RAF Jurby

RAF Jurby opened on the north-west coast of the Isle of Man on 18 September 1939, just after the outbreak of war, and spent most of its life as a training station. It was home in turn to No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School and the air-observer, air-gunnery and navigation schools that followed, where crews practised over the surrounding sea ranges in aircraft such as the Fairey Battle, Bristol Blenheim, Avro Anson and Handley Page Hampden. For short spells in 1940–41 it also hosted fighter squadrons — including Polish, Czechoslovak and Australian units flying Boulton Paul Defiants, Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires — providing air defence over the Irish Sea. After the war it trained officer cadets until closing in 1963; the site is now an industrial estate and motorsport venue, with the runways, control tower and hangars still standing.