RAF Crosby on Eden (Carlisle Lake district Airport)

Opened in 1941, the airfield was originally home to No.59 Operational Training Unit (OTU), part of Fighter Command. It provided conversion training for Hawker Hurricane pilots.

The airfield remained in use for the rest of the war, transferring to Coastal Command and becoming home to trainee Bristol Beaufort and Beaufighter crews. By the end of the war the station was used by Transport Command and its Douglas Dakotas.

After the war the station fell out of use and was sold off to Carlisle City Council in 1947 who operated it as a regional airport. It is known as Carlisle Lake District Airport.

As this is an active airfield, please observe from public areas only – don’t go exploring on the airfield. Make sure to visit Solway Aviation Museum who are based here to learn more about the airfields of Cumbria.

Image credit – Solway Aviation Museum collection