Editing RAF Coltishall (section)

==History==
===Second World War===
Work on '''RAF Coltishall''' was started in {{Start date and age|1939|02|df=y}}.  The airfield, then known as [[Scottow]] Aerodrome, was initially built as a [[bomber]] station, on land near Scottow Hall.  Following the established tradition, the station would have been named after the nearest [[railway station]], which would have made it RAF Buxton, but to avoid possible confusion with the town of [[Buxton, Derbyshire|Buxton]] in [[Derbyshire]], it was named after the local [[village]] of [[Coltishall]] instead.  The airfield was completed and entered service in {{Start date and age|1940|05|df=y}} as a fighter base.  The first [[Military aircraft|aircraft]] movement at Coltishall was a [[Bristol Blenheim]] IV L7835 flown by [[Sergeant]] RG Bales and Sergeant Barnes.

During the [[World War II|Second World War]], Coltishall operated the [[Hawker Hurricane]].  A notable Coltishall fighter pilot was [[Douglas Bader]], appointed as leader of [[No. 242 Squadron RAF|No. 242 Squadron]], a mainly Canadian Hurricane squadron.  They had suffered significant losses in the recent [[Battle of France]], and he was credited with restoring their morale.<ref>{{Cite AV media|title=see "Douglas Bader 1910-1982" at 18:45|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGxO31bw_SM&t=8s|via=YouTube}}</ref>

Coltishall later became home to [[night fighter]]s.  At the same time, the [[Royal Navy]] [[Fleet Air Arm]] operated aircraft from RAF Coltishall over the [[North Sea]].  From 10 February to 7 April 1945, it was the airfield for [[No. 124 Squadron RAF|No. 124 Squadron]], at that time a fighter-bomber squadron flying [[Supermarine Spitfire]] IX.HF's, whilst the squadron was bombing [[V-2]] launch sites in the Netherlands.  At the end of the war, Coltishall was briefly given over to [[Poland|Polish]] squadrons until they returned home.

===Cold War===
[[File:English Electric Lightning F1, UK - Air Force AN1858888.jpg|thumb|left|[[English Electric Lightning]] F.1 XM144 of [[No. 74 Squadron RAF|No. 74 (Fighter) Squadron]], the Lightning entered service with the squadron at Coltishall in June 1960.|alt=]] 
In the 1950s, RAF Coltishall was a designated a 'V-bomber dispersal airfield', which [[V bomber]]s tasked with delivery of the British nuclear deterrent; the [[Avro Vulcan]], [[Handley Page Victor]], and [[Vickers Valiant]], could use in the event of their home station being damaged by enemy action.

[[Postwar]], the station was home to a variety of units and aircraft, including [[de Havilland Mosquito]]s, [[Gloster Javelin]]s and, from 1963, the Historic Aircraft Flight (now known as the [[Battle of Britain Memorial Flight]] or BBMF).  RAF Coltishall became home to the RAF's first [[English Electric Lightning]] F.1s when [[No. 74 Squadron RAF|No. 74 (Fighter) Squadron]] began to receive the jet in June 1960, after arriving the year before.  No. 74 (F) Squadron relocated to [[RAF Leuchars]] in [[Scotland]] on 2 March 1964.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rafweb.org/Squadrons/Sqn071-75.htm#74|title=No 74 Squadron|website=Air of Authority – a history of RAF organisation|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>  [[No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit RAF|No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit]] (OCU) arrived at the base on 12 April 1964, tasked with training new pilots how to fly the Lightning.  The last Lightnings left Coltishall in September 1974 when [[No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit RAF|No. 266 OCU]] departed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/OCUs1.htm#226|title=226 Operational Conversion Unit|website=Air of Authority – a history of RAF organisation|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

The Lightnings were replaced by the [[Anglo-French relations|Anglo-French]] [[SEPECAT Jaguar]] GR.1, with the first Jaguar unit, [[No. 54 Squadron RAF|No. 54 (F) Squadron]], arriving at Coltishall on 8 August 1974.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rafweb.org/Squadrons/Sqn051-55.htm#54|title=No 54 Squadron |website=Air of Authority – a history of RAF organisation|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>  They were soon joined by [[No. 6 Squadron RAF|No. 6 Squadron]] who arrived at the base in November 1974, making the station exclusively home to the Jaguar in terms of fixed wing aircraft.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rafweb.org/Squadrons/Sqn006-10.htm#6|title=No 6 Squadron|website=Air of Authority – a history of RAF organisation|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Sepecat Jaguar GR1A, UK - Air Force AN1712863.jpg|thumb|Trio of [[No. 6 Squadron RAF|No. 6 Squadron]] [[SEPECAT Jaguar|SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1A]]s at Coltishall in [[Operation Granby|Op GRANBY]] livery, April 1991.|alt=]]
[[No. 41 Squadron RAF|No. 41 (Designate) Squadron]] formed at RAF Coltishall on 1 October 1976, and worked up as a Jaguar unit until officially standing up on 1 April 1977, when the No. 41 Squadron operating the [[McDonnell Douglas Phantom in UK service|McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2]] at [[RAF Coningsby]] disbanded the previous day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/research/squadrons/41|title=No.41 Squadron|publisher=[[Royal Air Force Museum]]|website=nationalcoldwarexhibition.org|access-date=4 April 2020}}</ref>

