RAF Odiham | |||||||||
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| Odiham,Hampshire in England | |||||||||
 An RAF Chinook HC6 based at Odiham. | |||||||||
 Promise and fulfil | |||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||
| Type | Main Operating Base | ||||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||
| Controlled by | Joint Aviation Command | ||||||||
| Condition | Operational | ||||||||
| Website | Official website | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
  RAF Odiham Shown within Hampshire | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 51°14′03″N000°56′34″W / 51.23417°N 0.94278°W /51.23417; -0.94278 | ||||||||
| Grid reference | SU740491[1] | ||||||||
| Area | 263 hectares (650 acres)[2] | ||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||
| Built | 1925 (1925) | ||||||||
| In use | 1925–present | ||||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||||
| Current commander | Group Captain Sarah Moorehead | ||||||||
| Occupants | SeeBased units section for full list. | ||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||
| Identifiers | IATA: ODH,ICAO: EGVO,WMO: 03761 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 123.5 metres (405 ft)AMSL | ||||||||
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| Source: RAF Odiham Defence Aerodrome Manual[3] | |||||||||
Royal Air Force Odiham or more simplyRAF Odiham (IATA:ODH,ICAO:EGVO) is aRoyal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the village ofOdiham inHampshire,England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, theBoeing Chinook, and ofThe King's Helicopter Flight (TKHF). Its current station commander isGroup Captain Sarah Moorehead.[4]
Aircraft operations began from the site in 1925 but it was not until October 1937 that it was opened as a permanent airfield.[4]
During theSecond World WarNorth American Mustangs andHawker Typhoons were flown out of the base. After the Allied invasion of Europe the site became aprisoner of war camp.[5]
Following the end of the WarRAF Fighter Command assumed control of the base.[14]No. 247 Squadron was re-equipped withde Havilland Vampires in June 1946,[14] whileNo. 54 Squadron andNo. 72 Squadron were both re-equipped with Vampires in July 1946.[15] No. 54 Squadron and No. 247 Squadron both converted tonight fighter units equipped withGloster Meteor F.8s in 1951.[15] As part of her coronation celebrationsthe Queen reviewed the Royal Air Force at Odiham in 1953.[16]
No. 46 Squadron was re-formed at RAF Odiham on 15 August 1954 as anight fighter unit equipped with Meteor NF.12s and 14s.[15] In 1955 No. 54 Squadron and No. 247 Squadron started receivingHawker Hunters and, in 1956, No. 46 Squadron began converting toGloster Javelins with the first arriving in February.[15] Odiham closed as a fighter base in 1959.[15]
After a short period in "care and maintenance" status the base was reopened as part ofTransport Command in 1960.[15] In this roleNo. 72 Squadron was re-equipped withBristol Belvedere HC.1 helicopters in 1961 and then withWestland Wessex HC.2 helicopters in 1964.[12] The Westland helicopters were joined by thePumas ofNo. 33 Squadron andNo. 230 Squadron in 1971.[17][18]
The firstChinook HC.1s arrived at Odiham in 1981.No. 7 Squadron RAF reformed in 1982. The HC. 1 variants were replaced by the Chinook HC.2 in 1993. The RAF ordered the Chinook HC.3, aspecial forces variant, in 1995. After being in storage for eight years due toavionics certification problems, the HC.3 airframes were retro-fitted with HC.2 avionics during 2009 and 2010, to enable them to finally enter RAF service.[4] The Mk6, which incorporates a new Digital Automatic Flight Control System (DAFCS), is a new buy of 14 aircraft which arrived in 2013.[19]
No. 618 Volunteer Gliding Squadron arrived in July 2000. The Unit operated theVigilant T Mk 1 self-launching glider, providing basic flying and gliding training to members of the Air Cadet Organisation. Due to a fleet-wide airworthiness issue, the Vigilant (and its cousin, the Viking conventional glider) were grounded in April 2014. No. 618 Volunteer Gliding Squadron was subsequently disbanded.[20]
In May 2015, it was announced that the Chinook Operational Conversion Flight, comprising six Chinooks and 150 personnel would transfer from Odiham to RAF Benson to form a joint Puma and Chinook Operational Conversion Unit.[21] The move began in December 2015 as the unit joined their Puma counterparts at Benson under a reformedNo. 28 Squadron.[22]
With the Lynx reaching the end of its operational life in January 2018,No. 657 Squadron of theArmy Air Corps and theirLynx AH9A disbanded in May 2018.[23]
To extend their life for at least 15 years, Odiham's runways were upgraded in early 2021. The runway surfaces and lighting were replaced, with the airfield remaining open throughout the works.[24]
RAF Odiham's mission statement is toDeliver and sustain Chinook and Special Forces aviation operations world-wide, in order to support UK defence missions and tasks".[25]
To fulfil this mission, the station is home toNo. 7 Squadron,No. 18 Squadron andNo. 27 Squadron, all operating theBoeing Chinook and forming part of the RAF's Support Helicopter Force.[26] The Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter used for tactical troop and load movements andcasualty evacuation across the battlefield. The aircraft can carry up to fifty-five troops or around ten-tonnes of mixed cargo either internally or as an under-slung load.[27]
The Chinook Display Team is also based at the Station.[26]
Odiham is home to the headquarters of theJoint Special Forces Aviation Wing (JSFAW). The wing is a Royal Air Force andBritish Army organisation that coordinates the provision ofrotary wing aviation support to theUnited Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF). Providing this role are Chinooks of No. 7 Squadron at Odiham andArmy Air CorpsEurocopter AS365N3 Dauphin II andWestland Gazelle AH1 aircraft based atStirling Lines inHerefordshire.[28]
The Kestrel Gliding Club continues to fly from Odiham at weekends, having become part of the Royal Air Force Gliding and Soaring Association in 2006.[29]
The following flying and notable non-flying units are based at RAF Odiham.[26][29][30]
Royal Air Force[edit]
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Civilian[edit]
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RAF Odiham'sbadge, awarded in November 1951, features a portportcullis between two towers each displaying a red rose behind two silver arrows with red feathers, crossing one another. The arrows are entwined by ajess and surmounted by a bell. The portcullis and towers relate toOdiham Castle, a ruin dating from the 13th century, located approximately 2 km north of the station. The portcullis also originates from the badge ofFighter Command, under which the station operated during the 1950s. The roses reference theHampshirecoat of arms and the arrows represent the speed of the aircraft flown from the station. Representing afalconer and bird, jess and bell, refer to the control of hunting aircraft and refer to the role of squadrons at the station.[31]
The station'smotto is 'Promise and Fulfil'.[31]
RAF Odiham'sgate guardian is a formerUS ArmyBoeing CH-47F Chinook. The airframe was donated byBoeing and reassembled at the station by Boeing and the RAF, using retired parts from several US and RAF Chinooks. It was unveiled in May 2012 bySecretary of State for DefencePhilip Hammond during a visit to the station to celebrate 30 years of RAF Chinook operations.[32][33]
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