RAF Blackbushe

Royal Air Force Blackbushe or more simply RAF Blackbushe is a former Royal Air Force station in Hampshire, England, during the Second World War. It is now Blackbushe Airport.

RAF Blackbushe
RAF Hartford Bridge
Blackbushe, Hampshire in England
RAF Blackbushe is located in Hampshire
RAF Blackbushe
RAF Blackbushe
Shown within Hampshire
Coordinates51°19′31″N 0°50′48″W
TypeRoyal Air Force station
CodeXB[1]
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Army Cooperation Command 1942-43
* No. 70 Group RAF
RAF Second Tactical Air Force
* No. 2 Group RAF
* No. 85 Group RAF
RAF Transport Command
* No. 46 Group RAF[1]
Site history
Built1941 (1941)/42
Built bySir Alfred McAlpine Ltd
In useNovember 1942 - November 1946 (1946)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation98 metres (322 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00  Concrete
00/00  Concrete
00/00  Concrete

History

The station was opened on 1 November 1942 as RAF Hartford Bridge and it was used throughout the remainder of Second World War for reconnaissance, defence and strike operations using Supermarine Spitfires, Douglas Bostons and de Havilland Mosquitoes. It was also the home of the Free French Squadron (Lorraine).

During the construction of the airfield, the already built runways were used for glider testing, including the massive General Aircraft Hamilcar.

A number of important people used the airfield including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Supreme Allied Commander U.S. General Dwight D Eisenhower and British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery.

Due to its geographical proximity to RAE Farnborough Royal Aircraft Establishment the airfield was used to develop the Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation (FIDO) system to enable aircraft operations in heavy fog.

The station was renamed to RAF Blackbushe on 18 November 1944 and it became an airfield for the Douglas Dakotas of RAF Transport Command during the 1948 airlift during the Berlin Blockade.

The RAF Station was closed on 15 November 1946 and in February 1947 the airfield became Blackbushe Airport under the control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. During the 1950s the airfield saw increased used as a base for US Navy transport aircraft.

Blackbushe was also considered during WWII in consultations to decide the site of London's post-war principal civil airport. It was only narrowly beaten by Heathrow; the winner was announced in 1944.

Units and aircraft (RAF Hartford Bridge)

Units and aircraft (RAF Blackbushe)
Units
A Consolidated B-24 Liberator GR.VI of No. 200 Squadron RAF. This is the same version of B-24 as the one from 311 Squadron that took off from Blackbushe and crashed at Elvetham in 1945.

Accidents and incidents
Main article: Elvetham air crash

On 8 October 1945 a Consolidated B-24 Liberator GR.VI aircraft of No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF took off from Blackbushe on a flight to Ruzyně Airport, Prague. Five minutes later it crashed and burst into flames in a field at Elvetham, near Hartley Wintney, southwest of Blackbush. All 23 people aboard were Czechoslovak, and all were killed: five crew, 17 passengers and one stowaway. The passengers included nine women and five young children, the latter ranging from 18 months to three years old.[30][31]

References

Citations
  1. Falconer 2012, p. 53.
  2. Jefford 1988, p. 29.
  3. Jefford 1988, p. 31.
  4. Jefford 1988, p. 51.
  5. Jefford 1988, p. 55.
  6. Jefford 1988, p. 60.
  7. Jefford 1988, p. 65.
  8. Jefford 1988, p. 73.
  9. Jefford 1988, p. 80.
  10. Jefford 1988, p. 85.
  11. Jefford 1988, p. 86.
  12. Jefford 1988, p. 88.
  13. Jefford 1988, p. 91.
  14. Jefford 1988, p. 100.
  15. Jefford 1988, p. 59.
  16. Jefford 1988, p. 64.
  17. Jefford 1988, p. 84.
  18. Jefford 1988, p. 99.
  19. Jefford 1988, p. 101.
  20. "Blackbushe (Hartfordbridge)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  21. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 287.
  22. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 338.
  23. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 54.
  24. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 323.
  25. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 324.
  26. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 261.
  27. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 131.
  28. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 52.
  29. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 46.
  30. "Crash in Hampshire". The Times. No. 50267. London. 8 October 1945. p. 4.
  31. "Mystery of 23rd body in blazing 'plane wreck". The Scotsman. 8 October 1945.

Bibliography
  • Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
  • Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.
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