RAF Sleap airfield

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2005 (© Barrie Larke)

Sleap airfield
Airfield Today:		Airfield
Tower Type:		Watch Office for Bomber Satellite and OTU Satellite Stations, 13726/41
Tower:		In use for Air Traffic Control and Clubhouse. In two separate incidents in 1943 Whitley bombers hit the control tower killing several aircrew and ground personnel
Other Buildings:		Not known
History:		No. 93 Group Bomber Command, satellite airfield to Tilstock. 04/43 to 28/12/45, C Flight, No. 81 Operational Training Unit with Whitleys then Wellingtons. 01/01/44 Transferred to 38 (Airborne Forces) Group, training aircrews in Special Operations duties and Horsa glider towing. 10/08/45 to 21/01/46, 81 O.T.U. became No. 1380 Transport Support Conversion Unit. Station closed 28/12/45, on care and maintenance until reopened 1956 as a Satellite to Shawbury. Central Navigation and Control School training RAF Air Traffic Controllers. Final RAF closure 1964.
RAF Sleap airfield

A superb photo of a YMCA Tea Car on one of Sleap's dispersed sites 1945
(© via Gordon Taylor)

One of Sleap's Whitleys in a Shropshire field 1944 (© via Gordon Taylor)

RAF Sleap airfield
Airfield:		Bomber and Fighter O.T.U.
Opened:		15/01/1943 to 28/12/45
Reopened:		1956 to 1964
ID Code:		YP, now SP
USAAF Station:		N/A
Runways:		3x - concrete
Hangars:		1x - B1, 1x - T2
County:		Shropshire
Location:		9 miles N of Shrewsbury
OS Ref:		SJ482268
Links:		www.bombercommandmuseum.ca
©:		Photographs © copyright as stated
Sleap airfield

1944 (© Wing Commander D.S. Robertson D.F.C. via Nanton Lancaster Air Museum)


Whitley glider tugs & Horsa gliders at Sleap 1944 (© W/C D.S. Robertson DFC)

RAF Sleap airfield

RAF Sleap airfield