RAF Silverstone
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox military installation Royal Air Force Silverstone or more simply RAF Silverstone is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station, built during the Second World War, and used by the RAF from 1943 until 1947. It straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border Template:Convert south west of Northampton, and is named after the nearby village of Silverstone.
In 1948, the Royal Automobile Club hosted the first British Grand Prix at this location, and the site is now Silverstone Circuit.
RAF use 1943–1947
The station was the base for No. 17 Operational Training Unit RAF operating the Vickers Wellington bomber.<ref name=ab>Sturtivant 2007, pp. 198-206</ref><ref name="ABCT">Template:Cite web</ref>
Since 1948
Today the airfield is a major racing circuit known as Silverstone.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Private aircraft and helicopters have continued to use this location, particularly in 2009 for the World Aerobatic Championships,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but mostly it is now helicopters in connection with motor racing events. The airfield's three runways, in a standard World War II era triangle, lie within the outline of the classic racetrack, but have either been removed, or re-purposed and are no longer available as dedicated runways. In 2010 the main straight between turn 5 and turn 6, following the line of one of the runways, was renamed the 'Wellington Straight'.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The circuit is also home to the Silverstone Heliport.