RAF Henlow facts for kids

Quick facts for kids RAF Henlow
Henlow, Bedfordshire in England
RAF Henlow from above
Labor Arma Ministrat (Latin for 'Labour supplies the arms')
RAF Henlow Shown within Bedfordshire
Coordinates	52°00′56″N 000°18′12″W / 52.01556°N 0.30333°W / 52.01556; -0.30333
Type	RAF training station
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	No. 2 Group
Site history
Built	1918 (1918)
Built by	McAlpine (1918) various since
In use	1918–Present
Garrison information
Current commander	Wing Commander Chris Brooke
Occupants	RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine Joint Arms Control Implementation Group
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: EGWE
Elevation	51.2 metres (168 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 02/20 1,199 metres (3,934 ft) Grass 13/31 1,157 metres (3,796 ft) Grass 08R/26L 979 metres (3,212 ft) Grass 08L/26R 736 metres (2,415 ft) Grass

Royal Air Force Henlow, or RAF Henlow, is a Royal Air Force base in Bedfordshire, England. It is located between the towns of Bedford, Luton, and Stevenage. The base is home to important groups like the RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine and the Joint Arms Control Implementation Group (JACIG). It also has a special place called the Signals Museum.

RAF Henlow used to be a place where light aircraft flew and where young people learned to glide. However, flying stopped here in July 2020. The Ministry of Defence announced in 2016 that the base would close. It is now expected to close and be sold off starting in 2026.

History of RAF Henlow

Early Days and Repairs

RAF Henlow was chosen as a military aircraft repair base in 1917. It was built in 1918 by a company called MacAlpine. Four large hangars, which are like big garages for airplanes, were built. These hangars are now considered important historical buildings. A town called Henlow Camp grew up around the base at that time.

The base officially opened on May 18, 1918. Its first job was to repair aircraft that had been used in battles during the First World War.

Parachute Testing and Engineering

In May 1920, RAF Henlow became the first place in the UK to test parachutes. Another parachute unit later joined them. They tested parachutes using Vimy aircraft. Parachutists would hang off the wings, let the parachute open, and then float safely to the ground.

In 1924, a school for engineering officers moved to Henlow. This made the base an important place for training skilled engineers for the RAF.

Famous Visitors and World War II Efforts

After the First World War, several aircraft squadrons were based at Henlow. From 1932 to 1933, Sir Frank Whittle was a student at the RAF technical college here. He later became famous for inventing the jet engine. He even spent some time at Henlow testing aero engines.

During the Second World War, RAF Henlow played a key role. It was used to put together Hawker Hurricane fighter planes. These planes were built in Canada, taken apart, and then shipped to Henlow in large containers. Once they arrived, they were put back together and prepared for flight.

In 1941, during a mission called Operation Quickforce, 100 skilled workers from Henlow were sent to help. They went onto aircraft carriers that were taking Hurricane fighters to Malta. They finished assembling the Hurricanes right on the decks of the ships, and the planes then flew directly to Malta. More than 1,000 Hurricanes were sent to Henlow from Canada during the war. Henlow also repaired many different types of aircraft during this time.

The wooden crates that the Hurricane aircraft came in were even used to build the first control tower at the base! Parts of the airfield and this original tower were shown in the 1969 war movie 'The Battle of Britain'.

Training and Later Years

After the Second World War, a major RAF technical training college was set up at Henlow in 1947. This college trained future officers and engineers for the RAF. In 1965, this college joined with RAF College Cranwell, another important RAF training base. Other training units also moved from Henlow to Cranwell over the years.

Later, Henlow became home to units focused on signals engineering and radio technology. In 1983, a part of the base was taken over by the HM Land Registry, which deals with property records.

RAF Henlow was part of a larger combined base called RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow for a while. However, RAF Brampton closed in 2013. Flying activities at RAF Henlow officially stopped in July 2020.

Units Based at RAF Henlow Today

Even though flying has stopped, RAF Henlow is still home to some important groups.

Royal Air Force

• No. 2 Group (Air Combat Support)
  • Air Security Force
    • Forensic Exploitation Flight (This team helps investigate digital evidence and provides scientific support.)
• RAF Medical Services
  • RAF Centre of Aerospace Medicine (This center focuses on the health and safety of people who fly, including pilots and astronauts.)
    • They have different teams that work on aviation medicine, occupational health (health at work), and support.

British Army

• 1st (United Kingdom) Division
  • 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade
    • Outreach Group

Strategic Command

• Directorate of Overseas Bases
  • Joint Arms Control Implementation Group (JACIG) (This group helps make sure countries follow agreements about weapons.)

Other

• Signals Museum

Former Units at Henlow

Over the years, many different units and squadrons were based at RAF Henlow. Some of these include:

• No. 19 Squadron RAF
• No. 23 Squadron RAF
• No. 43 Squadron RAF
• No. 80 Squadron RAF
• Units that repaired aircraft, like No. 13 Maintenance Unit RAF
• Gliding schools, such as No. 616 Gliding School RAF (which became No. 616 Volunteer Gliding School RAF)
• Units that tested parachutes and new aircraft.

The Signals Museum

The Signals Museum is a special place at RAF Henlow. It opened in 1999 and shows how electronic communication has changed in the RAF since the First World War. It's a great place to learn about old radios, radar, and other communication tools.

Future of RAF Henlow

The Ministry of Defence announced in September 2016 that RAF Henlow was planned to close. At first, they thought it would close by 2020. Later, the plan was for a gradual closure between 2020 and 2023. As of January 2024, the base is expected to close completely and be sold off starting in 2026.

See also

• List of Royal Air Force stations