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Aldermaston

Military site : airfield

  • A C-47 Skytrain (CJ-A, serial number 42-24022) of the 71st Troop Carrier Squadron, 434th Troop Carrier Group is loaded with blood to be delivered to France. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'SC 276702. Believed Aldermaston, but could be Greenham.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Dava Still Media Depository, Bldg. 168, N.D.W., Washington, D.C., 20374. SDAN: SC 276702. Date: 06/12/44. Savrin: Service ID: ETO-SOS-44-599. Photographer: Holt. England...At a landing field in England, a critical cargo of whole blood, to be given to battle casualties, is loaded on a C-47 transport plane, France bound, U.S. Army. blb. Official U.S. Army Photo (Released).' On reverse: National Archives [Stamp], credit number 111-SC-276702.

    A C-47 Skytrain (CJ-A, serial number 42-24022) of the 71st Troop Carrier Squadron, 434th Troop Carrier Group is loaded with blood to be delivered to France. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'SC 276702. Believed Aldermaston, but could be Greenham.' Printed caption on reverse: 'Dava Still Media Depository, Bldg. 168, N.D.W., Washington, D.C., 20374. SDAN: SC 276702. Date: 06/12/44. Savrin: Service ID: ETO-SOS-44-599. Photographer: Holt. England...At a landing field in England, a critical cargo of whole blood, to be given to battle casualties, is loaded on a C-47 transport plane, France bound, U.S. Army. blb. Official U.S. Army Photo (Released).' On reverse: National Archives [Stamp], credit number 111-SC-276702.

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  • AS-51 Horsa and CG-4A Waco gliders of the 437th Troop Carrier Group at Ramsbury. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Aldermaston? Ramsbury North Side.'

    AS-51 Horsa and CG-4A Waco gliders of the 437th Troop Carrier Group at Ramsbury. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Aldermaston? Ramsbury North Side.'

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  • Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking south. This is post WW2 shot when the airfield had been taken over by BOAC as an aircrew training base. Dakotas, Vikings and Yorks were in use. The control tower is in the centre with T2 hangars above, 10 July 1946. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1646. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

    Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking south. This is post WW2 shot when the airfield had been taken over by BOAC as an aircrew training base. Dakotas, Vikings and Yorks were in use. The control tower is in the centre with T2 hangars above, 10 July 1946. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1646. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

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  • Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking south. This is post WW2 shot when the airfield had been taken over by BOAC as an aircrew training base. Dakotas, Vikings and Yorks were in use. The control tower is in the centre with T2 hangars above, 10 July 1946. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1646. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

    Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking south. This is post WW2 shot when the airfield had been taken over by BOAC as an aircrew training base. Dakotas, Vikings and Yorks were in use. The control tower is in the centre with T2 hangars above, 10 July 1946. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1646. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

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  • Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking west, 10 November 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7GR/LOC442. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

    Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking west, 10 November 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7GR/LOC442. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

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  • Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking east, the village of Aldermaston is in the upper centre of the image, 19 August 1943. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC35. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

    Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking east, the village of Aldermaston is in the upper centre of the image, 19 August 1943. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC35. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

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  • Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking north west, 19 August 1943. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC35. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

    Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking north west, 19 August 1943. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC35. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

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  • Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking south west, the main runway runs vertically up the centre of the image, 15 March 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC230. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

    Aerial photograph of Aldermaston airfield looking south west, the main runway runs vertically up the centre of the image, 15 March 1944. Photograph taken by 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, sortie number US/7PH/GP/LOC230. English Heritage (USAAF Photography).

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  • Warrant Officer Richard Abercrombie Roper - Aircraft Engineering Officer

    Warrant Officer Richard Abercrombie Roper - Aircraft Engineering Officer

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Aldermaston was built for RAF use in 1941-1942, and handed over to the Eighth Air Force in 1942. It was home to several Troop Carrier Groups, and became an airfield of the Ninth Air Force in 1943. Handed back to the RAF in 1945, it was placed on Care and Maintenance, before being used as a civil airport. The airfield closed in 1950 and the site became home of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (later the Atomic Weapons Establishment) from 1950.

Detailed history

Not yet known

English Heritage's record description

Not yet known

Service

Units

People

  • Oren Adams

    Military | First Lieutenant | fighter pilot | 370th Fighter Group

  • Donald Adsmson

    Military | pilot | 60th Troop Carrier Group

  • Clarence Baldwin

    Military | Flight Officer | Glider Co-Pilot | 434th Troop Carrier Group
    Glider co pilot, piloted Horsa glider with 8 x 101st Airborne troops crash landing, struck tree damaging the fuselage and wing of Horsa, vacated A/C into nearby wood followed closely by enemy troops, captured POW, initially to Dulag Luft 6-Jun-44....

