RAF Blackbushe

RAF Blackbushe was a Royal Air Force station in Hampshire during World War II. It is now known as Blackbushe Airport.

History

The station was opened on 1 November 1942 as RAF Hartford Bridge and it was used throughout the second world war for reconnaissance and defence operations using Spitfires and Mosquitos. It was also the home of the Free French Squadron (Lorraine). A number of important people landed at the airport including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Supreme Allied Commander General Eisenhower and Field Marshal Montgomery.

The station was renamed to RAF Blackbushe on the 18 November 1944 and it became a base for the 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.

Units and aircraft (RAF Hartford Bridge)

* No. 16 Squadron RAF (1943-1944) Supermarine Spitfire V and IX
* No. 21 Squadron RAF (1943) Lockheed Ventura I and II
* No. 88 Squadron RAF (1943-1944) Douglas Boston IIIA and IV
* No. 107 Squadron RAF (1943-1944) Douglas Boston III and IIIA
* No. 107 Squadron RAF (1944) de Havilland Mosquito VI
* No. 140 Squadron RAF (1943-1944) Lockheed Ventura I, Supermarine Spitfire PRVII, XI and IX, de Havilland Mosquito XVI
* No. 171 Squadron RAF (1942-1943) North American Mustang IA
* No. 226 Squadron RAF (1944) North American Mitchell II
* No. 264 Squadron RAF (1944) de Havilland Mosquito XIII
* No. 305 Squadron RAF (1944) de Havilland Mosquito VI
* No. 322 Squadron RAF (1944) Supermarine Spitfire XIV
* No. 342 Squadron RAF (1943-1944) Douglas Boston IIIA and IV
* No. 430 Squadron RAF (1943) Curtiss Tomahawk I and II
* No. 613 Squadron RAF (1944) de Havilland Mosquito VI

Units and aircraft (RAF Blackbushe)

* No. 162 Squadron RAF (1945-1946) de Havilland Mosquito XX and XXV
* No. 167 Squadron RAF (1944-1945) Vickers Warwick I and III
* No. 301 Squadron RAF (1945) Vickers Warwick I and III
* No. 418 Squadron RAF (1944) de Havilland Mosquito VI
* No. 605 Squadron RAF (1944-1945) de Havilland Mosquito VI
* No. 622 Squadron RAF (1950-1953) Vickers Valetta C1

External links

* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/B/Blackbushe.htm RAF Blackbushe at controltowers.co.uk]

References

* G G Jefford, "RAF Squadrons", second edition 2001, Airlife Publishing, UK, ISBN 1-84037-141-2.