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Chelveston
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The
wartime USAAF control tower 1943
(© via Steve Ward)
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Chelveston
airfield
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Airfield Today:
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Agriculture
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Tower Type:
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1. Watch Office with
Met Section 518/40 (anyone have a better photo?)
2. Post-war skeletal Tower with VCR, 5589/58 |
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Tower:
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Both
demolished
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Other
Buildings:
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J
Type hangar now demolished, few, if any buildings now remain
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History:
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5/42 to 7/42, Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment testing gliders. 8/42 to 11/42, 32nd, 352nd, 353rd and 419th Bombardment Squadrons of the 301st Bombardment Group (H) with B-17F, moved to North Africa. 12/42 to 7/45, 364th, 365th, 366th and 422nd Bombardment Sqns of the 305th BG 'Can Do', commanded by Colonel Curtiss Le May, moved here from Grafton Underwood. 9/43 to 10/43, 422nd BS flew the first 8th USAAF night missions. Equipped with B-17s the305th BG flew a total of 330 (337 in total) missions from Chelveston, losing 154 aircraft. 20/2/44, 1st Lt W.R. Lawley Jnr and 11/4/44, 1st Lt E.S. Michael both won the Medal of Honor. Moved to Belgium, then Germany and disbanded 1946. 12/52 to , /55, used by Third Air Force ground units. 1/11/55 to /67, Transferred to Seventh Air Division, Strategic Air Command as a stand-by base. /58 to 9/59, used by RB-47s of the 'Reflex Force'. 8/59 to 3/62, used by RB-66C's of the 42nd Tactical Reconnaissance Sqn, 10th TR Wing. Then used by RAF and USAF units until final closure. |
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RAF
Chelveston
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The
post-war USAF control tower 1974
(© via Paul Francis)
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RAF USAAF USAF Station
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Airfield:
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Operational Bomber
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Opened:
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8/1941
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Closed:
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Final closure date not
known
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ID Code:
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CV
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USAAF Station:
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105
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Runways:
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3, concrete, tarmac
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Hangars:
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1x - J Type, 2x - T2
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County:
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Northamptonshire
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Location:
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6 miles S of Thrapston
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OS Ref:
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TL006685
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Links:
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©:
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Photographs
© as stated
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Chelveston
airfield
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SAC
EB-47E, 301st Bomb Wing from Lockbourne AFB Ohio
1958 (© Gus Letto)
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1958-59
(© Gus Letto)
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1973
(© Steve Bond)
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2005
(© Nigel Brooks)
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RAF
Chelveston airfield - 60th TCG - 301st BG - 305th BG 'Can Do' -
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RAF
Chelveston 305 BG airfield + control tower = www.controltowers.co.uk ©
robert truman 2001
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