Little Snoring

Runway: 01/19 - 1280x45 meter/4199x150ft - Concrete 

Runway: 07/25 - 1830x45 meter/6004x150ft - Concrete 

Runway: 13/31 - 1280x45 meter/4199x150ft - Concrete 

07/25 - 850x23meter - concrete/grass

10/28 - 770x16meter - concrete/asphalt (CLOSED) 

Little Snoring airfield (RAF Little Snoring) is a former Royal Air Force station located north of the Norfolk village of Little Snoring. 

The station opened in July 1943 and was built to be a satellite station and dispersal for RAF Foulsham which is 6.0 miles (9.7 km) south-east of Little Snoring. As with similar RAF stations, the airfield had a typical ‘A’ shape, with 36 dispersed aircraft parking ('pan'-type) sites, a bomb site (to the north), fuel dump (to the south) and accommodation built to house 1,807 RAF and 361 WAAF personnel spread over eight domestic sites dispersed away from the airfield to the east. 1 B1 type hangars and 4 T2s were available for aircraft maintenance.

Just a month after the station became operational, the stations status changed when No 3 Bomber Group gave the station full status. housed the rare Bristol Hercules engined Lancaster IIs of 1678 HCU (Heavy Conversion Unit) and 115 squadron. In November 1943, the airfield was taken over by 100 Group and Mosquito IIs and Beaufighter VIs moved in, to use the airfield for Electronic Warfare missions to mainland Europe.
Units known to have used Little Snoring are: 

115 Squadron (Aug - Nov 1943) Avro Lancaster II 

169 Squadron (Dec 1943 - Jun 1944) de Havilland Mosquito II 

515 Squadron (1943 - 1945) Bristol Beaufighter, de Havilland Mosquito II and VI   

23 Squadron (1944 - 1945) de Havilland Mosquito VI and XX 

141 Squadron (1945) de Havilland Mosquito XXX 

During March and April 1944 they were briefly joined by a detachment of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), flying P-51 Mustangs and P-38 Lightnings in long-range escort trials. After a Luftwaffe attack in mid-April 1944, Little Snoring was out of action for considerable time, but it returned to action in May with 515Sqn and 23Sqn until the end of the war. During its war years, twelve Lancasters and forty-three Mosquitos were lost during missions over enemy territory.


T. Cushing with a P-38 Lightning, nicknamed "Miss Ann" in March 1944. Handwritten caption on reverse: '3-44 X. T. Cushing, P-38 Intruder, Little Snoring, early '44. P-38.'  (IWM (FRE3251))


23 Sqn members, October 1944 (23 Squadron)


An undated radar equipped Mosquito of 23 Sqn at Little Snoring (23 Squadron)

515 Sqn disbanded on 10 June 1945. 141 Sqn flew from the airfield in July and August and on to disbandment on 7 September 1945. On 25 September operational flying by 23 Sqn officially ceased and the airfield was put on care and maintenance under 274 Maintenance Unit. As with other airfields in the region, it became a storage area for surplus Mosquitos on their way to be scrapped. After this the airfield was retained on a care and maintenance. 


23Sqn members and their dog mascot in September 1945, days before the unit disbanded and the airfield closed (23 Squadron)

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(23 Squadron)

In 1950, Little Snoring was opened temporarily and an anti-aircraft co-operation unit on civilian contract, 2 Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit flying Spitfire XVI, Mosquito TT.35 and Vampire FB.Vs, began operating from the airfield. Finally in 1953 the unit was disbanded, Little Snoring was shut and the site sold off.

However, that was not the end of flying. In civilian hands from 1958, new owner Fakenham Flying Group began operating the airfield. They renamed their group after their founder Elwyn “Mac” McAully was tragically killed in a flying accident at Little Snoring in 1960, while practicing for an aerobatic display. The group was renamed the McAully Flying Group in his honour and memory. The small group (they do not consider themself a club, as each is owner for the exact same share!) currently use Little Snoring Airfield. Since 2007, Little Snoring is home to a microlight manufacturer, The Light Aircraft Company (TLAC), which has had an aircraft maintenance facility at the site. TLAC produces the Sherwood Ranger biplane microlight. 


Entrance sign near the southernmost T2 hangar.
   © Copyright Evelyn Simak and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.


Undated map of the airfield.

Aircraft can visit (No PPR required!) and occasionally a ‘fly-in’ happens and the site springs into life once more. Airfield facilities include a private hangar and a clubhouse with pre-flight briefing facilities, kitchen and toilets. With the exception of the western part, most of all three runways has been removed but the remaining west end and the southern taxitrack are retained for flying.
The old control tower still exists, albeit in a derelict shape. One of the former stations buildings, claimed by some to be the former mortuary, is now a toilet and shower block at the villages' camp site. The site also features an air raid shelter and concrete pads for vehicles and temporary buildings.Two T2 hangars still exist at the south side of the former RAF station.