In 1991, elements of all three based Jaguar units; Nos. 6, 41 and 54 Squadrons, along with associated support personnel deployed to [[Muharraq Airfield]], [[Bahrain]], in preparation for [[Operation Granby]] due to [[Saddam Hussein]]'s [[invasion of Kuwait]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/history/BritishForcesinvolvedinOperationGranby.cfm|title=British Forces involved in Operation Granby|publisher=[[Royal Air Force]]|website=RAF.MoD.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304052653/https://www.raf.mod.uk/history/BritishForcesinvolvedinOperationGranby.cfm|archive-date=4 March 2016|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

Coltishall played host to several [[United States Air Force]] Coronet deployments during the Cold War:
*Coronet Heron – 12 to 23 June 1978 saw the deployment of 12 [[McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II|McDonnell Douglas RF-4C Phantom II]]s from the [[62nd Expeditionary Attack Squadron|62nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com/html/deploy78.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040818184927/http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com/html/deploy78.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=18 August 2004|title=Deployments – 1978|publisher=Sharpshooter – Military Aviation Journal|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>
*Coronet Joust – 23 June to 7 July 1983 saw the deployment of 12 RF-4C Phantom IIs from the [[106th Air Refueling Squadron|106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron]] ([[Alabama Air National Guard]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com/html/deploy83.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040818184514/http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com/html/deploy83.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=18 August 2004|title=Deployments – 1983|publisher=Sharpshooter – Military Aviation Journal|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>
*Coronet Mobile – 13 to 26 September 1986 saw the deployment of 11 RF-4C Phantom IIs from the 106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Alabama Air National Guard).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com/html/deploy86.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040818184717/http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com/html/deploy86.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=18 August 2004|title=Deployments – 1986|publisher=Sharpshooter – Military Aviation Journal|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

===1991 to closure===
The Jaguars deployed again, this time to [[Incirlik Air Base]], [[Turkey]], to participate in [[Operation Northern Watch|Operation Warden]] which set up a [[no-fly zone]] over [[Iraq]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/wattisham/424-41sq/41sq.htm|title=41 Squadron: Seek and Destroy|website=Air-Scene UK|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160405094151/http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/wattisham/424-41sq/41sq.htm|archive-date=5 April 2016|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>  Between 1993 and 1995, the Jaguars deployed to [[Gioia del Colle Air Base]], [[Italy]], as part of [[Operation Deny Flight]] to enforce a no-fly zone over the [[Balkans]].  In 1997, No. 54 Squadron deployed to Italy once more in support of [[Operation Deliberate Guard]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/research/squadrons/54|title=No.54 Squadron|publisher=[[Royal Air Force Museum]]|website=NationalColdWarExhibition.org|access-date=4 April 2020}}</ref>  No. 6 Squadron deployed once again to Incirlik in 1998 as part of [[Operation Resinate]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sixsqnassociation.org.uk/about/1991-2003/|title=6 Squadron - 1991–2003|website=6 Squadron RAF Association|date=13 January 2017|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Sepecat Jaguar GR3A, UK - Air Force AN0649923.jpg|thumb|left|SEPECAT Jaguar GR.3A XZ392 of [[No. 16 Squadron RAF|No. 16 (Reserve) Squadron]] landing at RAF Coltishall, August 2004.|alt=]]
On 21 July 2000, [[No. 16 Squadron RAF|No. 16 (Reserve) Squadron]], the Jaguar [[Operational conversion unit|OCU]], arrived at RAF Coltishall from [[RAF Lossiemouth]], Scotland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rafweb.org/Squadrons/Sqn016-20.htm#16|title=No 16 Squadron|website=Air of Authority – a history of RAF organisation|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>  In December 2000, five Jaguars from No. 41 (F) Squadron deployed to [[Luleå Airport]], [[Sweden]], to train alongside [[Saab 37 Viggen]]s of the [[Norrbotten Wing]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcoltishall/news/2000/december/sweden/sweden.htm|title=Jaguars make history with deployment to Sweden|publisher=RAF Coltishall|website=RAF.MoD.uk|archive-url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20030929125318/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcoltishall/news/2000/december/sweden/sweden.htm|archive-date=29 September 2003|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>

