Wikipedia

RAF Blakehill Farm

Royal Air Force Blakehill Farm or more simply RAF Blakehill Farm is a former Royal Air Force station southwest of Cricklade in Wiltshire, England, operational between 1944 and 1952.

RAF Blakehill Farm
Cricklade, Wiltshire in England
Dakotas of No. 233 Squadron RAF lined up on the perimeter track at RAF Blakehill Farm, for an exercise with the 6th Airborne Division, 20 April 1944
RAF Blakehill Farm is located in Wiltshire
RAF Blakehill Farm
RAF Blakehill Farm
Shown within Wiltshire
Coordinates51°37′20″N 1°53′20″W / 51.62222°N 1.88889°W / 51.62222; -1.88889
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
Controlled byRAF Transport Command
Site history
Built1943 (1943)
In use1944–1952 (1952)
Battles/warsSecond World War
Airfield information
Runways
Direction Length and surface
00/00  Concrete
00/00  Concrete
00/00  Concrete
Aerial photograph of RAF Blakehill Farm, 17 July 1943. The technical and barrack sites are to the right (east) of the airfield.

History

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The station was originally allocated to the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force but not used.[1] It opened in 1944 and was home for transport aircraft of No. 46 Group RAF Transport Command. In 1948 the airfield was a satellite of RAF South Cerney, and was used by training aircraft until the airfield closed in 1952 and was returned to agricultural use. The site is now a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve.[2]

Units and aircraft

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Unit From To Aircraft Variant Notes
No. 233 Squadron RAF 5 March 194 8 June 1945 Douglas Dakota [3]
No. 271 Squadron RAF 26 February 1944 10 August 1945 Douglas Dakota
Harrow 		Detachment from RAF Down Ampney[4]
No. 437 Squadron RCAF 1 September 1944 7 May 1945 Douglas Dakota Formed here[5]
No. 575 Squadron RAF 24 November 1945 31 January 1946 Douglas Dakota [6]
No. 22 Heavy Glider Conversion Unit RAF 1945 1945 Waco Hadrian I [7]
No. 2 Flying Training School RAF [8]
No. 109 (Transport) OTU RAF [8]
No. 1528 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF [8] Became No. 1555 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF
No. 1555 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF [8]

The following units were also here at some point:[8]

Post-war intelligence role

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In 1967, GCHQ set up an "experimental radio station", a secret research facility, on the site. The site was still active in some capacity until the mid-1990s,[9] and traces of the former communications mast bases can still be seen on aerial photographs.[10] The most remarkable object of the facility was a 240-foot (73 m) tall wooden lattice tower, which was one of the tallest objects in the United Kingdom built of wood. It is possible that this tower was a relic of the wartime Chain Home network, although its lattice pattern is of another type.[10] The tower was demolished on 26 January 2000.[11]

See also

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References

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Citations

  1. ^ American Museum in Britain – Blakehill Farm
  2. ^ "Blakehill Farm including Stoke Common Meadow, Cricklade". Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  3. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 75.
  4. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 82.
  5. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 92.
  6. ^ Jefford 1988, p. 97.
  7. ^ Lake 1999, p. 129.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Blakehill Farm (Cricklade)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  9. ^ McLachlan, Richard (27 November 1998). "Cricklade Radio Site". Subterranea Britannica. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  10. ^ a b Povey, Vincent. "The AN/FLR-9 Type Antenna". RAF Station Blakehall Farm. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  11. ^ "The Radio Mast". RAF Station Blakehill Farm. Retrieved 15 November 2022.

Bibliography

  • 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.
  • Lake, Alan (1999). Flying Units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
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