Norwich International Airport (IATA: NWI, ICAO: EGSH) also just Norwich Airport, is an airport 2.5 nautical miles (5.2 km) north of the city centre of Norwich, Norfolk on the edge of the city's suburbs. An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier or simply a location identifier [1], is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). ... The ICAO airport code (IPA pronunciation: ) is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. ... Shown within Norfolk Geography Status: City (1195) Government Region: East of England Administrative County: Norfolk Area: - Total Ranked 322nd 39. ... The term above mean sea level (AMSL) refers to the elevation (on the ground) or altitude (in the air) of any object, relative to the average sea level. ... A foot (plural: feet) is any of several old units of distance or length, measuring around a quarter to a third of a meter. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... Runway 13R/31L of El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá, D.C. Aerial picture of a runway of Chennai International Airport, Tamil Nadu A runway is a strip of land on an airport, on which aircraft can take off and land. ... A foot (plural: feet) is any of several old units of distance or length, measuring around a quarter to a third of a meter. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... Base layer of asphalt concrete in a road under construction. ... Concrete is a construction material that consists, in its most common form, of Portland cement, construction aggregate (generally gravel and sand) and water. ... An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier or simply a location identifier [1], is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). ... The ICAO airport code (IPA pronunciation: ) is a four-letter alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. ... A nautical mile is a unit of length. ... Shown within Norfolk Geography Status: City (1195) Government Region: East of England Administrative County: Norfolk Area: - Total Ranked 322nd 39. ... Norfolk (pronounced IPA: ) is a low-lying county in East Anglia in the east of southern England. ...

Along with a long history of flights to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam via KLM Cityhopper (formerly KLM uk), it offers flights to various destinations in the United Kingdom and Europe. Besides the commercial flights, charter helicopters also operate out of Norwich flying crews to North Sea gas rigs. Schiphol (IATA: AMS, ICAO: EHAM) (municipality Haarlemmermeer) is the Netherlands main airport. ... Amsterdam Location Flag Country Netherlands Province North Holland Population 741,329 (1 August 2006) Demonym Amsterdammer Coordinates Website www. ... KLM Cityhopper is the regional arm of KLM based at Schiphol International Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. ... KLM UK is the former name of a British subsidiary of KLM operating short-range Fokker aircraft. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ...

Norwich Airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P723) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the public corporation which oversees and regulates all aspects of aviation in the UK. It was established in 1972. ...

Facilities

NWI has two runways, one 1,842 m (6,043 ft) long (09/27), the other 1,285 m (4,215 ft)(04/22). The latter (04/22) runway has been closed due to maintenance costs, and is now serving as the 'C' (Charlie) taxiway for large aircraft (Boeing 737 or bigger) to the (09/27) runway. It has 9 Parking stands. The Boeing 737 is the worlds most popular medium-range, narrowbody commercial passenger jet aircraft. ...

Airlines and Destinations

• Air Scotland (Girona)
• Air Southwest (Bristol) - Service to cease 14th January 2007.
• bmi (Aberdeen)
• Eastern Airways (Aberdeen)
• Flybe (Alicante, Amsterdam, Bordeaux, Chambery, Dublin, Edinburgh, Exeter, Faro, Geneva [Winter Only], Glasgow, Guernsey, Jersey, Málaga, Manchester, Murcia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle)
• KLM
  • KLM Cityhopper (Amsterdam)

Air Scotland Boeing 757 leaving Glasgow International Airport Air Scotland is a low-cost airline based in Glasgow, Scotland. ... Air Southwest is an airline based at Plymouth City Airport, Plymouth, England. ... The correct title of this article is bmi. ... Eastern Airways is a UK airline based at Humberside International Airport. ... Flybe is an airline based at Exeter Airport, England. ... KLM (in full: Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij, literally Royal Aviation Company; usual English: Royal Dutch Airlines) is a subsidiary of Air France-KLM. Before its merger with Air France, KLM was the national airline of the Netherlands. ... KLM Cityhopper is the regional arm of KLM based at Schiphol International Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. ...

History

The first Norwich airport was set up on a former First World War aerodrome on Mousehold Heath under what is now the Heartsease housing estate. This fell into disuse in the early part of the Second World War. Combatants Allied Powers: British Empire France Italy Russia United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary Bulgaria Germany Ottoman Empire Commanders Ferdinand Foch Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Herbert Henry Asquith Douglas Haig John Jellicoe Woodrow Wilson John Pershing Wilhelm II Paul... Mousehold Heath is a nature reserve within the city of Norwich. ... A housing estate is a medium-to-low density residential area, usually part of a suburb of a town or city in a developed country. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead...

