RAF Colerne

Military conversion and strategic realignment. Following the 1974 Defence Review, the RAF's C-130 Hercules transport fleet was consolidated at nearby RAF Lyneham, rendering RAF Colerne's role as a transport base redundant. The station was subsequently closed as an RAF facility and handed over to the British Army to be repurposed.

The site is an active military installation. Following the RAF's departure in 1976, it was renamed Azimghur Barracks and is now home to the British Army's 21 Signal Regiment (Air Support). While it is no longer a major RAF station, the airfield itself, now known as Colerne Airfield, remains active for light aviation. It is used by the University of Bristol Air Squadron (UBAS) and No. 3 Air Experience Flight (AEF), which operate Grob Tutor T1 training aircraft to provide flying experience and training to university students and air cadets. The airfield is unlicensed and operates on a Prior Permission Required (PPR) basis.

RAF Colerne was a highly significant airfield with a rich history spanning World War II and the Cold War. It opened in the summer of 1940 as a Fighter Command sector station during the Battle of Britain, tasked with defending Bristol and the surrounding areas. It hosted numerous fighter squadrons flying aircraft such as the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, and Boulton Paul Defiant. Notable squadrons included No. 87, No. 238, and several night fighter units. After the war, the station's role shifted dramatically. In 1946, it became a major base for RAF Transport Command, operating large transport aircraft like the Handley Page Hastings and later the giant Blackburn Beverley. It was home to several transport squadrons, including No. 24, No. 36, No. 47, and No. 511, playing a crucial role in global airlift operations for the UK military. From 1967, the station was the first to receive the new Lockheed C-130 Hercules, which were based there until their transfer to RAF Lyneham. The airfield also housed various Maintenance Units (MUs) responsible for aircraft storage and preparation. For many years, it was also the home of the University of Bristol Air Squadron (UBAS). The historical ICAO code for the station when fully active was EGUO.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the site as a public airport or a full-scale RAF station. Its current, long-standing role as an important and active British Army barracks (Azimghur Barracks) makes any conversion for civilian or expanded military aviation use highly improbable. The limited military flying for training purposes is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.