RAF Beaulieu

Infobox Military Structure
name= Royal Air Force Station Beaulieu
USAAF Station 408
location= Located Near Beaulieu, Hampshire, England
coordinates=coord|50|48|27|N|001|30|17|W|


caption= Beaulieu airfield on 4 March 1944
type= Military airfield
code=BU ?
built=1942
builder=
materials=
height=
used=1942-1959
demolished=
condition=
ownership=
controlledby=Royal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
garrison=RAF Bomber Command
Ninth Air Force
commanders=
occupants=No. 224 Squadron RAF
No. 311 Squadron RAF
No. 53 Squadron RAF
365th Fighter Group
323d Bombardment Group
battles= European Theatre of World War II
Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945 Location map|Hampshire
caption= RAF Beaulieu, shown within Hampshire
lat= 50.82
long= -1.45
width= 200

RAF Beaulieu was a World War II airfield in England located near the small village of Beaulieu in Hampshire. During the war it was used by the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force as USAAF station 408.

Overview

Beaulieu airfield (often called "Beaulieu Aerodrome") had been used as a landing ground as early as 1910 and was taken over by the military for flying training during the First World War. In the inter-war years, it was not considered suitable for enlargement to meet the requirements of the RAF during its expansion in the late 1930s. Nevertheless. with the fall of France in 1940 and the need for more airfields in the southern counties, the site was again reviewed but passed over in favour of a much more suitable area about 1 mile to the west.

The new airfield, opened in August 1942, consisted of three runways of 5,900 ft (10-28), 4,100 ft (04-22), and 4,098 ft (16-34). 50 "Frying Pan" hardstands were constructed. Two T-2 hangars and one blister were constructed along with accommodations for 2,197 personnel.

RAF Bomber Command Use

The pressing wartime need for additional airfields led to the re-evaluation of the site and the eventual development of airfield in 1942. As as soon as the runways and perimeter track were completed, an RAF B-24 Liberator squadron, No. 224. moved in, such was the critical situation with U-Boats in the Bay of Biscay.

Seven weeks after No. 224 Squadron arrived, it was joined in its anti-submarine work by Handley Page Halifaxes of Bomber Command on loan to Coastal. Then, when the Halifax was withdrawn in March 1943, more Liberators arrived.

No. 224 Squadron departed in April, its place being taken by No. 311 Squadron. a Czech-manned unit, which was joined by No. 53 Squadron in September. Coastal Command vacated Beaulieu early in 1944 as the airfield was required for squadrons of the Second Tactical Air Force supporting the forthcoming invasion of the Continent.

Initially, RAF Hawker Typhoon squadrons operated from the base although plans were already in hand to turn Beaulieu over to the USAAF.

USAAF Use

365th Fighter Group

As of 1 March 1944 Beaulieu airfield was made available for USAAF Ninth Air Force use which with the imminent arrival of more bomber groups in Essex, transferred in the 365th Fighter Group from RAF Gosfield on March 5 and 6.

The 365th was a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt group, with the following operational squadrons:

* 386th Fighter Squadron (D5)
* 387th Fighter Squadron (B4)
* 388th Fighter Squadron (C4)

The 365th was a group of Ninth Air Force's 84th Fighter Wing, IX Tactical Air Command.

The group was stood down three days after arrival so that it could undertake a two-week intensive course in ground attack and fighter-bombing. After training, the 365th flew dive-bombing missions to attack such targets as bridges, aerodromes, rail facilities, gun positions, and V-weapon sites prior to the invasion of the Continent.

On D-Day, its duties were attacking gun emplacements and communications facilities behind the bridgehead. Two P-47s were lost. On the following day when 12 separate squadron-sized missions were flown five aircraft failed to return.

An unusual accident occurred on 9 June when two P-47s being delivered to Beaulieu by ferry pilots landed on different runways at the same time and collided at the runway intersection with one pilot being killed.

The 365th was one of the most successful P-47 groups of the Ninth Air Force when it came to air combat, and a total of 29 enemy aircraft were credited as shot down during the four months the group operated from Beaulieu. On 25 June, the 365th had one or its best days when eight enemy fighter-bombers were destroyed. On 2 July, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Corey Jr, the Air Executive, became the Ninth Air Force's third Thunderbolt ace. As with other P-47 groups, losses were modest until ground attack became a regular task in June. All told, 24 P-47s were 'missing in action' during their stay at Beaulieu.

