Airfield Information
Name |
RAF Cheddington / RAF Marsworth / RFC Cheddington / USAAF Station 113 |
Opened |
February 1917 (WW1) March 1942 (WW2) |
Closed |
1952 |
Runways |
Concrete landing surfaces and looped hard standings |
Hangers |
4 x T2 |
Location |
6 miles ENE of Aylesbury and just East of Long Marston village |
OS Ref |
SP909159 |
Current Usage |
Farmland / Industry |
Notes |
Was briefly used in 1917 during WW1 as an aerodrome |
Links |
http://www.ukairfieldguide.net/airfields/Cheddington |
Details
During the Second World War, Cheddington Airfield opened in March 1942 as a satellite station to RAF Wing, with 26 Operational Training Unit, Vickers Wellington bombers.
In September 1942 the airfield was transferred to the United States Army Air Forces. The Eighth Air Force 44th Bombardment Group was assigned to Cheddington, and three Consolidated B-24 Liberator squadrons (66th, 67th, 68th) had arrived from the United States. However, Eighth Air Force wanted to move the Liberator groups to Norfolk, and the 44th moved to RAF Shipdham in October.
With the movement of the Americans to Norfolk, the RAF transferred the No. 26 OTU back to Cheddington.
It was again transferred to the USAAF Eighth Air Force in August 1943 to become station 113, with Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers of the Combat Crew Replacement Center, 8th Air Force. Also the 50th Fighter Squadron (8th Reconnaissance Group) was assigned to the station 15 March - 12 April 1944, but was not made operational.
In 1944 specialist USAAF units arrived to perform special operations missions from the airfield, performing night leaflet drops over occupied areas of Europe, working with various special operations organizations, as well as electronic countermeasure (ECM) missions.
The 36th Bombardment Squadron were based here between August 1944 until January 1945, and before that in June 1944 the 803BS were based here, both of which flew missions with the RAF 100 Group.
The results of these special operations missions was that the majority of surrendering German troops carried Safe Conduct Passes dropped by these squadrons.
The 36th Bomb Squadron flew specially equipped B-17s and B-24s to jam enemy early warning radars and telecommunications, screen assembly and inbound flights of allied bombers, and to spoof the enemy into thinking that other bomber formations (nonexistent) were assembling. This early form of electronic warfare was very successful in disrupting German forces.
Images
© Stephen Hutton
Aerial shot of RAF Cheddington
© Stephen Hutton
Iredell Hutton Visiting The Station 113 Memorial
© Stephen Hutton
Station 113 Sign
Squadron Information
26 Operational Training Unit |
Dates |
March 1942 |
Planes |
Vickers Wellington Bombers |
|
44th Bombardment Group |
Dates |
September 1942 |
Planes |
B-24 Liberator |
|
Combat Crew Replacement Center 8th Air Force |
Dates |
August 1943 |
Planes |
B-24 Liberator |
|
50th Fighter Squadron (8th Reconnaissance Group) |
Dates |
15 March - 12 April 1944 |
Planes |
- |
|
850th Bombardment Squadron |
Dates |
11 - 27 May 1944 |
Planes |
B-24 Liberator |
|
858th Bombardment Squadron |
Dates |
19 June - 10 August 1944 |
Planes |
B-24 Liberator |
|
406th Bombardment Squadron |
Dates |
5 August 1944 - 16 March 1945 |
Planes |
B-24 Liberator |
|
36th Bombardment Squadron |
Dates |
15 August 1944 – 28 February 1945 |
Planes |
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress B-24 Liberator |