RAF Debden
| RAF Debden USAAF Station 356  .png)
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| Located Near Debden, Essex, England | |
Debden Airfield - 9 July 1946
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 RAF Debden
USAAF Station 356 Location in Essex
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| Coordinates | 51°59′30″N 000°16′14″E / 51.99167°N 0.27056°ECoordinates: 51°59′30″N 000°16′14″E / 51.99167°N 0.27056°E |
| Type | Military airfield |
| Code | DB |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by |
Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces British Army |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1937 |
| In use | 1937-1975 |
Royal Air Force Debden or more simply RAF Debden is a former Royal Air Force station located 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of Saffron Walden and approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the village of Debden in North Essex, England
The airfield was opened in April 1937 and was first used by the Royal Air Force. One of Debden's early and most bizarre experiences was when the airfield was chosen as a location for the film "It's in the Air" in which George Formby was to pilot a Hawker Fury through Hangar No. 3. The rather sharper angle of the hangars at Debden built around the tarmac apron allowed free access at both ends of the end hangar. The flying for the sequence was actually done by Flying Officer R. H. A. Lee who went missing on 18 August 1940 when he was last seen ten miles north of Foulness Point chasing three German aircraft out to sea.
Hard surface runways were laid in 1940. During the early years of World War II it was a Sector Station, with an Operations Block for No.11 Group RAF during the Battle of Britain. Many different RAF units were posted to Debden, including No 1, 17, 29, 65, 73, 80, 85, 87, 111, 157, 257, 418, 504 and 601 Squadrons.
The airfield was attacked several times during the Battle of Britain. The first air-raid sounded on 18 June 1940, although the first bombs were not dropped on the airfield until seven days later. Then, on 2 August, came a heavy attack which destroyed several buildings, killing five, to be followed by another severe raid on 31 August. During August and September, Debden fighters claimed seventy aircraft destroyed, thirty probables and forty-one damaged.
On 28 January 1941, the station was visited by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and the following month by a German aircrew; it was on 4 February 1941 that a German pilot landed his aircraft and taxied to the watch office (control tower), at which point the German pilot must have realised his mistake as he took off in a hurry.
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Wikipedia