  • Joseph Beck

    Military | Lieutenant Colonel | Pilot | 439th Troop Carrier Group
    Assigned to 12TCS, 60TCG, 8AF [later 12AF] USAAF. Transferred to 94TCS, 439TCG, 9AF USAAF. ...

  • John Beckley

    Military | Sergeant | Flight engineer | 434th Troop Carrier Group
    Shot down 6 June 1944 in C-47 43-15101. Taken prisoner and eventually held at Stalag Luft IV.

  • Marvin Boetcher

    Military | Staff Sergeant | Radio operator | 434th Troop Carrier Group
    Shot down 6 June 1944 in C-47 43-15101. Taken prisoner and eventually held at Stalag Luft IV.

  • Raymond Howard

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot | 434th Troop Carrier Group
    Eston Kuhn served as a co-pilot with the 71st Troop Carrier Squadron of the 434th Troop Carrier Group. In the early hours of D-Day, 6 June 1944, Kuhn was co-piloting C-47 43-15101 on a glider mission over the Cherbourg Peninsula when the aircraft was...

  • Remington Ketcham

    Military | Flight Officer | Glider Pilot | 434th Troop Carrier Group
    Glider pilot, piloted Horsa glider with 8 x 101st Airborne troops crash landing, struck tree damaging the fuselage and wing of Horsa, vacated A/c into nearby wood followed closely by enemy troops, captured POW, initially to Dulag Luft 6-Jun-44....

  • Eston Kuhn

    Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-pilot | 434th Troop Carrier Group
    Eston Kuhn served as a co-pilot with the 71st Troop Carrier Squadron of the 434th Troop Carrier Group. In the early hours of D-Day, 6 June 1944, Kuhn was co-piloting C-47 43-15101 on a glider mission over the Cherbourg Peninsula when the aircraft was...

  • Richard Roper

    Military | Warrant Officer | Aircraft Engineering Officer 4823 | 318th Service Group
    The US Air Corps officer who switched off the lights and locked the gates of Aldermaston in 1945. Warrant Officer R A Roper trained in airplane mechanics and received specialised training in all mechanical and superstructure work of B-17 bomber...

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Aircraft

  • 43-15101

    C-47 Skytrain

  • HG-915

    Horsa
    Horsa glider with 8 x 101st Airborne troops and 2 crew, crash landing, struck tree damaging the fuselage and wing of Horsa, crew vacated A/C into nearby wood followed closely by enemy troops, captured.

  • HS-129

    Horsa
    Airspeed Horsa glider lost 7-Jun-44, 2 x crew POW, 8 x passenger [101st Airborne]. Tug C-47 43-15201. Crew: Pilot F/O Steve P Odahowski Co Pilot F/O William Jew

  • 42-24064 Placid Lassie

    C-47 Skytrain

  • DE932

    Tiger Moth
    de Havilland Tiger Moth DE932 assigned to 311th Ferry Squadron, 8th AF USAAF. Written off in a forced landing at Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, due to fuel exhaustion, pilot Lt Frank A Forsyth, 24-Oct-43.

  • DE560

    Tiger Moth
    de Havilland Tiger Moth DE560, assigned to 107th Observation Sqn, 67th Observation Grp, 8AF USAAF. Stalled during practice forced landing Kinrossie 8-Nov-45.

  • 43-15628

    C-47 Skytrain
    Tow ship for Horsa HG915 6-Jun-44, pilot Capt Frederick H Tarbell, RTB. Landing accident Gotha North/R-4 Cat 4 damage pilot Lt Jay A Norem, 16-4-45.

  • W6554

    Oxford
    Airspeed Oxford W6554, assigned to 44BW, 8AF USAAF.

  • 43-15502 'Mary Co-Ed II'

    C-47 Skytrain
    Assigned to 74TCS, 434TCG, 9AF USAAF. Having landed at Beyreuth/R-26, pilots going through shutdown procedure, the following C-47 [43-15350 'Big Dog'] landed and lost control, ground looping into the port engine and cockpit of #502, ejecting the pilot...

  • 42-24022

    C-47 Skytrain
    Assigned to 71TCS, 434TCG, 9AF USAAF. ...

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Number
467
Known as
Not yet known
Construction date
Not yet known
USAAF from date
Not yet known
USAAF to date
Not yet known
Closure date
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
04 August 2018 14:58:36 robrop Changes to media associations
Sources

Robert Roper
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:02:16 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Chris Ashworth, Action Stations 9: Military Airfields of the Central South and South-east (Cambridge, 1985)

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