RAF Abingdon

Royal Air Force Abingdon, or more simply RAF Abingdon, is a former Royal Air Force station near Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It is now known as Dalton Barracks and is used by the Royal Logistic Corps.

In 1925, a plan was approved to build an airfield near Abingdon, south west of Oxford, which would be suitable as a base for light bombers. Construction began in 1929, and the RAF station was formally opened on 1 September 1932. 40 Squadron, a light bomber squadron equipped with the Fairey Gordon arrived on 8 October that year, with Oxford University Air Squadron moving in during November. On 16 November 1933 HQ Central Area moved to RAF Abingdon. The Hawker Hart-equipped 15 Squadron reformed at Abingdon in June 1934, bringing the station up to its designed peacetime establishment of two squadrons. 40 Squadron re-equipped with Harts in 1935. In 1936, the RAF began a major expansion of its strength, with a flight of 40 Squadron being detached to form the nucleus of 104 Squadron in January, and 98 Squadron similarly created from a flight of 15 Squadron in February. Central Area was disbanded by being renamed No. 1 (Bomber) Group RAF on 1 May 1936, which became part of RAF Bomber Command on 14 July 1936.

98 and 104 Squadrons moved out of Abingdon to RAF Hucknall in August 1936, but the expansion process continued, with 52 Squadron being split off from 15 Squadron in January 1937 before moving to RAF Upwood in March, and 62 Squadron being split from 40 Squadron in May, moving to RAF Cranfield in July. In March 1938, 185 Squadron was split off from 40 Squadron, with 106 Squadron split off from 15 Squadron in June 1938. The Abingdon-based squadrons re-equipped with the Fairey Battle monoplane light bomber in July 1938, before 106 and 185 Squadrons moved to RAF Thornton in August and September that year. 103 Squadron moved to Abingdon to equip with Battles in September 1938, before transferring to RAF Benson in April 1939.

Orders arrived on 24–25 August 1939 to mobilise the squadrons at Abingdon prior to proceeding to France as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF). On receipt of orders to move to France, Headquarters No. 1 Group became Headquarters AASF and the station headquarters and the two Fairey Battle squadrons (15 and 40 Squadrons) at Abingdon became No. 71 (Bomber) Wing RAF, departing for France on 2 September.

In September 1939, two squadrons (97 Squadron and 166 Squadron), both equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bomber and serving as training squadrons for 4 Group's operational squadrons, moved to Abingdon. In April 1940, the two squadrons merged to form No. 10 Operational Training Unit RAF. 10 OTU was based at the airfield from April 1940 until 1946. From 1940 to 1942, Abingdon's station commander was Herbert Massey.

After the Second World War RAF Abingdon became part of RAF Transport Command, and also became the home of No. 1 Parachute Training School RAF which is now stationed at RAF Brize Norton. The Parachute Training School, and RAF Abingdon generally, featured heavily in the 1953 Alan Ladd film The Red Beret (called Paratrooper in the USA), and the Parachute Training School was used as a location for some scenes for the films Carve Her Name With Pride (1958) and Operation Crossbow (1965) as well as the French comedy Babette s'en va-t-en guerre (1959) which starred Brigitte Bardot. On 14 June 1968 Queen Elizabeth II conducted a royal review at RAF Abingdon to mark the 50th anniversary of the RAF.

About 1948–49 Headquarters No. 47 Group RAF, Transport Command, was at RAF Abingdon. The station, its personnel and aircraft (Yorks and Hastings) were involved in the Berlin Airlift.

In 1952 a ferry unit was based at RAF Abingdon. It moved Mosquito, Hornet, Meteor, Vampire and Spitfire aircraft. 15 Sabres were ferried from Canada but only 12 arrived. After checks and servicing the Sabres went to RAF Germany.