Hunsdon Airfield

Hunsdon Airfield is a largely defunct airfield near Hunsdon, Hertfordshire and 2.8 miles (4.5 km) north of Harlow, Essex, England. Some flying still takes place at the airfield by a local microlight club.

Hunsdon Airfield RAF Hunsdon
Air Ministry Map of RAF Hunsdon
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Disused
Owner	Air Ministry 1941−1945
Operator	Royal Air Force 1941−1945
Location	Hunsdon, Near Ware, Hertfordshire
Elevation AMSL	262 ft / 80 m
Coordinates	51°48′26″N 000°04′16″E
Map
Hunsdon Airfield Location in Hertfordshire
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 03/21 4,200 1,280 Grass 09/27 5,250 1,600 Disused 08/26 Grass 14/32 Grass

The airfield was used by the Royal Air Force between 1941 and 1945 under the name of RAF Hunsdon.[1][2]

History

487 Squadron RNZAF

RAF Hunsdon, as Hunsdon Airfield was once known, became operational in 1941. The first unit to arrive at the Airfield (in May 1941) was No. 85 Squadron RAF, flying Boston Havocs.

In June No. 1451 Flight RAF was formed. This experimental unit flew Bostons with searchlights fitted in the nose of the aircraft. This experiment was not successful and the unit was reformed as No. 530 Squadron RAF in September 1942. Numerous Squadrons and Wings used the airfield during its operational life. Hunsdon is most closely associated, however, with the de Havilland Mosquito, which first arrived in 1943.[1]

On 18 February 1944,[1] Mosquitos from No. 21 Squadron RAF, 464 Squadron (Australia) RAF, and 487 Squadron (New Zealand) RAF which formed No 140 Wing (Wing Commander P C Pickard DSO DFC) carried out Operation Jericho, otherwise known as the Amiens Prison Raid.[3]

The airfield was closed in 1945.

Units based at RAF Hunsdon

RAF units based here during the Second World War are:[1][4]

• No. 140 Wing of the RAF Second Tactical Air Force
  • No. 21 Squadron RAF
  • No. 464 Squadron RAAF
  • No. 487 Squadron RNZAF
• No. 1451 Flight RAF
• No. 1530 Flight RAF
• Hunsdon Wing
  • No. 611 (West Lancashire) Squadron
  • No. 154 (Motor Industry) Squadron
  • No. 442 (Caribou) Canada Squadron

Squadron table

Ensign	Squadron	Aircraft	From	To	To	Notes
	No. 3 Squadron	Hawker Hurricane IIB Hawker Hurricane IIC Hawker Typhoon IB	9 August 1941 9 August 1941 February 1943	October 1941 February 1943 14 May 1943	RAF West Malling	Detachments at RAF Manston and RAF Shoreham.[5]
	No. 29 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito XIII	19 June 1944	22 February 1945	RAF Colerne.[6]	Squadron Code:RO.
	No. 85 Squadron	Douglas Boston I Douglas Boston II de Havilland Mosquito II de Havilland Mosquito XV de Havilland Mosquito XII	3 May 1941 July 1941 August 1942 March 1943 March 1943	November 1941 September 1942 13 May 1943 13 May 1943 13 May 1943	RAF West Malling.[7]	Squadron Code:VY.
	No. 107 Squadron	Bristol Blenheim IV	3 May 1939	3 March 1941	RAF Leuchars	As an detachment from RAF Wattisham.[8]
	No. 285 Squadron	Hawker Hurricane IIC North American Mustang I	4 January 1945 February 1945	20 June 1945	RAF Weston Zoyland	As a detachment from RAF North Weald.[9]
	No. 287 Squadron	Bristol Blenheim IV Lockheed Hudson III Westland Lysander III Hawker Hurricane I/IIB/IV Miles Master III Boulton Paul Defiant I/III Airspeed Oxford Miles Martinet Supermarine Spitfire VB Bristol Beaufighter VI Supermarine Spitfire IX Hawker Tempest V	19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 3 May 1945 3 May 1945 3 May 1945	3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 15 June 1945 15 June 1945 15 June 1945	RAF North Weald RAF Bradwell Bay	As a detachment from RAF Croydon As a detachment from RAF Hornchurch.[9]
	No. 410 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito II de Havilland Mosquito XIII	8 November 1943 29 April 1944	30 December 1943 18 June 1944	RAF Castle Camps RAF Zeals.[10]	Squadron Code:?.
	No. 442 Squadron	North American Mustang III	23 March 1945	17 May 1945	RAF Digby.[11]	Squadron Code:?.
	No. 487 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito VI	31 December 1943	18 April 1944	RAF Gravesend.[12]	Squadron Code:EG.
	No. 488 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito XXX	9 October 1944	15 November 1944	B 48/Amiens/Glisy.[12]	Squadron Code:ME.
	No. 515 Squadron	Boulton Paul Defiant II Bristol Beaufighter IIF	1 June 1943	15 December 1943	RAF Little Snoring.[13]	Squadron Code:?.
	No. 530 Squadron	Douglas Boston II (Turbinlite) Douglas Boston III (Turbinlite) Hawker Hurricane IIC	8 September 1942	25 January 1943	Disbanded	This squadron only used Hunsdon during its timespan.[14]

Brief Stays

Ensign	Squadron	Aircraft	From	To	To	Notes
	No. 21 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito VI	31 December 1943	17 April 1944	RAF Gravesend.[15]	Squadron Code:YH.
	No. 151 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito XXX	19 November 1944	1 March 1945	RAF Bradwell Bay.[16]	Squadron Code:DZ.
	No. 154 Squadron	North American Mustang IV	1 March 1945	19 March 1945	Disbanded.[17]	Squadron Code:HG.
	No. 219 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito XXX	29 August 1944	10 October 1944	B 48 Amiens/Glisy.[18]	Squadron Code:FK.
	No. 264 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito XIII	26 July 1944	11 August 1944	A 8/Picauville.[19]	Squadron Code:?.
	No. 409 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito XXX	1 March 1944	14 May 1944	RAF West Malling.[10]	Squadron Code:?.
	No. 418 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito II de Havilland Mosquito VI	28 August 1944 November 1944	November 1944 21 November 1944	RAF Blackbushe.[20]	Squadron Code:?.
	No. 441 Squadron	Supermarine Spitfire IX	27 April 1945	17 May 1945	RAF Digby.[11]	Squadron Code:?.
	No. 464 Squadron	de Havilland Mosquito VI	9 April 1944	17 April 1944	RAF Gravesend.[12]	Squadron Code:SB.
	No. 501 Squadron	Hawker Tempest V	3 March 1945	20 April 1945	Disbanded.[13]	Squadron Code:SD.
	No. 605 Squadron	Douglas Boston III	July 1942	February 1943	RAF Castle Camps	As an detachment from RAF Ford.[21]
	No. 611 Squadron	North American Mustang IV	3 March 1945	7 May 1945	RAF Peterhead.[22]	Squadron Code:FY.

The Airfield today

Airfield Underground Battle HQ

War Memorial at Hunsdon Airfield

Today only a few original buildings remain of the former RAF Hunsdon. One such building is the Underground Battle Headquarters, which was designed to provide emergency organisation of airfield defenses should the airfield come under attack. Other remaining buildings include defensive pillboxes, a brick slit trench used as a defence position, the fire tender building now used as a store for the shooting club, a complete cantilever 'Oakington' type defence position, 20mm ammunition store, and a Small arms ammunition store.

On Number 3 dispersed site, there are the remains of latrines and air raid shelters, (although these are on Private land and permission to enter must be sought) . The last remaining blister hangar at Hunsdon was demolished in the mid 2000s as it was made unsafe after the 1987 'hurricane'.

Now closed, the original runways and perimeter track are now considerably reduced in size and used mainly by agricultural vehicles.

Hunsdon Microlight Club uses the three grass runways.[23]

All of the remaining buildings at Hunsdon Airfield are no longer accessible due to safety reasons.

On 22 May 2005, a memorial was unveiled and dedicated to the groundcrew, aircrew and support staff who were based at RAF Hunsdon from 1941–45.[24]

In June 2012 a new memorial commemorating the 126 air and ground crew who died while flying from or serving at RAF Hunsdon was unveiled.

See also

• List of former Royal Air Force stations

References

Citations

1. "RAF Hunsdon - History". Unknown. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
2. Hitching F & Hitching V. The Royal Air Force at Hunsdon 1941-1945, Published by The Hunsdon Local History and Preservation Society, 1990. ISBN 0-9506633-1-X
3. "Hunsdon (South Hunsdon)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
4. Unit information on War Memorial
5. Jefford 1988, p. 24.
6. Jefford 1988, p. 34.
7. Jefford 1988, p. 50.
8. Jefford 1988, p. 55.
9. Jefford 1988, p. 83.
10. Jefford 1988, p. 90.
11. Jefford 1988, p. 92.
12. Jefford 1988, p. 94.
13. Jefford 1988, p. 95.
14. Jefford 1988, p. 96.
15. Jefford 1988, p. 31.
16. Jefford 1988, p. 62.
17. Jefford 1988, p. 63.
18. Jefford 1988, p. 72.
19. Jefford 1988, p. 80.
20. Jefford 1988, p. 91.
21. Jefford 1988, p. 99.
22. Jefford 1988, p. 100.
23. "Hunsdon Microlight Club". Hunsdon Microlight Club. Retrieved 8 October 2007.
24. "RAF Hunsdon Memorial Day 22/5/2005". Hertfordshire Airfields Memorial Group. Retrieved 8 September 2012.

Bibliography

• 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.

External links

• Wartime Airfields near Harlow
• Hertfordshire Airfields Memorial Group