RAF Shawbury is near Shrewsbury, Shropshire and is home to the Defence Helicopter Flying. An independent unit within the Station, its task is to provide basic single-engine helicopter training for the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, and some overseas countries.
The station at Shawbury was first used for military flying training in 1917, but it was returned to agricultural use in 1920. In 1938 it was reactivated as a training establishment. It primarily prepared pilots for operational squadrons, with the main aircraft being the Airspeed Oxford. In 1944 it became the home of the Central Navigation School, primarily concerned with improving the standard of air navigation in bombers. In 1950 the School of Air Traffic Control also moved to Shawbury,
Channel 19 is produced bimonthly
combining to form the Central Navigation and Control School. In 1963 the Navigation Wing moved to RAF Manby.
In 1976 Shawbury became a base for basic and advanced helicopter training, on the Aerospatiale Gazelle and Westland Wessex respectively, with No 2 Flying Training School.
The station is also home to the Air Traffic Control School and the RAF Aircraft Storage flight, where surplus aircraft are stored.
