1943.
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application was submitted to convert some of the land for offices, leisure facilities and an agricultural showground. In the late 1990s a further ideas concerned a
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Following the cessation of hostilities in 1945, RAF Market
Harborough became home to No. 26 Air Crew Holding Unit from 21 August 1945 until 18 September 1946.
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in 1948, the
Station becoming known as 72 Brigade Vehicle Depot (72 BVD). The army retained custody of the Station until they finally left in the late 1950s.
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Flying operations at RAF Market
Harborough ceased on 18 August 1945, following which the airfield was placed on care and maintenance managed by No. 273 MU.
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in both daylight and night operations. No.14 OTU continued to be housed on the
Station until it was disbanded on 24 June 1945.
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RAF Market
Harborough conformed to the layout of a typical RAF aerodrome, that is the specifications set by the British
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personnel arrived on the Station on 1 June 1943. RAF Market Harborough came under the control of
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737:"Nine Thousand Miles of Concrete A review of Second World War temporary airfields in England"
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Vickers Wellingtons were by far the most numerous type operated from RAF Market Harborough
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640:"RAF Market Harborough – Regiment History, War & Military Records & Archives"
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optimally placed (if practicable at the site) at 60 degree angles to each other in a
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operations and the Anson would have served as the Station's communication aircraft.
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504:(No. 273 MU) were occupants of the base from February 1946 until 5 October 1949.
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In addition to the Wellingtons of No.14 OTU, RAF Market Harborough also operated
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Hawker Hurricanes also operated from RAF Market Harborough with 1683 BDTF
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445:) was re-formed at Market Harborough with the transfer of the unit from
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Control of the former RAF Market Harborough was transferred to the
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Land for the development of an RAF aerodrome was earmarked by the
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Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom
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which called for three converging strips, each containing a
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when that Station was commissioned in August of that year.
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Military units and formations disestablished in 1945
766:"Gartree Prison (Escape) (Hansard, 21 January 1988)"
449:. The OTU was tasked with the training of crews for
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On 1 August 1943, No. 14 Operational Training Unit (
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1788:Military units and formations established in 1943
563:. Today the prison houses Category B prisoners.
420:), and became the parent Station to the nearby
735:Francis, Paul; Flagg, Richard; Crisp, Graham.
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537:theme park together with a recreation of the
479:No. 1683 (Bomber) Defence Training Flight RAF
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481:(1683 BDTF). The Flight transferred from
465:No. 1683 (Bomber) Defence Training Flight
718:"Market Harborough – UK Airfield Guide"
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1172:Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment
1095:List of equipment of the RAF Regiment
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679:"Airfield site with a proud history"
996:Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service
1236:Combined Cadet Force (RAF section)
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328:Royal Air Force Market Harborough
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1152:Assistant Chief of the Air Staff
437:No. 14 Operational Training Unit
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16:Former Royal Air Force station
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1783:Airports established in 1943
644:www.forces-war-records.co.uk
502:No. 273 Maintenance Unit RAF
489:No. 26 Air Crew Holding Unit
1021:RAF Mountain Rescue Service
1016:RAF Search and Rescue Force
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1177:Warrant Officer of the RAF
872:Operational Training units
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230:Location in Leicestershire
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1121:List of notable personnel
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918:Satellite Landing Grounds
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366:Construction & layout
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1157:Air Member for Personnel
877:Schools / Training units
683:www.harboroughmail.co.uk
497:No. 273 Maintenance Unit
156:361 ft / 110 m
1167:Air Member for Materiel
722:www.ukairfieldguide.net
76:Royal Air Force station
508:Care & Maintenance
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1057:RAF Volunteer Reserve
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422:RAF Husbands Bosworth
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332:RAF Market Harborough
224:RAF Market Harborough
25:RAF Market Harborough
1607:70 (Middle East) OTU
1090:List of RAF missiles
1073:List of RAF aircraft
991:RAF Medical Services
976:RAF Chaplains Branch
404:RAF Operational life
184:52.49167°N 0.95000°W
1722:109 (Transport) OTU
1717:108 (Transport) OTU
1712:107 (Transport) OTU
1707:105 (Transport) OTU
1702:104 (Transport) OTU
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819:Ministry of Defence
561:Bell 206 helicopter
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1231:Air Training Corps
1147:Chief of Air Staff
1011:RAF Music Services
483:RAF Bruntingthorpe
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451:RAF Bomber Command
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320:Operational dates.
