RAF Hythe

RAF Hythe was a Royal Air Force flying boat base located at Hythe, Hampshire, England, active primarily during and after the Second World War. Situated on Southampton Water, it provided a crucial location for the servicing, maintenance, and operation of flying boats.

During the war, RAF Hythe played a significant role in supporting anti-submarine patrols, convoy escort duties, and air-sea rescue operations. Flying boats based there were instrumental in searching for and attacking U-boats in the Atlantic. The base also served as a transit point for aircraft and personnel heading to various overseas locations.

Following the war, RAF Hythe continued to operate as a flying boat base, becoming a hub for civil aviation. BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) used the facility extensively for its flying boat services to destinations around the world, particularly routes to Africa, the Far East, and Australia. The base offered maintenance and repair facilities for these large aircraft.

The decline of flying boat travel in the 1950s, due to the rise of land-based aircraft and improved airport infrastructure, eventually led to the closure of RAF Hythe. The land was subsequently redeveloped. While the former RAF base is no longer operational, its history is remembered as a vital element in the history of aviation and maritime operations in the region. The Hythe Pier Train, a small electric railway, was used to transport passengers from Hythe Pier to the flying boat terminal during the era of BOAC operations.