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Coordinates: 51°22′12″N 001°08′38″W / 51.37000°N 1.14389°W / 51.37000; -1.14389
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==History==
==History==
[[File:spitfire mk11 pl965 arp.jpg|thumb|right|This Spitfire P.R Mk XI (PL965) was built at RAF Aldermaston]]
[[File:spitfire mk11 pl965 arp.jpg|thumb|right|This Spitfire P.R Mk XI (PL965) was built at RAF Aldermaston]]
Aldermaston was initially planned as an RAF Bomber Command airfield, being constructed in 1941-1942. RAF 92 Group was programmed to occupy the faculty with [[Vickers Wellington]] bombers. However, to support the [[United States Army Air Forces]] (USAAF) Eighth Air Force in August 1942, jurisdiction of Aldermaston was transferred from RAF Bomber Command to the USAAF. The USAAF assigned station No. 467 to the facility.
Aldermaston was initially planned as an RAF Bomber Command airfield, being constructed in 1941-1942. RAF 92 Group was programmed to occupy the facility with [[Vickers Wellington]] bombers. However, to support the [[United States Army Air Forces]] (USAAF) Eighth Air Force in August 1942, jurisdiction of Aldermaston was transferred from RAF Bomber Command to the USAAF. The USAAF assigned station No. 467 to the facility.


===United States Army Air Forces use===
===United States Army Air Forces use===
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* 819th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron (53d Troop Carrier Wing)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/1469 |title=819th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron |publisher=American Air Museum in Britain|accessdate=2 Mar 2015}}</ref>
* 819th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron (53d Troop Carrier Wing)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.americanairmuseum.com/unit/1469 |title=819th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron |publisher=American Air Museum in Britain|accessdate=2 Mar 2015}}</ref>
* 97th Station Complement Squadron
* 97th Station Complement Squadron
Regular Army Station Units included:
* 1052nd Quartermaster Company
* 1052nd Quartermaster Company
* 1068th Quartermaster Company
* 1068th Quartermaster Company
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==== 60th Troop Carrier Group ====
==== 60th Troop Carrier Group ====
Once Aldermaston became ready for aircraft in August 1942 the [[Eighth Air Force]] [[60th Troop Carrier Group]] was moved in from its temporary stations at [[RAF Chelveston]] and [[RAF Podington]]. Flying [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|Douglas C-47s and C-54 Skytrains]], operational squadrons of the group were:
Due to Aldermaston's location in Berkshire, Eighth Air Force decided to use the base to station as a C-47 Troop Carrier base. Upon completion of construction in August, the [[60th Troop Carrier Group]] (60th TCG) was transferred from its temporary locations at [[RAF Chelveston]] and [[RAF Podington]] in East Anglica, which became heavy bomber bases. The operational squadrons of the 60th TCG were:<ref name="60TCG">[http://www.8thafhs.org/troop/60tc.htm 60th Troop Carrier Group, Eighth Air Force Historical Society]</ref>

* [[10th Airlift Squadron|10th Troop Carrier Squadron]] (S6) (Arrived 7 August from Chelveston)
* [[10th Airlift Squadron|10th Troop Carrier Squadron]] (S6) (Arrived 7 August from Chelveston)
* 11th Troop Carrier Squadron (7D) (Arrived 15 August from Chelveston)
* 11th Troop Carrier Squadron (7D) (Arrived 15 August from Chelveston)
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* 28th Troop Carrier Squadron (3D) (Arrived 7 August from Podington)
* 28th Troop Carrier Squadron (3D) (Arrived 7 August from Podington)


The unit trained with Army paratroop units during the fall of 1942, preparing for combat operations in North Africa as part of the [[Operation Torch]] invasion of French North Africa. It flew its only combat mission on 8 November 1942 when it transported airborne paratroopers from Aldermaston, and dropping them at Oran, Algeria during the early hours of the invasion.<ref name="60TCG"/>
During the following three months. the 60th TCG trained with paratroops preparatory to moving out to North Africa on 6 November on its way to [[Relizane Airfield]], [[Algeria]] as part of [[Twelfth Air Force]] for participation in [[Operation Torch]], the invasion of North Africa.

