RAF Bovingdon

MoD Bovingdon RAF Bovingdon USAAF Station 112
Near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Aerial photograph of Bovingdon airfield looking north , the technical site with four T2 hangars is at the southeast of the airfield, the bomb dump is to the west, 13 March 1944
RAF Bovingdon Location in Hertfordshire
Coordinates	51°43′37″N 000°32′36″W / 51.72694°N 0.54333°W / 51.72694; -0.54333Coordinates: 51°43′37″N 000°32′36″W / 51.72694°N 0.54333°W / 51.72694; -0.54333
Code	BV, BZ (1940s); ZZ (1956)
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces United States Air Force
Controlled by	Eighth Air Force (1942-1946) RAF Flying Training Command (1947-1962) Strategic Air Command (1951-1962) RAF Transport Command (1962-1969)
Site history
Built	1941 (1941)
In use	1942-1972 (1972)
Battles/wars	Second World War Air Offensive, Europe Cold War
Airfield information
Elevation	500 ft (152 m)AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 02/20 1,634 yd (1,494 m) Concrete/tarmac 16/34 1,433 yd (1,310 m) Concrete/tarmac 09/27 1,433 yd (1,310 m) Concrete/tarmac

Second World War

Royal Air Force Bovingdon or more simply RAF Bovingdon is a former Royal Air Force station located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) southeast of Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England.

During the Second World War, the airfield was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force. It was assigned USAAF designation Station 112, station code "BV", later changed to "BZ".

Bovingdon was built in 1941/42 as a standard Class A RAF bomber airfield. The main NE/SW runway was 1,634 yards (1,494 m)/4902 feet long and the two secondary runways were 1,433 yd (1,310 m)/4299 feet long each. Over 30 dispersal hardstandings were built.

On 15 June 1942, No. 7 Group, RAF Bomber Command took up residence at Bovingdon. Operational missions were flown in June and July by the RAF until the field was turned over to the USAAF in August.

USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Bovingdon were:

Regular Army Station Units included:

The primary mission of Bovingdon was to support Eighth Air Force Headquarters and the Air Technical Section, both equipped with a variety of aircraft types. General Eisenhower's personal B-17 was housed on the base. During World War II, several film stars were assigned at one time or another to the base, including Clark Gable, James Stewart and William Holden. Among famous wartime visitors were Bob Hope, Frances Langford, Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt, and Glenn Miller.