Coltishall was also home to the yellow [[search and rescue]] (SAR) helicopters of [[No. 202 Squadron RAF|No. 202 Squadron]] tasked with conducting [[air-sea rescue]] operations ([[Westland Sea King]]), and latterly [[No. 22 Squadron RAF|No. 22 Squadron]] ([[Westland Wessex]]), but under subsequent reorganisation, the SAR operations were moved to [[RAF Wattisham]], in [[Suffolk]] where they remained until 15 July 2015, following the privatisation (and thus disbandment) of the entire UK military search and rescue operations.

Coltishall eventually became the last surviving operational RAF fighter airfield involved in the [[Battle of Britain]] (other than [[RAF Northolt]]), and a visible remnant in the form of a Second World War [[Revetment (aircraft)|revetment]] still stands adjacent to the north-west [[taxiway]] and, together with one of the two sets of 1950s Cold War blast walls, is now a [[scheduled monument]].<ref>{{National Heritage List for England|num=1021425|desc=World War II fighter pen, Cold War blast walls and associated remains at the airfield formerly known as RAF Coltishall|access-date=10 December 2012}}</ref>

With the anticipated arrival of the [[Eurofighter Typhoon]] in the RAF, the gradual retirement of the Jaguar force began.  Coltishall was not chosen as a future Typhoon airfield for a number of reasons, and so, with no future RAF role for Coltishall, the station was earmarked for closure.

[[File:Sepecat Jaguar GR1A, UK - Air Force AN1801536.jpg|thumb|SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1A XZ112 of [[No. 54 Squadron RAF|No. 54 (Fighter) Squadron]] at [[RAF Brize Norton]] in 1991.  This Jaguar was the last to leave RAF Coltishall on 3 April 2006.|alt=]]
The UK's [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]], in the '[[Delivering Security in a Changing World]]' review, announced that the station would close by December 2006.  The first two Jaguar squadrons to disband, No. 16 (R) Squadron and No. 54 (F) Squadron, did so on 11 March 2005.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.targeta.co.uk/jaguar.htm|title=Jaguar retirement|website=Target Aviation Photography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213084507/http://www.targeta.co.uk/jaguar.htm|archive-date=13 February 2012|access-date=10 April 2020}}</ref>  The final Jaguar squadrons departed on 1 April 2006, when No. 6 Squadron transferred to RAF Coningsby, however, this was subsequently disbanded on 31 May 2007 (to await delivery of the [[Eurofighter Typhoon]] at RAF Leuchars), and No. 41 (F) Squadron transferred to RAF Coningsby in OCU role.  The final front line RAF movement from the station was by Jaguar XZ112, piloted by Jim Luke, on 3 April 2006.

Of the final [[gate guardian]]s, the replica Hawker Hurricane (dedicated to Douglas Bader) was transferred to [[RAF High Wycombe]], and the Jaguar was formally named the ''Spirit of Coltishall'', and was subsequently transferred to the grounds of [[Norfolk County Council]] where she is dedicated to the memory of all those who served at Coltishall.  RAF Coltishall is commemorated at the [[RAF Air Defence Radar Museum]] at Neatishead (which Coltishall formerly parented).

Some limited flying from light aircraft, including those of the Coltishall Flying Club, did continue after the end of RAF flying operations, until October 2006.  While 1 April 2006 saw the disbandment [[parade]] for the station, it did not actually disband and finally close until 30 November 2006.  Associated facilities such as the Douglas Bader [[Primary School]] for military dependents were also closed.  On the final day of the station, the gates were opened to the public; anybody with photographic ID was welcomed onto the station to have a look around and view the final closing ceremony and parade, which saw a [[flypast]] by four RAF Jaguars, and a solitary [[Hawker Hurricane]] from the [[Imperial War Museum Duxford]].

On 30 November 2006, RAF Coltishall was officially handed over to [[Defence Estates]] (the then MoD agency responsible for all UK Military sites) who were to handle the disposal of the site; it was then formally known as MoD Coltishall until its [[#Redevelopment|ultimate disposal]].

The site was sold to [[Norfolk County Council]] for £4&nbsp;million.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}