RAF Use

The current site, known as Horsham St Faith was first developed in 1939 and officially opened on 1 June 1940. It had been built pre-war and had five C-type hangars, permanent brick and tiled buildings with central-heating and a high standard of domestic accommodation. June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ...

During World War II Bristol Blenheim and de Havilland Mosquito bombers of the Royal Air Force operated from the site. Two of the early visitors to the new airfield were the Right Honourable Neville Chamberlain and General Sir Alan Brooke. Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... The Bristol Type 142M Blenheim was a high-speed light bomber used extensively in the early days of World War II, built by Bristol Aeroplane Company. ... The de Havilland Mosquito (The Wooden Wonder, also known as The Timber Terror) was a British combat aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during the Second World War. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Arthur Neville Chamberlain (18 March 1869 – 9 November 1940) was a Conservative British politician and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940. ... Statue of Field Marshal The Viscount Alanbrooke, MoD Building, Whitehall, London Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, KG, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO (July 23, 1883 - June 17, 1963) was a British Field Marshal during World War II. He also served as Lord High Constable during the coronation of...

In August 1941, an aircraft from No. 18 Squadron flying from Horsham St. Faith en route to attack a power station at Gosnay, dropped a box by parachute over the south-west corner of the airfield at St. Omer-Longeunesse, containing a pair of legs for Wing Commander Douglas Bader who had been shot down over France and had lost his artificial limbs in the process. Douglas Bader Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader CBE DSO and Bar DFC and Bar FRAeS DL LegH CdeG RAF (21 February 1910–5 September 1982); surname pronounced ) was a successful fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. ...

In December 1941. No. 105 Squadron arrived to begin training on De Havilland Mosquito aircraft and from June 1942, the squadron carried out photographic and bombing missions over Germany. The de Havilland Mosquito (The Wooden Wonder, also known as The Timber Terror) was a British combat aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during the Second World War. ...

USAAF Use

In September 1942 Horsham St. Faith was made available to the United States Army Air Force for use by the Eighth Air Force. The USAAF designated the airfield as Station 123 (HF). The United States Army Air Forces, or USAAF, was a part of the U.S. military during World War II. The direct precursor to the U.S. Air Force, the USAAF formally existed between 1941 and 1947. ... The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force (NAF) of the major command (MAJCOM) of Air Combat Command of the United States Air Force and it is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. ...

319th Bombardment Group (Medium)

The first USAAF tennants at the airfield was the 319th Bombardment Group (Medium), arriving from RAF Shipdham on 4 October 1942. Flying the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the group only stayed until 11 November when the group was transferred to Twelfth Air Force at St-Leu, Algeria. October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... The North American B-25 Mitchell (North American NA-62) was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ... Twelfth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force in Air Combat Command (ACC). ...

56th Fighter Group

P-47 of the 61st Fighter Squadron

With the departure of the Mitchells to North Africa, the next USAAF group to use Horsham St. Faith was the 56th Fighter Group, transferring from RAF Kings Cliffe on 6 April 1943. The group was under the command of the 67th Fighter Wing of the VIII Fighter Command. Aircraft of the 56th were identified by red cowlings and tails. April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ...

The group consisted of the following squadrons:

• 61st Fighter Squadron (HV)
• 62d Fighter Squadron (LM)
• 63d Fighter Squadron (UN)

The group entered combat with a fighter sweep in the area of St Omer on 13 April 1943, and flew numerous missions over France, the Low Countries, and Germany to escort bombers that attacked industrial establishments, V-weapon sites, submarine pens, and other targets on the Continent. April 13 is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries (see Country) on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse (Maas) rivers. ...

On 8 July, the group had to move to RAF Halesworth when work started on enlarging Horsham St. Faith for use as a heavy bomber station with hard surface runways and concrete hardstands and a perimeter track. The move was not particularly popular with the men of the 56th who had to give up the comparative comfort of Horsham's barracks for the temporary hut accommodations at Halesworth. July 8 is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 176 days remaining. ...

458th Bombardment Group (Heavy)

B-24s of the 753d and 754th Bomb Squadrons on a mission from Horsham St. Faith.

