Ipswich Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ipswich Airport
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| Airport type | Closed | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Ipswich | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 128 ft / 39 m | ||||||||||||||
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Ipswich Airport is a former airfield on the outskirts of Ipswich, Suffolk England. It was known as RAF Nacton when No. 3619 Fighter Control Unit of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force were based there.
History
The site of Ravens Wood 147 acres (59 ha) was purchased by the Ipswich Corporation in 1929 with the intention of creating a municipal airport for Ipswich, with construction starting in the following year. The airport was officially opened by Prince Edward on 26 June 1930, who described the facility as "one of the finest in the country".
The terminal building was designed by Hening and Chitty in 1938 and Grade 2 listed in 1996; The building has been described as "very rare and early example of this type of construction."
The airport, over its functional lifetime, offered scheduled flights to Clacton, Southend and Jersey by Channel Airways and later to Amsterdam, Manchester by Suckling Airways. A number of chartered flights were operated by air taxi firm, Hawk Air.
From its earliest days, the airport was home to a wide variety of privately owned and flying club operated aircraft. Aircraft maintenance services were provided in the 1930-built hangar by a succession of based aviation engineering firms.
Closure
The council, who owned the site, commissioned a development report in 1990 for the site. On the basis of its findings which determined better use of the site for development the Council decided to close the airfield in 1993. This announcement signalled the start of the campaigns to keep the airport operating as such, and it was thought the airport had been saved when the council allowed businesses to stay in operation with rolling leases, and projects to upgrade the air traffic control systems in September 1996.
The airfield was delicensed and ceased to be registered by the Civil Aviation Authority on 31 December 1996. Not through lack of use, nor through public pressure; following the announcement of intention to close by Ipswich Borough Council in late September 1996, there were petitions to keep the site as an operating airport, this culminated with a sit-in which started on 1 January 1997; the last aircraft left over a year later in January 1998
The site has since been redeveloped as the Ravenswood housing estate; the Grade II listed terminal building was retained and has been converted into a community centre and flats by Ashwell Property Group. Externally the building retains the same style and layout and feel of the original building.
Images for kids
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This De Havilland Tiger Moth was based at Ipswich Airport during 1954/55
