RAF Millom

Military Decommissioning. Following the end of World War II, the massive requirement for training aircrew ceased. RAF Millom, like many other training stations, was deemed surplus to the peacetime requirements of the Royal Air Force and was closed as part of the post-war military drawdown.

The site is no longer an airport and has been extensively redeveloped for civilian use. A large portion of the former airfield is now occupied by HMP Haverigg, a Category D open prison. Another section has been converted into the Haverigg Industrial Estate. However, the site's heritage has been preserved; the original control tower and some adjacent buildings have been restored and now house the Millom Discovery Centre, which includes the RAF Millom Museum. This museum is dedicated to the history of the airfield and the personnel who served there. While some remnants of the concrete runways and perimeter tracks are still visible, they are in a state of decay and are not suitable for aviation.

RAF Millom was a significant World War II training airfield that opened in January 1941. Its primary and crucial role was to train aircrew for RAF Bomber Command and Coastal Command. Initially, it was home to No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School, which was later reformed into No. 2 Air Observer School and finally became No. 2 Observer Advanced Flying Unit (OAFU) in June 1943. The station was responsible for training thousands of essential personnel, including navigators, bomb aimers, and air gunners. The main aircraft used for this training were the Avro Anson and the Blackburn Botha. The station's intensive training schedule and the often-treacherous local weather conditions resulted in numerous aircraft accidents, and the station is remembered for the significant number of personnel who lost their lives while training there.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Millom as an airport. The current use of the site for a prison, an industrial estate, and a museum, combined with the significant degradation of the original airfield infrastructure, makes any potential reopening logistically, financially, and practically unfeasible. The site is considered permanently repurposed.