The 365th Group began its move to the Continent on 21 June, the first squadron taking up residence at Azeville, France (A-71) on 26 June, the last moving out of Beaulieu on 28 June and the rear party on 2 July providing tactical air support in support of U.S. First Army. On the continent, the group moved rapidly from one airfield to another, eventually winding up near Fritzlar, Germany (Y-86) on VE-Day.

After the end of hostilities, the 365th Fighter Group took part in the disarmament program until June, then returned to the United States in September 1945, being inactivated at Camp Myles Standish, near Taunton, Massachusetts on 22 September 1945.

323d Bombardment Group

Between 1 and 21 July the Martin B-26 Marauders of the 323rd Bomb 0nmp arrived From RAF Earls Clone, a move designed to extend their range over western France. The group was assigned to the 3d Bomb Wing with a Horizontal white tail band for its group marking. Operational squadrons of the 323d were:

* 453d Bomb Squadron (VT)
* 454th Bomb Squadron (RJ)
* 455th Bomb Squadron (YU)
* 456th Bomb Squadron (WT)

Within a few days. over 60 B-26s were in residence and operations were well under way. During the following five weeks. 28 missions were flown from Beaulieu without loss, although one B-26 crash-landed near the airfield after running out of fuel.

Between August 16 and 26, the 323rd moved to Lessay airfield in France (A-20), the main movement of aircraft taking place on the 26th. By VE-Day, the group was based near Gablingen, Germany (R-77) and participated in the disarmament program. It returned to the United States in December and was inactivated on 12 December 1945.

Postwar Military Use

Following the move of the Americans to France, Beaulieu was then used as a staging or refuelling post for aircraft passing to and from Continental bases. Control was returned to the RAF in late September. At the time, Beaulieu was under consideration for enlargement as a heavy bomber base, although this came to nothing.

In December 1944. the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment (AFEE) moved to the airfield where it remained for nearly six years. using a variety of aircraft. The AFEE was involved in experimental work with glider towing and parachute drops which used the old East Boldre Airfield site on the far side of the Lymington-Beaulieu road as a drop zone.

In September 1950 the AFEE moved out to RAF Boscombe Down and the airfield was without any flying units. Beaulieu was placed on Care and Maintenance status and was inactive. On 1 April 1953 control passed once again to the United States Air Force and the facility was upgraded, but in the event no further flying units arrived.

Finally, on 8 September 1955 Beaulieu airfield was handed back to Air Ministry control, in whose care it remained until November 1959 when it was finally offered for sale to the public.

Civil Use

With the facility released from military control, Beaulier's poor soil attracted little agricultural interest and eventually the Forestry Commission took it over.

Half a century on from its use as a military airfield, the vast majority of the concreted areas of the airfield have been removed, leaving grassy open plains where the runways once were, along with the perimeter track. A small section of the 028 end of the main runway near the Lymington road is still concreted and is used as a model aircraft flying area. No buildings around the airfield area exist although the old water tower does still stand to the north east of the airfield on Roundhill campsite, a Forestry Commission site which uses part of the old access roads of the airfield. Parts of the former airfield are now covered with conifers.

ee also

* List of RAF stations
* USAAF Ninth Air Force - World War II
* 365th Fighter Group
* 323d Flying Training Wing

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1994) UK Airfields of the Ninth: Then and Now 1994. After the Battle ISBN 0900913800
* Freeman, Roger A. (1996) The Ninth Air Force in Colour: UK and the Continent-World War Two. After the Battle ISBN 1854092723
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* ArmyAirForces.Com 365th Fighter Group http://www.armyairforces.com/dbgroups.asp?Group=186
* ArmyAirForces.Com 323d Bombardment Group http://www.armyairforces.com/dbgroups.asp?Group=144
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present]

External links

* [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=435000&Y=100000&width=700&height=400&gride=440000&gridn=100000&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&pc=&zm=0&scale=50000&multimap.x=352&multimap.y=147 Aerial Photo of RAF Beaulieu from Multimap.Com]