189:52.49167; -0.95000
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1742:151 (Fighter) OTU
1737:132 (Coastal) OTU
1732:131 (Coastal) OTU
1727:111 (Coastal) OTU
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1131:Personnel numbers
1026:RAF Marine Branch
1006:RAF ground trades
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770:api.parliament.uk
551:HM Prison Gartree
475:Curtiss Tomahawks
471:Hawker Hurricanes
345:in the county of
343:Market Harborough
341:near the town of
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1800:
1747:152 (Bomber) OTU
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1692:101 (Glider) OTU
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1367:4 (Coastal) OTU
1362:3 (Coastal) OTU
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1352:1 (Coastal) OTU
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330:or more simply
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1140:appointments
971:RAF Regiment
957:branches and
887:Glider units
769:
760:
750:19 September
748:. Retrieved
743:
730:
721:
682:
643:
604:
601:"Stations-M"
557:
554:
531:
522:British Army
519:
516:British Army
511:
500:
492:
468:
440:
426:
407:
387:Air Ministry
384:
372:Air Ministry
369:
334:is a former
331:
327:
326:
86:Air Ministry
72:Airport type
56:
45:
18:
1116:Other ranks
882:Ferry units
746:. p. 6
545:HMP Gartree
355:HMP Gartree
187: /
175:000°57′00″W
162:Coordinates
1767:Categories
1261:RAF Museum
1036:Operations
1001:RAF Police
959:components
892:Misc units
826:formations
567:References
443:No. 14 OTU
408:The first
398:triangular
172:52°29′30″N
1752:1 OTU (I)
1104:personnel
1066:equipment
939:Squadrons
857:Squadrons
828:and units
535:Christian
400:pattern.
310:concrete
296:concrete
282:concrete
253:Direction
138:1943–1947
1279:timeline
1203:Roundels
927:Regiment
901:stations
842:Commands
391:concrete
260:Surface
102:Location
92:Operator
1294:commons
1274:history
1208:Uniform
1078:current
944:Flights
862:Flights
361:History
339:station
257:Length
241:Runways
140: (
125: (
67:Summary
1687:86 OTU
1682:85 OTU
1677:84 OTU
1672:83 OTU
1667:82 OTU
1662:81 OTU
1652:79 OTU
1647:78 OTU
1642:77 OTU
1637:76 OTU
1632:75 OTU
1627:74 OTU
1622:73 OTU
1617:72 OTU
1612:71 OTU
1602:63 OTU
1597:62 OTU
1592:61 OTU
1587:60 OTU
1582:59 OTU
1577:58 OTU
1572:57 OTU
1567:56 OTU
1562:55 OTU
1557:54 OTU
1552:53 OTU
1547:52 OTU
1542:51 OTU
1537:43 OTU
1532:42 OTU
1527:41 OTU
1522:36 OTU
1517:34 OTU
1512:32 OTU
1507:31 OTU
1502:30 OTU
1497:29 OTU
1492:28 OTU
1487:27 OTU
1482:26 OTU
1477:25 OTU
1472:24 OTU
1467:23 OTU
1462:22 OTU
1457:21 OTU
1452:20 OTU
1447:19 OTU
1442:18 OTU
1437:17 OTU
1432:16 OTU
1427:15 OTU
1422:14 OTU
1417:13 OTU
1412:12 OTU
1407:11 OTU
1402:10 OTU
1284:future
1193:Ensign
1083:future
913:Former
908:Active
847:Groups
394:runway
307:1,590
304:1,740
301:18/36
293:1,170
290:3,840
287:14/32
279:1,170
276:3,840
273:11/29
135:In use
1387:7 OTU
1382:6 OTU
1372:5 OTU
1198:Badge
934:Wings
852:Wings
835:units
740:(PDF)
528:Today
432:Units
120:Built
82:Owner
752:2016
473:and
152:AMSL
142:1947
127:1942
123:1942
57:none
53:ICAO
46:none
42:IATA
265:ft
200:Map
1769::
768:.
742:.
720:.
691:^
681:.
652:^
642:.
613:^
603:.
574:^
541:.
357:.
349:,
268:m
112:,
108:,
55::
44::
1328:e
1321:t
1314:v
802:e
795:t
788:v
772:.
754:.
724:.
685:.
646:.
607:.
416:(
144:)
129:)
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