RAF Hornchurch

RAF Hornchurch
Hornchurch, Essex in England
RAF Hornchurch is located in Greater London
RAF Hornchurch
RAF Hornchurch
Shown within Greater London
Coordinates51°32′19″N 000°12′17″E / 51.53861°N 0.20472°E / 51.53861; 0.20472
TypeRoyal Air Force station
CodeHO
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command 1928–44
Site history
Built1915 (1915) & 1928
In use3 October 1915 – 31 December 1919,
(As Sutton's Farm),
1 April 1928 – 1 July 1962 (1962),
(As RAF Hornchurch)
Battles/warsFirst World War
European theatre of World War II
Cold War
Airfield information
Elevation18 metres (59 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
02/20  Grass
12/30  Grass
10/28  Grass

Royal Air Force Hornchurch, or more simply RAF Hornchurch, is a former Royal Air Force sector station in the parish of Hornchurch, Essex (now the London Borough of Havering in Greater London), located to the southeast of Romford. The airfield was known as Sutton's Farm during the First World War, when it occupied 90 acres (360,000 m2) of the farm of the same name. It was used for the protection of London, being 14 miles (22.5 km) east north-east of Charing Cross.

Although the airfield closed shortly after the end of the war, the land was requisitioned in 1923 because of the expansion of the Royal Air Force and it re-opened as a much larger fighter station in 1928. The airfield was ideal to cover both London and the Thames corridor from German air attacks. It was a key air force installation between both wars and into the jet age, closing in 1962.

  1. ^ Falconer 1998, p. 47.