With the successful operation, the group moved to [[Relizane Airfield]], Algeria on 8 November 1942. There, it was transferred to the new [[Twelfth Air Force]] where it continued combat oprations as part of the [[Mediterranean Theater of Operations]] until the end of the war.<ref name="Groups">Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-02-1)</ref>


==== 67th Observation Group ====
==== 67th Observation Group ====

Revision as of 23:39, 24 March 2015

RAF Aldermaston
USAAF Station 467
Newbury, Berkshire
Aerial photograph of RAF Aldermaston oriented north, taken 19 August 1943. The bomb dump is on the east side of the airfield
RAF Aldermaston is located in Berkshire
RAF Aldermaston
RAF Aldermaston
Location in Berkshire
Coordinates51°22′12″N 001°08′38″W / 51.37000°N 1.14389°W / 51.37000; -1.14389
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
Operator
Controlled by
Site history
Built1941-42
In use1942-1945
Battles/warsWorld War II
Airfield information
Runways
Direction Length and surface
06/24  Concrete
12/30  Concrete
18/36  Concrete
For the post Second World War use of this facility, see Atomic Weapons Establishment

Royal Air Force Aldermaston or more simply RAF Aldermaston is a former Royal Air Force station located 8 miles (13 km) southeast of Newbury, Berkshire and 9.8 miles (15.8 km) southwest of Reading, Berkshire, England.

Originally built as an RAF Bomber Command airfield during 1941-1942, Aldermaston was transferred to the United States Army Air Forces in August 1942.[1] Placed under the jurisdiction of Eighth Air Force, it was home to several C-47 Skytrain Troop Carrier Groups. It was transferred to Ninth Air Force in 1943 as a Troop Carrier Command and Fighter Command Base.[2] Returned to RAF Control at the end of 1945, it was used by Technical Training Command before being placed on Care and Maintenance. In 1946, it was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and used by BOAC aircraft for training.[1]

Also used by the Ministry of Aircraft Production for Supermarine Spitfire assembly and flight testing, the airfield closed in 1950 and the site became home of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (later the Atomic Weapons Establishment) from 1950. [1]

History

This Spitfire P.R Mk XI (PL965) was built at RAF Aldermaston

Aldermaston was initially planned as an RAF Bomber Command airfield, being constructed in 1941-1942. RAF 92 Group was programmed to occupy the facility with Vickers Wellington bombers. However, to support the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force in August 1942, jurisdiction of Aldermaston was transferred from RAF Bomber Command to the USAAF. The USAAF assigned station No. 467 to the facility.

United States Army Air Forces use

USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Aldermaston were:[2]

  • 318th Service Group (53d Troop Carrier Wing)[3]
458th, 459th Service Squadron; HHS 318th Service Group
  • 21st Weather Squadron
  • 40th Mobile Communications Squadron
  • 819th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron (53d Troop Carrier Wing)[4]
  • 97th Station Complement Squadron

Regular Army Station Units included:

  • 1052nd Quartermaster Company
  • 1068th Quartermaster Company
  • 1075th Signal Company
  • 1229th Military Police Company
  • 1465th Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company
  • 2249th Quartermaster Truck Company
  • 2142nd Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon
  • Detachment ZB (40th Mobile Communications Squadron)
  • Weather Detachment ZB

60th Troop Carrier Group

Due to Aldermaston's location in Berkshire, Eighth Air Force decided to use the base to station as a C-47 Troop Carrier base. Upon completion of construction in August, the 60th Troop Carrier Group (60th TCG) was transferred from its temporary locations at RAF Chelveston and RAF Podington in East Anglica, which became heavy bomber bases. The operational squadrons of the 60th TCG were:[5]

  • 10th Troop Carrier Squadron (S6) (Arrived 7 August from Chelveston)
  • 11th Troop Carrier Squadron (7D) (Arrived 15 August from Chelveston)
  • 12th Troop Carrier Squadron (U5) (Arrived 15 August from Podington)
  • 28th Troop Carrier Squadron (3D) (Arrived 7 August from Podington)

