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Aldermaston Airfield

Aldermaston Airfield was an airfield in Berkshire during the Second World War.

In 1941 the higher part of the Aldermaston Court estate was chosen by the government as a site for development as a Bomber Operations Training Unit (OTU). The woodland was cleared and a standard 'A Class' airfield with three concrete runways was built. The workshops and administration buildings were on the south side, near the main entrance at Falcon Gate.There were five hangars. Four were built to take the largest RAF aircraft.

The fifth hanger, just off the airfield, was for the Ministry of Production where Spitfire fighter planes were assembled by Vickers Supermarine. The Spitfires were flight tested from the airfield. On the east side of the airfield there was a large bomb dump which covered nearly half the site.

The airfield was opened by No 92 Group of the RAF on 1 July 1942, but was never used by the intended Wellington bombers because, by then, it had been earmarked for the United States Army Air Force (USAAF).

It was allocated to the 8th USAAF as an air transport base and became USAAF station No 467 in October 1942.

The airfield was relinquished to the Air Ministry on 15 June 1945.

Last updated: 09-02-2005 10:40:08
Last updated: 01-04-2007 01:18:57
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