British Military Airfield Histories.
a project that offers you the histories of 790 airfields or seaplane bases

                           Home Page   Airfield/Seaplane Bases   Specimen History   The Author   Crash Sites    Acknowledgements

Are you interested in learning something of the basic facts about military airfields such as why, where, and when was the airfield built?. What use did the military make of it. Which squadrons and units were based upon it. When did it close and what has happened to it since. Not only were these airfields occupied by the British R.A.F and Navy but also by the Americans, the Canadians, plus many of our other wonderful allies who came from the four corners of the earth to help us during WW2.

Airfields are fascinating places, for instance did you know that Glen Miller took off from Twinwoods Farm and was never seen again?. Flying Fortress bombers were packed with high explosives then taken off from Fersfield for targets on the Continent but the pilots bailed out on leaving the English coast?. Secret underground agents were flown from Tempsford to be dropped in France by night?. The famous Newmarket Racecourse served as an operational bomber station, whilst at Manby they erected a metal screen 800yds long by 50ft high to test landings in cross-winds?

l could go on but space prohibits, so why not find out what went on at the old airfield down the road from where you live, or have you never noticed a few derelict buildings on old airfields as you have been travelling around the country and wondered what went on in them?. To those of you from overseas who now wonder what has happened to your old station, well here is your chance to find out.

This project concentrates on the Second World War, although lesser details are included covering before and after this era. If an airfield was in use only during the First World War then it is not included as records are sketchy and unreliable. However, if an airfield originated during W.W.1 and was used thereafter, it is included.

With 790 airfields or seaplane bases covered in this project it is not possible to portray them here, so if you have an interest in a particular airfield(s) and require a copy of its brief history, then get in touch with me via E Mail. This is a free service but limited to the number of histories required in a single request.

The list of airfields starts with Abbots Bromley and ends with Zeals (pictured left and right above) but note that pictures are not included in the histories although a sketch map of the layout in most cases is. Each history is restricted to a maximum of two pages of A4 due to space limitations.

Every effort has been made regards authenticity but the author can not be held responsible for any errors contained therein. They will also remain the copyright of the author.

To view in the flesh this, and its sister project on air crashes in Yorkshire, complete with huge location maps and registers, spend a day at the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington near York.

Site built Dec 1999. Updated 01/12/04

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