Main article: 458th Bombardment Group

With runway construction finished, The 458th Bomb Group (Heavy), arrived at Horsham St. Faith late in January 1944 from Tonopah AAF Nevada. The group flew its first mission on February 24 with B-24 Liberators. Tonopah is a census-designated place located in Nye County, Nevada. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... A B-24 Liberator photographed from above while in flight The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American bomber that was produced in greater numbers than any other American combat aircraft during World War II and was used by most of the Allied air forces during the war. ...

The group flew its last combat mission on 25 Apr 1945, flying 240 missions losing 47 aircraft in combat along with another 18 before returning to Sioux Falls AAF South Dakota in July 1945. April 25 is the 115th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (116th in leap years). ... 1945 (MCMVL) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Sioux Falls Regional Airport is a commercial airport located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota USA. It serves the greater Sioux Falls area, as well as communities throughout eastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, and northwestern Iowa. ... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  Ranked 17th  - Total 77,163 sq mi (199,905 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 380 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ...

Postwar Military Use

The airfield was transferred to RAF Fighter Command on 10 July when it was occupied by four Gloster Meteor Squadrons one of which. No. 307, was entirely composed of Polish personnel. Meteor jet aircraft arrived during 1946-48 and in June, an echo of the airfield's former occupants was provided by a visit from a Swedish P-51 Mustang squadron. Fighter Command was one of three functional commands that dominated the public perception of the RAF for much of the mid-20th century. ... July 10 is the 191st day (192nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 174 days remaining. ... The British Gloster Meteor was the first operational Allied jet fighter aircraft of the Second World War. ... The North American P-51 Mustang was an American long-range single-seat fighter aircraft that entered service with Allied air forces in the middle years of World War II and became one of the conflicts most successful and recognizable aircraft. ...

RAF Horsham St. Faith was a front-line RAF station for many years, and its squadrons participated in many post-war exercises. The station was inactivated on 1 August 1963. August 1 is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ...

The Royal Air Force left Horsham on 24 March 1967 and, during the following two years. the major part of the airfield and buildings were sold to Norwich City and County Borough Council, a small part being retained by the MOD. The airfield was developed into the present-day Norwich International Airport. March 24 is the 83rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (84th in leap years). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ...

Most of the World War II buildings used by the United States Army Air Force remain, although converted for a variety of purposes. Three of the five large pre-war hangars are still being used for aircraft maintenance. Two have been converted for commercial use. The control tower still exists although the top has been restored and a new tower has been built adjacent to the present main runway. Other wartime buildings now form part of the industrial estate and are intermingled with many newer structures.

The blocks used as living quarters situated towards Catton were until 1993 used by the University of East Anglia as accommodation for students. Some of the housing in the same area, formerly enlisted men's quarters, has become married quarters for nearby RAF stations. Catton can refer to two villages in England: Catton, Northumberland Catton, Yorkshire See also: Old Catton, Norfolk This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a campus university located in Norwich, Norfolk, England, founded as part of the British Governments New Universities programme in the 1960s. ...

As for the runways, taxi-tracks etc., these largely remain. Only one runway is now used and the east-west runway, 10-28, which was extended eastwards by the RAF in 1956, has become the main runway to avoid take-offs and landings over built-up areas. A section of the old main runway is currently used for light aircraft.

In the new airport terminal building opened in 1988 there is a memorial display relating to the USAAF, consisting of photographs, paintings, and a plaque commemorating the American use of the airfield.

The City of Norwich Aviation Museum records the history of the two former military airfield sites from a location on the northern edge of the airport, accessed through the village of Horsham St. Faith. Gloster Meteor F. Mk. ... Horsham St. ...

See also

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

This is a list of Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. ... The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force (NAF) of the major command (MAJCOM) of Air Combat Command of the United States Air Force and it is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. ...

References

• United Kingdom AIP
• Freeman, Roger A., Airfields Of The Eighth, Then And Now, 1978
• www.controltowers.co.uk Horsham St Faith
• Maurer Maurer, Air Force Combat Units Of World War II, Office of Air Force History, 1983
• USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to Present [1]

Aeronautical Information Publication (or AIP) is defined by ICAO as a publication issued by or with the authority of a state and containing aeronautical information of a lasting character essential to air navigation. ...

External links

• Official Site
• RAF Bomber Command History of Horsham St Faith
• 458th Bombardment Group Website
• City of Norwich Aviation Museum Website