RAF Northolt

RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station in the London Borough of Hillingdon, in north west Greater London, England. Approximately 10 kilometres (6 miles) north of London Heathrow Airport, it also handles a large number of private civilian flights. RAF Northolt is actually situated in neighbouring Ruislip; most early RAF airfields were named after the nearest railway station, in this case Northolt Junction which is now called South Ruislip. Opened in May 1915 for aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps, it was an active base for RAF and Polish Air Force squadrons during World War II. On 15 September 1940 during the Battle of Britain, No. 1 Squadron RCAF, No. 229 Squadron RAF, No. 303 Polish Fighter Squadron, No. 504 Squadron RAF, and part of No. 264 Squadron RAF were based at the station. All except the No. 264 Squadron portion were flying Hawker Hurricanes; 264 Squadron was operating the Boulton Paul Defiant.

After World War II, Northolt became a significant civilian airport soon afterwards, and subsequently reverted to military use upon the opening of Heathrow. Communications aircraft of the Royal Canadian Air Force, the United States Air Forces in Europe, the United States Navy, and the French Air Force were based there in the 1950–1980 period. Today, it is an important RAF airfield and the home of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron RAF. Since about 1980 movements of privately-owned aircraft, mainly corporate jets, have outnumbered military aircraft.

Here are my photos taken at RAF Northolt which is a military airfield located quite near Heathrow Airport. Images bellow present following airplanes:

Canadair CL-415 F-ZBFP, EHI-101 Merlin HC3 s/n ZJ131, Aerospatiale SA330B Puma s/n 1204, Gloster Meteor T7 s/n WL419, PZL W-3T Sokol s/n 0415, Pilatus PC-9M s/n 263, Eurocopter EC135P-2 s/n 270, PZL M-28B Bryza TD s/n 0211, Agusta A.109E Power Elite s/n ZR321, Agusta A.109E Power Elite s/n ZR322, Agusta A.109E Power Elite s/n ZR323, Shorts Tucano T1 s/n ZF205, Shorts Tucano T1 s/n ZF417, Beech Super King Air 200 G-RAFP, de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-ACZE, Percival Proctor G-ALJF, Panavia Tornado F3 s/n ZE206, Panavia Tornado GR4 s/n ZA447, BAe Harrier GR7A s/n ZD376, BAe Harrier GR7A s/n ZD408, BAC 167 Strikemaster s/n 311, Hunting Jet Provost T3A s/n XM479, BAe Hawk T1 s/n XX174, BAe Hawk T1 s/n XX184, BAe Hawk T1A s/n XX222, HS Gnat T1 s/n XS111, HS Gnat T1 s/n XR538, HS Gnat T1 x 2 s/n XR538 + XS111, Bell UH-ID  s/n 7118, Bolkow No.105P s/n 8629, Canadair CC-144B Challenger s/n 144615, PZL-Mielec M-28B Bryza 1R s/n 1114, PZL-Mielec M-28 Skytruck s/n SN-60YG, Agusta-Bell AB412SP s/n R-02, Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk s/n 87-24584, Westland Scout AH1 s/n XW613

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Robert Hodgson