Wattisham Flying Station
AAC Wattisham
EGUW
1939-
8.5nm NW of Ipswich, Wattisham, Suffolk, England
52.127222, 0.956389 · 284 feet
Wattisham Flying Station, Crowcroft Road, Wattisham, Ipswich, Suffolk, England, IP7 7RA, United Kingdom
Nearby Locations
| Km | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elmsett | EGST | 6.0 | 166° |
 Windmill Cottage |
7.2 | 190° | |
| Benton End, Hadleigh |
10.5 | 176° | |
| Everett Aero |
11.8 | 129° | |
 Ipswich Harbour |
16.6 | 122° | |
| Rougham Airfield | 18.4 | 316° |
Opened Mar 1939 with bomber and later, anti-shipping units. Handed over to USAAF in Sep 1942 as a fighter depot, when 3 concrete and tarmac runways were laid. Base reverted to the RAF as a jet fighter station after WWII, with a succession of Meteors, Hunters, Lightnings and Phantoms until 1992, when the base was put into maintenance. Re-activated as an Army base with new hangars added, to house units withdrawn from Germany.
A Search and Rescue service, operated by RAF 22 Squadron B Flight from a 2 pad stand to the north east of the base is due to cease from 1 Jul 2015. The service (part of the new DfT/MCA 10 year UK SRR contract) will be provided from elsewhere, with cover divided between Manston and Humberside.
Units
| 1993- | 663 Squadron |
| 1993- | 653 Squadron |
| 1993- | 662 Squadron662 Sq |
| 1993- | 3 Regiment, AAC3 REGT |
| 1994-2015 | 22 Squadron |
| 1995- | 4 Regiment, AAC4 REGT |
| 1995-2006 | 669 Squadron |
| 1995-2007 | 659 Squadron |
| 1995-2014 | 654 Squadron |
| 2007- | 664 Squadron |
| 2007- | 656 Squadron |
| 2009-2013 | Suffolk Police |
| 2012-2017 | NPASNPAS |
