Royal Air Force Cottesmore
Image courtesy of Mike Gauckwin
RAF Cottesmore opened in 1938 and originally was used mainly for training. The first aircraft used were Vickers Wellesleys, Fairey Battles and Handley Page Hampdens.
In 1954 Cottesmore became a Canberra base with No. 15, 44, 57 and 149 Squadrons arriving. These Canberra squadrons practised high-level bombing missions but their stay was short-lived, by 1955 they had all moved elsewhere.
For almost twenty years Cottesmore was a V Bomber base, with Handley Page Victor and later Avro Vulcan aircraft. These aircraft were on quick reaction duties and carried Britain’s nuclear deterrent. After the V Bombers moved from Cottesmore several other squadrons moved in, including 231 Operational Conversion Unit (OCU), 98 and 360 Squadrons.
Images courtesy of Steve Bond
231 OCU eventually moved to RAF Marham in Norfolk with 360 Squadron moving to RAF Wyton near Huntingdon.
Image courtesy of Steve Bond
Image courtesy of Bex Reddy
After the Canberras departure Cottesmore was put under care and maintenance.
In 1981 Cottesmore became the home to the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) consisting of three squadrons of Tornado GR1 aircraft, which was formed to train new Tornado crews for the Royal Air Force (RAF),
The German Air Force and Navy and the Italian Air Force. The aircraft were flown by staff and students from all three countries. As less Tornado crews were needed the TTTE was disbanded in 1999.
After a period of maintenance Cottesmore was to become the country’s second Harrier base, with the first of the two German Harrier squadrons arriving which was No. IV (AC) Squadron arriving in April 1999, followed by 3 (F) arriving in May 1999 and No. 1 (F) Squadron making a short hop over from RAF Wittering in June 2000.
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