The unit trained with Army paratroop units during the fall of 1942, preparing for combat operations in North Africa as part of the Operation Torch invasion of French North Africa. It flew its only combat mission on 8 November 1942 when it transported airborne paratroopers from Aldermaston, and dropping them at Oran, Algeria during the early hours of the invasion.[5]

With the successful operation, the group moved to Relizane Airfield, Algeria on 8 November 1942. There, it was transferred to the new Twelfth Air Force where it continued combat oprations as part of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations until the end of the war.[6]

67th Observation Group

On 25 November 1942 The 107th Observation Squadron, 67th Observation Group, was transferred from RAF Membury to Aldermaston with A-20s, L-4s and Supermarine Spitfires. The squadron remained only until 8 January 1943 when it was moved back to Membury.

315th Troop Carrier Group

CG-4A Waco Glider of the 315th Troop Carrier Group, 1943.

On 12 December the first of 24 aircraft of the 315th Troop Carrier Group touched down from Florence Army Airfield, South Carolina with C-47s and C-53s, having made an emergency landing at Montford Bridge near Shrewsbury in Shropshire. Only two of the group's squadrons initially arrived, those being:

  • 34th Troop Carrier Squadron (NM)
  • 43d Troop Carrier Squadron (UA)

The 315th TCG was part of the 52nd Troop Carrier Wing of IX Troop Carrier Command. On 25 May, twenty-one of the 315th's aircraft left for Algeria to support the invasions of Sicily and Italy.

On 6 November the remainder group was reassigned to Ninth Air Force and transferred to RAF Welford thus leaving Aldermaston ready for other uses. However, on 4 December HQ IX Air Support Command was activated at Aldermaston Court and Aldermaston was transferred to the USAAF Ninth Air Force.

15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron

On December 1943 the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 73d Tactical Reconnaissance Group, arrived at Aldermaston from Esler Field, Louisiana without aircraft. They were transferred to RAF Middle Wallop, and equipped with Supermarine Spitfire Vs.

370th Fighter Group

Delays and changes of plan followed and many weeks passed before another flying organisation arrived. The 370th Fighter Group arrived from Bradley Field, Connecticut on 12 February. Operational squadrons of the group were:

The 370th moved to RAF Andover, as Aldermaston airfield was required for troop carrier operations.

434th Troop Carrier Group

Douglas C-47 of the 74th Troop Carrier Squadron.
Douglas C-47A-90-DL, Serial 43-15663 of the 72d Troop Carrier Squadron.

The 434th Troop Carrier Group came in from RAF Fulbeck on 3 March. Its operational squadrons were:

The 434th TCW was assigned to the 53rd Troop Carrier Wing.

The 434th remained at Aldermaston until 12 February 1945 when the group moved to an Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at Mourmclon-le-Grand airfield (ALG A-80) in France. With no further USAAF requirement for the station, Aldermaston was returned to the Air Ministry on 15 June.

Postwar RAF use

The airfield was relinquished to the Air Ministry on 15 June 1945. It was to be the site for a flying school, where more than 1,000 former RAF pilots would be retrained to fly civil aircraft. Many of the buildings were refurbished and improved runway lights were installed.

Current use

The airfield site subsequently became the location of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (A.W.R.E.). The site dropped the A.W.R.E. name in favour of A.W.E. (Atomic Weapons Establishment) in 1987.

See also

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d Controltowers.co.uk Aldermaston
  2. ^ a b "Aldermaston". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
  3. ^ "318th Service Group". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  4. ^ "819th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b 60th Troop Carrier Group, Eighth Air Force Historical Society
  6. ^ Maurer, Maurer. Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office 1961 (republished 1983, Office of Air Force History, ISBN 0-912799-02-1)

Bibliography

  • Ashworth, Chris. (1985). Action Stations. Volume 9: Military airfields of the Central South and South-East. Wellingborough: Patrick Stephens Limited. ISBN 0-85059-608-4.
  • Freeman, Roger A. (1994) UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now 1994. After the Battle ISBN 0-900913-80-0
  • Freeman, Roger A. (1996) The Ninth Air Force in Colour: UK and the Continent-World War Two. After the Battle ISBN 1-85409-272-3
  • Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  • USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers—1908 to present
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