RAF Kalyan was a Royal Air Force station located at Nevali village 6 km south of Kalyan, operational during World War II in British India. It was built by converting the existing Kalyan Airstrip for military use. Several Fighter Squadrons and support units were stationed at Kalyan from 1942 to 1947.[1] The field was abandoned after the war.

RAF Kalyan

Remains of the abandoned NE-SW Runway of RAF Kalyan as seen in May 2022.
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OperatorRoyal Air Force
LocationKalyan, Maharashtra, India
Elevation AMSL60 ft / 20 m
Coordinates19°10′27.8″N 073°08′10.8″E / 19.174389°N 73.136333°E / 19.174389; 73.136333
Map
RAF Kalyan is located in India
RAF Kalyan
RAF Kalyan
Location in India
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
08/26 6,000 1,830 Concrete
03/21 6,000 1,830 Concrete
Unit Dates Aircraft
No. 20 Squadron RAF 1945–1946 Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Tempest
No. 110 Squadron RAF March 1942 Vultee Vengeance, de Havilland Mosquito
No. 7110 Servicing Echelon 30 Sep – 6 Oct 1944
No. 3 Mobile Parachute Servicing Unit 1945 – Jan 1946
No 129 Staging post 31 Jan – 7 Apr 1945

Current use

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The two abandoned runways have been encroached upon by local population and now host dirt roads serving nearby villages. The southern end of the site now hosts a research and development laboratory of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).[2]

 
Satellite image overlayed onto the historical locations of RAF Kalyan with its two runways.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "RAF Kalyan". www.rafweb.org. 9 January 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  2. ^ Sanjay Jog (20 January 2013). "NSA had rejected Kalyan site for Mumbai airport in 2007". Business Standard News. Retrieved 31 October 2015.