RAF Bircotes

Doncaster, South Yorkshire, GB 🇬🇧 Closed Airport

ICAO

GB-0113

IATA

-

Elevation

108 ft

Region

GB-ENG

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 53.433827° N, -1.037521° E

Continent: EU

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: RAF Bawtry

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.
Nearby Points of Interest

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 25, 2025
Closure Date

1961

Reason for Closure

The station was closed as part of the post-World War II downsizing of the Royal Air Force. Its large-scale technical training function was no longer required, and the site was handed back for civilian use.

Current Status

The site has been completely redeveloped. Following its closure, the land was returned to the National Coal Board and later became the Harworth and Bircotes Industrial Estate. The area is now a mix of industrial units, commercial businesses, and modern housing developments. There are no visible remnants of the original RAF station.

Historical Significance

The site was officially known as RAF Harworth. It was a significant non-flying RAF station that opened in 1938. During World War II, it became a crucial technical training facility, primarily for Bomber Command. Instead of handling flight operations, it specialized in training ground-based personnel and aircrew trades. It housed the No. 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit's ground school and later became a major training center for wireless operators, air gunners, and flight engineers. Thousands of personnel passed through RAF Harworth, making it a vital component of the RAF's wartime training infrastructure. It did not have runways and was never an 'airport' in the traditional sense.

Reopening Prospects

None. The land has been fully and permanently repurposed for industrial and residential use. There are no plans, prospects, or physical space for it to ever reopen as an aviation facility.

Nearby Airports

Doncaster Sheffield Airport
GB-1212
Doncaster, South Yorkshire, GB
Closed Airport
~5 km away
Willow Farm Airstrip
GB-0183
Doncaster, South Yorkshire, GB
Small Airport
~9 km away
RAF Firbeck
GB-1208
Worksop, South Yorkshire, GB
Closed Airport
~10 km away
RAF Doncaster
GB-0510
Doncaster, South Yorkshire, GB
Closed Airport
~10 km away
Finningley Village Airstrip
GB-0289
Finningley, GB
Small Airport
~10 km away
RAF Lindholme
GB-1253
Doncaster, GB
Closed Airport
~14 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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