RAF Barford St John
Encyclopedia
RAF Barford St John is an air force station just north of the village of Barford St. John, Oxfordshire
, England
. It is now a non-flying facility, operated by the United States Air Force
as a communications centre with many large communications aerials, and is a satellite of RAF Croughton
.
. It had three grass runways, used primarily by Airspeed Oxford
s of No 15 Service Flying Training School from RAF Kidlington. The airfield was closed in late 1941 and rebuilt as an RAF Bomber Command
airfield with paved runways and equipped for night operations.
The airfield reopened in December 1942 as a satellite for RAF Upper Heyford
. Bomber Command No 16 Operational Training Unit was stationed there with Vickers Wellington
s until December 1944. No 1655 Mosquito
Training Unit replaced the Wellingtons and the unit was renamed No 16 OTU in January 1945 when it moved to RAF Cottesmore
. In 1943 the station served as flight test centre for its Gloster E.28/39
and Gloster Meteor
jet aircraft from RAF Brockworth.
After the war the airfield was closed in 1946 and placed into care and maintenance.
The site was used as the airfield in the 1949 film Twelve O'Clock High
.
opened a communications (transmitter) centre on the airfield, reporting to the 2130th Communications Squadron (UK Communications Region) at RAF Croughton
.
Given its postwar use by the military, all its runways, perimeter track and hardstands still exist. Unfortunately the World War II buildings have been removed, being replaced by modern buildings on the airfield, secured and guarded with fencing and other security devices.
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is now a non-flying facility, operated by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
as a communications centre with many large communications aerials, and is a satellite of RAF Croughton
RAF Croughton
RAF Croughton is a United States Air Force communications base in Northamptonshire, England, to the southeast of the village of Croughton. The station is home to the 422nd Air Base Group and operates one of Europe's largest military switchboards and processes approximately a third of all U.S...
.
History
RAF Barford St John was opened in June 1941 as a training facility for RAF Flying Training CommandRAF Flying Training Command
Flying Training Command was an organization within the Royal Air Force which controlled units responsible for delivering flying training. The command's headquarters were at Shinfield Park, Reading in Berkshire.-History:...
. It had three grass runways, used primarily by Airspeed Oxford
Airspeed Oxford
The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine aircraft used for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery during the Second World War.-Design and development:...
s of No 15 Service Flying Training School from RAF Kidlington. The airfield was closed in late 1941 and rebuilt as an RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
airfield with paved runways and equipped for night operations.
The airfield reopened in December 1942 as a satellite for RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upper Heyford was a Royal Air Force station located north-west of Bicester near the village of Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire, England. The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training...
. Bomber Command No 16 Operational Training Unit was stationed there with Vickers Wellington
Vickers Wellington
The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engine, long range medium bomber designed in the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey, by Vickers-Armstrongs' Chief Designer, R. K. Pierson. It was widely used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, before being displaced as a...
s until December 1944. No 1655 Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
Training Unit replaced the Wellingtons and the unit was renamed No 16 OTU in January 1945 when it moved to RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Cottesmore was a Royal Air Force station in Rutland, England, situated between Cottesmore and Market Overton. The station housed all the operational Harrier GR9 squadrons in the Royal Air Force, and No 122 Expeditionary Air Wing...
. In 1943 the station served as flight test centre for its Gloster E.28/39
Gloster E.28/39
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* James, Derek N. Gloster Aircraft since 1917. London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-807-0.* Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London: Chancellor Press, 1994. ISBN 1-85152-668-4.* Morgan, Eric B. "A New Concept of...
and Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
jet aircraft from RAF Brockworth.
After the war the airfield was closed in 1946 and placed into care and maintenance.
The site was used as the airfield in the 1949 film Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany and occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II. The film was adapted by Sy Bartlett, Henry King ...
.
USAF use
In 1951 the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
opened a communications (transmitter) centre on the airfield, reporting to the 2130th Communications Squadron (UK Communications Region) at RAF Croughton
RAF Croughton
RAF Croughton is a United States Air Force communications base in Northamptonshire, England, to the southeast of the village of Croughton. The station is home to the 422nd Air Base Group and operates one of Europe's largest military switchboards and processes approximately a third of all U.S...
.
Given its postwar use by the military, all its runways, perimeter track and hardstands still exist. Unfortunately the World War II buildings have been removed, being replaced by modern buildings on the airfield, secured and guarded with fencing and other security devices.
See also
- List of RAF stations
- United States Air Forces in Europe