Situated some 12 miles south-east from the centre of Nottingham, this aerodrome was built largely in the parish of Langar cum Barnstone during 1941-42. The flying field spanned the Nottinghamshire/Leicestershire county border and in the early days was often referred to locally as Harby, a village to the south of the site.
Built to Class A standard, the runways were the main O1-19 at 6,000 feet, 07-25, at 4,200 feet and 13-31 also at 4,200 feet, although shorter lengths were given m the original specifications. There were 36 pan dispersals and one T2 hangar was located on the technical site between runways 01 and 07 and another between runway heads O1 and 31. Domestic sites, providing for 2,007 males and 246 females, were dispersed in farmland to the north-west around Langar village with the bomb stores located on the east side of the airfield. Additionally, a large hangar workshop complex was built on the west side of the Langet-Harby road with access tracks across the road to the airfield and an Avro unit for major repair and modification of Lancasters came into operation when the airfield opened in September 1942. A major part of the construction work was by George Wimpey & Co. Ltd.
In September 1942, the Lancasters of No. 207 Squadron moved in from Bottesford whereupon it flew raids from the airfield for just over a year. During this period, two more T2 hangars were erected for winter storage of Horsa gliders, 32 of which were placed on the airfield during the summer of 1943.
In August 1943, Langar was one of 15 airfields in the Grantham area allocated to the USAAF to receive a troop carrier division. To meet this future use, 14 loop hardstandings were added along the perimeter track and additional domestic sites constructed to provide total accommodation for 2,253 persons. Soon after No. 207 Squadron moved out in October, having lost 29 Lancasters on operations while in residence, the first US service units arrived.
In November 1943, the 435th Troop Carrier Group flew in from the United States with C-47s and a few C-53s. It remained until late April 1944 when it moved out to Merryfield in south-east. Langar then became a glider modification station where Waco CG4As were to be seen in large numbers. The 441st TCG arrived with 90 C-47s in September 1944 to participate in the Operation `Market' mission to Holland after which Langar was returned to the RAF. In October, No. 1669 Heavy Conversion Unit arrived with some 30 Lancasters. This organisation remained until March 1945 when a surplus of trained crews allowed No. 7 Group to disband it. The airfield continued to be used by Avro for the reception and despatch of Lancasters to its works as had also happened during the American occupation. In fact practically all the flying activity at Langar during the rest of 1945 and until the airfield closed in December 1946 was connected with the Avro operation, and even then the company retained its workshop complex.
In 1949 the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed by a group of nations concerned with the threat of communism expanding into Western Europe. As a founding member, Canada agreed to provide, along with other military units, an Air Force contribution which would be tasked with the role of air defence.
After five years of neglect, Langar was selected as a base for the Canadian contribution to NATO and extensive construction work took place to provided better accommodation and other facilities. The RCAF made Langar their primary supply base in Europe and their link between Canada and their fighter airfields in Britain and on the Continent. They remained at Langar for some 11 years and a variety of air transports visited during that period, including Bristol Freighters, North Stars, Expeditors and the ubiquitous Dakotas. When the Canadians departed in 1963, Avro was again using the airfield for flying before the company left in 1968. The buildings were soon acquired by various commercial outlets and the former Avro complex by the international farm machinery manufacturer John Deere. Today, the airfield remains in reasonable order and has been used by the British Parachute School for the past 23 years. Their offices are in the old control tower. Light aircraft and a gliding club also use Langar on a regular basis.
Updated: March 16, 2005