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RAF Welford
Royal Air Force Welford or more simply RAF Welford is an active Royal Air Force station in Berkshire, England. The station lies approximately 6 miles (10 km) northwest of Newbury, and about 50 miles (80 km) west of London.
Opened in 1943, it was used during the Second World War by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces. During the war it was used primarily as a transport airfield. After the war it was closed in 1946 and placed in reserve status. As a result of the Cold War, the station was reopened in 1955 as a munitions depot by the United States Air Force.
Today it is one of the largest ammunition compounds for the United States Air Force in Western Europe for heavy munitions.
RAF Welford is in West Berkshire and has a dedicated but rarely used access road from the eastbound M4 motorway, halfway between junctions 13 (A34, Newbury) and 14 (A338, Hungerford). The access road from the M4 is signposted "Works Unit Only", and the 1-mile marker sign has the distinctive red border of a defence establishment.
In October 1943 the airfield was allocated to Ninth Air Force IX Troop Carrier Command (TCC). While under USAAF control, Welford was known as USAAF Station AAF-474.
The 315th Troop Carrier Group arrived at Welford on 6 November 1943 from RAF Aldermaston flying C-47s and C-53s. Its squadrons and fuselage codes were:
The 315th TCG was part of the 52nd Troop Carrier Wing. On 7 February 1944 the group was transferred to RAF Spanhoe.
As part of the IX Troop Carrier Command's desire to have its C-47 groups commence training with paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division deployed in the Salisbury Plain area, the squadrons of the 435th Troop Carrier Group arrived at Welford on 25 January 1944 from RAF Langar flying C-47s and C-53s. Its squadrons and fuselage codes were:
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RAF Welford
Royal Air Force Welford or more simply RAF Welford is an active Royal Air Force station in Berkshire, England. The station lies approximately 6 miles (10 km) northwest of Newbury, and about 50 miles (80 km) west of London.
Opened in 1943, it was used during the Second World War by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces. During the war it was used primarily as a transport airfield. After the war it was closed in 1946 and placed in reserve status. As a result of the Cold War, the station was reopened in 1955 as a munitions depot by the United States Air Force.
Today it is one of the largest ammunition compounds for the United States Air Force in Western Europe for heavy munitions.
RAF Welford is in West Berkshire and has a dedicated but rarely used access road from the eastbound M4 motorway, halfway between junctions 13 (A34, Newbury) and 14 (A338, Hungerford). The access road from the M4 is signposted "Works Unit Only", and the 1-mile marker sign has the distinctive red border of a defence establishment.
In October 1943 the airfield was allocated to Ninth Air Force IX Troop Carrier Command (TCC). While under USAAF control, Welford was known as USAAF Station AAF-474.
The 315th Troop Carrier Group arrived at Welford on 6 November 1943 from RAF Aldermaston flying C-47s and C-53s. Its squadrons and fuselage codes were:
The 315th TCG was part of the 52nd Troop Carrier Wing. On 7 February 1944 the group was transferred to RAF Spanhoe.
As part of the IX Troop Carrier Command's desire to have its C-47 groups commence training with paratroops of the 101st Airborne Division deployed in the Salisbury Plain area, the squadrons of the 435th Troop Carrier Group arrived at Welford on 25 January 1944 from RAF Langar flying C-47s and C-53s. Its squadrons and fuselage codes were: