RAF Aldermaston

RAF Aldermaston USAAF Station 467
Newbury, Berkshire in England
Aerial photograph of RAF Aldermaston oriented north, taken 19 August 1943. The bomb dump is on the east side of the airfield
RAF Aldermaston Location in Berkshire
Coordinates	51°22′12″N 001°08′38″W / 51.37000°N 1.14389°W / 51.37000; -1.14389Coordinates: 51°22′12″N 001°08′38″W / 51.37000°N 1.14389°W / 51.37000; -1.14389
Code	AM
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces
Controlled by	Eighth Air Force (1942-1943) Ninth Air Force (1943-1945) RAF Technical Training Command (1945)
Site history
Built	1941 (1941)-42
In use	1942-1945 (1945)
Battles/wars	Second World War Operation Torch Operation Overlord Operation Market
Airfield information
Elevation	104 metres (341 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 06/24 1,830 metres (6,004 ft) Concrete 12/30 1,280 metres (4,199 ft) Concrete 18/36 1,280 metres (4,199 ft) Concrete

Second World War

Royal Air Force Aldermaston or more simply RAF Aldermaston is a former Royal Air Force station located 8 miles (13 km) east of Newbury, Berkshire and 9.8 miles (15.8 km) southwest of Reading, Berkshire, England.

Originally built as an RAF Bomber Command airfield during 1941-1942, Aldermaston was transferred to the United States Army Air Forces in August 1942. Placed under the jurisdiction of Eighth Air Force, it was home to several Douglas C-47 Skytrain Troop Carrier Groups. It was transferred to Ninth Air Force in 1943 primarily as a Troop Carrier Command base. Returned to RAF Control at the end of 1945, it was used by Technical Training Command before being placed on Care and Maintenance. In 1946, it was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and used by BOAC aircraft for training.

Also used by the Ministry of Aircraft Production for Supermarine Spitfire assembly and flight testing, the airfield closed in 1950 and the site became home of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (later the Atomic Weapons Establishment) from 1950.

Aldermaston was initially planned as an RAF Bomber Command airfield, being constructed in 1941-1942. RAF 92 Group was programmed to occupy the facility with Vickers Wellington bombers. The facility was constructed as a "Class A" bomber airfield with three concrete runways. The main was 1,830m aligned 06/24, with two crosswind secondary runways of 1,280m aligned 11-29 and 17-35. The airfield had an encircling perimeter track with both the pan and loop-type aircraft hardstands for aircraft parking. The technical site was on the south side of the airfield, consisting of various administrative buildings, maintenance shops and four large T-2 hangars.