RAF Twinwood Farm
RAF Twinwood Farm .png)
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RAF Twinwood Control Tower (Watch Office), restored in 2002
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator |
Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces |
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| Location | Bedford, Bedfordshire | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 24 ft / 80 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 52°10′52″N 0°29′10″W / 52.181102°N 0.486131°WCoordinates: 52°10′52″N 0°29′10″W / 52.181102°N 0.486131°W | ||||||||||||||||||
| Website | www |
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| Map | |||||||||||||||||||
 RAF Twinwood Farm
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RAF Twinwood Farm is a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located 4 mi (6.4 km) north of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. For the majority of the war the airfield was home to RAF night fighters.
Twinwood Farm opened in mid 1941 when the RAF began to use the grassed field. By April 1942 it had three concrete runways and additional temporary buildings.
From then until the end of the war the Bristol Blenheims, Bristol Beaufighters, Bristol Beauforts, Douglas Havocs and de Havilland Mosquitoes of No. 51 Operational Training Unit used 'Twinwoods', as it was generally known.
Bristol Blenheim.
De Havilland Mosquito IV
A-20 Havoc
Bristol Beaufighter on display at the RAF Museum, Hendon
Bristol Beaufort
Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk
P-51 Mustang
Hawker Hurricane
In March 1943 North American Mustangs belonging to 164, 169, 239 and 208 Squadrons RAF engaged in Operation Spartan which occurred between 1 and 12 March 1943 was conducted across southern and central England to test a wide range of procedures and tactics of British and Canadian Forces.
In 1944 the airfield was transferred to the U.S. Eighth Air Force and operated in conjunction with the nearby RAF Thurleigh.
Twinwood Farm was where USAAF Major Glenn Miller's aircraft took off on 15 December 1944 for Paris. His plane disappeared over the English Channel and was never found.
The airfield closed in June 1945.
The site is now home to the Twinwood Arena, a large natural amphitheatre which plays host to various music festivals promoted by Twinwood Events including the Rhythm Festival.
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Wikipedia