RAF Alconbury

Royal Air Force Alconbury, or more simply RAF Alconbury, is an active Royal Air Force station near Huntingdon, England, that for many years was used by the USAF. The airfield is in the civil parish of The Stukeleys, close to the villages of Great Stukeley, Little Stukeley, and Alconbury. Flying operations are no longer based at the site, with most of the land, including the runway, having been sold in 2009 to become the new settlement of Alconbury Weald.

RAF Alconbury USAAF Station 102
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire in England
RAF Alconbury's gate guardian, a full-scale model of a US Air Force F-5E Tiger II, seen during 2020
RAF Alconbury Shown within Cambridgeshire
Coordinates	52°21′48″N 000°13′22″W
Type	RAF station (US Visiting Forces)
Code	AY[1]
Area	497 hectares (1,230 acres)[2]
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	US Air Force
Controlled by	US Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa previously RAF Bomber Command[1] * No. 2 Group RAF * No. 3 Group RAF
Condition	Operational
Site history
Built	1937 (1937)/38
In use	May 1938–1942 (Royal Air Force) 1942–1945 (US Army Air Forces) 1951 – present (US Air Force)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II Cold War
Garrison information
Occupants	423d Air Base Group
Airfield information
Identifiers	IATA: AYH, ICAO: EGWZ, WMO: 035620
Elevation	50 metres (164 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 12/30 2,500 metres (8,202 ft) Asphalt 06/24 (WWII) 1,750 metres (5,741 ft) Concrete 12/30 (WWII) 1,235 metres (4,052 ft) Concrete 18/36 (WWII) 1,235 metres (4,052 ft) Concrete
Notes: Flying ceased in 1995

History

Opened in 1938 for use by RAF Bomber Command, the station was used from 1942 to 1945 by the United States Army Air Forces.^[3] It was occupied by the 93rd Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force; visitors included King George VI, who visited the site and saw the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses there on 13 November 1942.^[3]

It was announced by The Pentagon on 8 January 2015 that RAF Alconbury and RAF Molesworth would be closing by 2020. Most of the units at Alconbury and Molesworth were to be moved to RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire, along with the personnel.^[4] The decision was later reverted on the grounds of cost-effectiveness, with RAF Alconbury remaining as a support base for the Joint Analysis Center.^[5]

Royal Air Force use

• 15 Squadron from 15 April 1940 to 15 May 1940 operating the Bristol Blenheim IV - temporary move from RAF Wyton.^[6]
• 40 Squadron from 2 February 1941 to 31 October 1941 operating the Vickers Wellington IC - moved to RAF Luqa, Malta.^[7]
• 52 Squadron detachments from RAF Upwood during 1939 with the Fairey Battle and Avro Anson.^[8]
• 156 Squadron formed at Alconbury on 14 February 1942 from elements of 40 Squadron with the Vickers Wellington, moved to RAF Warboys in August 1942.^[9]
• A Detachment from No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF (April 1985)^[10]
• No. 3 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF (1941)^[11]
• No. XV Conversion Flight (January 1942 - May 1942)^[12]
• Sub site of No. 264 Maintenance Unit RAF (November 1945 - September 1948)^[13]

USAAF use

• 92nd Bombardment Group (Heavy)^[14]
  • 325th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
  • 326th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
  • 327th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
  • 407th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
• 93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)^[14]
  • 328th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
  • 329th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
  • 330th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
  • 409th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
• 95th Bombardment Group (Heavy)^[15]
  • 334th Bombardment Squadron^[15]
  • 335th Bombardment Squadron^[15]
  • 336th Bombardment Squadron^[15]
  • 412th Bombardment Squadron^[15]
• 482nd Bombardment Group (Provisional)^[14]
  • 812th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
  • 813th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
  • 814th Bombardment Squadron^[14]
• 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional)^[16]
  • 36th Bombardment Squadron^[16]
  • 406th Bombardment Squadron^[16]
  • 788th Bombardment Squadron^[16]
  • 850th Bombardment Squadron^[16]

United States Air Force use

68-0555 10th TRW McDonnell Douglas RF-4C featuring the distinctive base tailcode 'AR', 1980

Three F-5E 'Agressors' from RAF Alconbury, 1983

Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II, 10th TFW 'AR', August 1988

• 85th Bombardment Squadron (1955-59)^{[14][lower-alpha 1]}
  • North American B-45 Tornado
  • Douglas B-66 Destroyer
• 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing^[14] (1959-87)
  • Douglas RB-66 Destroyer
  • McDonnell Douglas RF-4C
• 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron^[14] (1976-88)
  • Northrop F-5E Tiger II
• 10th Tactical Fighter Wing^[14] (1988-94)
  • Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II

Based units

Main entrance of RAF Alconbury

Units based at RAF Alconbury.^[17]

United States Air Force

United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA)

• 501st Combat Support Wing
  • Headquarters 501st Combat Support Wing
  • 423rd Air Base Group
    • 423rd Civil Engineer Squadron
    • 423rd Communications Squadron
    • 423rd Force Support Squadron
    • 423rd Medical Squadron
    • 423rd Security Forces Squadron

See also

• List of Royal Air Force stations
• United States Air Force in the United Kingdom

Notes

1. Due to a shortage of space at RAF Sculthorpe, the 85th BS operated from RAF Alconbury as a detachment of the 47th BW.

References

Citations

1. Falconer 2012, p. 33.
2. "Defence Estates Development Plan 2009 – Annex A". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 3 July 2009. p. 15. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
3. "Alconbury". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
4. "RAF Mildenhall to close amid other Europe consolidations". Stars and Stripes.
5. "RAF Alconbury to remain as a Base for the US Visiting Forces". 501st Combat Support Wing. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
6. Jefford 1988, p. 29.
7. Jefford 1988, p. 38.
8. Jefford 1988, p. 41.
9. Jefford 1988, p. 63.
10. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 49.
11. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 50.
12. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 96.
13. Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 216.
14. "Alconbury". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
15. "95th Bombardment Group (Heavy)". Mighty 8th Cross-Reference - Preller. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
16. "801st Bombardment Group (Provisional)". Mighty 8th Cross-Reference - Preller. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
17. "Units". 501st Combat Support Wing. Retrieved 13 February 2019.

Bibliography

• Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
• 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.
• Sturtivant, R; Hamlin, J; Halley, J (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.

External links

• 501st Combat Support Wing