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RAF Shawbury
125px
RAF Shawbury station crest
IATA: none – ICAO: EGOS
Summary
Airport type		Military
Operator		Royal Air Force
Location		Shawbury
Built		1916, rebuilt in 1937
In use		1917-1920, 1938-Present
Elevation AMSL		249 ft / 76 m
Coordinates		52°47′53″N 002°40′05″W / 52.79806°N 2.66806°W / 52.79806; -2.66806
Map
EGOS Location in Shropshire
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
05/23	1,379	4,523	Asphalt
18/36	1,834	6,018	Asphalt

RAF Shawbury is a Royal Air Force station by the village of Shawbury near Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

The First World War[link]

The station at Shawbury was first used for military flying training in 1917 by the Royal Flying Corps, but it was returned to agricultural use in 1920.

The Second World War[link]

In February 1938 it was reactivated as a training establishment firstly used by No. 11 Service Flying Training School and a Aircraft Storage Unit (ASU) which was operated by No. 27 Maintenance Unit RAF. The airfield also had Relief Landing Grounds at RAF Bridleway Gate and RAF Bratton with additional satellite landing grounds at RAF Hinstock, RAF Hodnet and RAF Weston Park.^[1]It primarily prepared pilots for operational squadrons, with the main aircraft being the Airspeed Oxford. In 1944 it became the home of the Central Navigation School, primarily concerned with improving the standard of air navigation in bombers.

Post WW2[link]

In 1950 the School of Air Traffic Control also moved to Shawbury, combining to form the Central Navigation and Control School. In 1963 the Navigation Wing moved to RAF Manby.

In 1976 Shawbury became an airfield for basic and advanced helicopter training, on the Aerospatiale Gazelle and Westland Wessex respectively, with No 2 Flying Training School.

Present day[link]

In April 1997 the station started providing training for helicopter pilots for all three of the UK's armed services, being home to the Defence Helicopter Flying School. Currently the Squirrel HT1 (Eurocopter AS350BB) helicopter operated by (660 and 705 Squadrons) and the Griffin HT1 (Bell 412 EP) helicopter operated by No. 60 Squadron RAF is used by the School and is maintained by the contractor, FB Heliservices Ltd, who also provide 40% of the flying instructors. It is also home to the Air Traffic Control School and the RAF Aircraft Storage flight.

Shawbury is home to the 'Assault Glider Trust', building a non-flying replica Horsa glider for museum display.

Operational units[link]

• Defence Helicopter Flying School
  • No 660 Squadron
  • 705 Naval Air Squadron
  • No. 60(R) Squadron RAF
• School of Air Traffic Control RAF

See also[link]

• List of Royal Air Force stations

References[link]

Citations[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Francis, P. 20th Century Military Archaeology Issue 1: Airfield Defence. ARP & AiX-ARG Archive Limited. ISBN 978-0-9521847-0-6.

External links[link]

• Station home page
• The Assault Glider Trust
• Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS)
• Airport information for EGOS at World Aero Data. Data current as of October 2006.

v t e Royal Air Force Royal Air Force portal Formations and units Commands Groups Stations Wings Aircraft squadrons Aircraft flights Conversion units Regiment squadrons Branches and components RAF Regiment RAF Chaplains Branch RAF Intelligence RAF Legal Branch Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service RAF Police Search and Rescue Force Mountain Rescue Service Reserve forces Royal Auxiliary Air Force RAF Volunteer Reserve Associated civil organizations Air Training Corps RAF Association RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine RAF Football Association Equipment List of RAF aircraft List of RAF missiles Personnel Officer ranks Other ranks List of members Symbols and uniform Ensign Badge Roundels Uniform History Timeline Future

Coordinates: 52°47′13″N 2°39′19″W / 52.78696°N 2.65526°W / 52.78696; -2.65526

Shawbury
Shawbury parish church from the village
Shawbury  Shawbury shown within Shropshire
Population	2,763 (2001)
OS grid reference	SJ550210
- London	163 miles (262 km)
Civil parish	Shawbury
Unitary authority	Shropshire
Ceremonial county	Shropshire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SHREWSBURY
Postcode district	SY4
Dialling code	01939
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Shropshire
Ambulance	West Midlands
EU Parliament	West Midlands
UK Parliament	North Shropshire
List of places: UK • England • Shropshire

Shawbury is a village and civil parish in the English county of Shropshire.^[1] The village is 8.4 miles (13.5 km) north east of the town of Shrewsbury, 11.5 miles (18.5 km) north west of Telford and 163 miles (262 km) north west of London. The village straddles the A53 between Shrewsbury and Market Drayton.^[2] The nearest railway station is at Yorton on the Welsh Marches Line for Shrewsbury/Crewe.

History[link]

Shawbury has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085.^[3] In the great book Shawbury is recorded by the name Sawesberie. The main landholders was Gerard from Earl Roger. The survey also mentions that there is church and a mill.

The parish church of Saint Mary the Virgin[link]

There has been a church on this site since at least the 12th century. Although the present church is not from that date.

Village Facts[link]

The village is home to RAF Shawbury, a helicopter base for the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. The River Roden flows through the village. The village of Moreton Corbet, with its castle, is just to the north. Shawbury's football club is Shawbury United FC.^[4]

Weather station[link]

The main weather station for Shropshire is located in the village.^[5]

References[link]

External links[link]

Media related to Shawbury at Wikimedia Commons