RAF Langar

RAF Langar is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 9 miles SE of Nottingham in Nottinghamshire.

The airfield was opened in September 1942 and during World War II it was used by the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force. It was also known as USAAF Station 490, Station Code: LA.

RAF Use

Langar airfield was built during the early months of 1942 and was first used by a flying unit in September when No. 207 Squadron arrived with Lancaster bombers from RAF Bottesford. 207 Squadron was a major RAF Bomber Command unit and participated in major raids on occupied Europe.

The RAF remained until October 1943 when it moved to RAF Spilsby.

USAAF Use

In November 1943 Langar was transferred to the USAAF Ninth Air Force as a troop carrier group base. The airfield was used as a reception base for troop carrier groups flying in fron the United States. The 10th Service Group and 27th Mobile Repair Maintence Squadron was established to support these transitory groups before they moved onto their permanent airfields.

435th Troop Carrier Group

The 435th Troop Carrier Group arrived at Langar on 3 November 1943 from Baer AAF Indiana with four squadrons of 56 C-47s.

The group began operational training at the airfield, however it was moved on 25 January 1944 to RAF Welford to train alongside the 101st Airborne Division.

438th Troop Carrier Group

Langar remained vacant for about a month until the 438th Troop Carrier Wing arrived in early February 1944 from Baer AAF, Indiana

However the group only remained for a short time until being transfered to RAF Welford at the end of the month.

441st Troop Carrier Group

The 441st arrived at Langar on 17 March Baer AAF Indiana with four squadrons of 56 C-47s. Those being:

• 99th Troop Carrier Squadron (3J)
• 100th Troop Carrier Squadron (8C)
• 301st Troop Carrier Squadron (Z4)
• 302d Troop Carrier Squadron (2L)

The 441st was scheduled to be assigned to Langar, however it only remained until 25 April until being moved to RAF Merryfield.

IX Troop Carrier Command Depot

Although no further flying combat units were stationed at Langar, the airfield became a major maintence and supply depot for the IX Troop Carrier Command. In additon, Langar became a center for assembly and modification of CG-4A Waco Gliders, primarily the fitting of reinforced noses for better crew protection in rough landings. During this time several hundred gliders were assembled there.

In August 1944 Langar was released to RAF control for operational use, however the need for forward operating bases in connection with Operation Market-Garden, the 441st Troop Carrier Group using the airfield as part of the operation.

On 17 September 45 C-47s of the 441st TCG dropped paratroops of the 82d Airborne near Nimegen Holland. Five aircraft were lost to Flak. On 18 September, 40 C-47s, all towing CG-4A gliders carried out a reinforcement mission without loss or casualties.

No further missions were flown until 23 September when 90 C-47s, all towing gliders to Holland encountered flak that brought down one C-47. This was the last operational mission by the USAAF from Langar, and ended the association of the Ninth Air Force with the airfield

Post D-Day Use

In October 1944, RAF Bomber Command returend to Langar moving in with No. 1669 Heavy Conversion Unit with 32 Lanasters which used the station until March 1945. Although retained by the Ministry of Defense, the airfield was deserted until 1952 when the Royal Canadian Air Force took up residence.

Postwar NATO Use

After the war, the field was used by the Royal Canadian Air Force as RCAF Langar as part of NATO, the only Canadian base in the UK. The 137th (Transport) Flight operated five Bristol Freighters and a Beech C-45. A major unit was the 312th Supply Depot handling spares fpr F-86 Sabres.

The base was closed in 1963 which ended RAF Langar's military use.

Civilian Use

Today the airfield is used as the base for the British Parachute school which uses to original control tower for it's headquarters. Also the former Avro industrial complex is used by private industry.

The airfield is relatively intact, with most of it's wartime facilites still in use.

See also

• List of RAF stations
• USAAF Ninth Air Force - World War II

References

• Freeman, Roger A., UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now, 1994
• www.controltowers.co.uk RAF Langar
• Maurer Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History, 1983