RAF Gaydon
| RAF Gaydon | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaydon, Warwickshire in England | |||||||||||||
Aerial view of RAF Gaydon (April, 2025) | |||||||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||||||
| Type | Royal Air Force station | ||||||||||||
| Code | GP (-1954) GD (1954-) | ||||||||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||||||||
| Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||||||
| Controlled by | RAF Strike Command RAF Bomber Command * No. 91 (OTU) Group RAF RAF Flying Training Command | ||||||||||||
| Location | |||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 52°11′08″N 001°29′31″W / 52.18556°N 1.49194°W | ||||||||||||
| Grid reference | SP355555 | ||||||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||||||
| Built | 1941/42 & 1953/54 | ||||||||||||
| Built by | John Laing & Son Ltd 1941/42 & 1953/54 | ||||||||||||
| In use | 13 June 1942 - 31 October 1974 | ||||||||||||
| Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II Cold War | ||||||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||||||
| Elevation | 12 metres (39 ft) AMSL | ||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Royal Air Force Gaydon or more simply RAF Gaydon is a former Royal Air Force station located 5.2 miles (8.4 km) east of Wellesbourne, Warwickshire and 10.8 miles (17.4 km) north west of Banbury, Oxfordshire, England.
RAF Gaydon opened in 1942 and is known for its role during the Cold War, when it was under the control of RAF Bomber Command as it was the first Royal Air Force (RAF) station to receive the Vickers Valiant when No. 138 Squadron RAF re-formed here in 1955.
In 1978, the site passed into civilian ownership and today contains the British Motor Museum, the headquarters of automobile manufacturer Aston Martin, and the Jaguar Land Rover Gaydon Centre.