For over seventy years, RAF Alconbury, like so many sites across

Here are the pieces of the story we have pulled together so far, but we want to add your memories and
stories to help us bring the history of this special site to life.
raf alconbury 1938 – 42
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1938RAF Alconbury opens as a satellite airfield to RAF
Upwood. Crews sleep under canvas, and aircraft
return to Upwood for repairs and maintenance.
1940
June: Work begins on improving the airfield. Its
first watchtower is built, along with taxiways and
hardstanding. The runway is lengthened.
nvas,
a
c
1939Outbreak
of
World
War
Two.
The
station
is
put
r
e
d
n
u
938-42
ws sleep
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r
.
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AF Alc
RAF Up
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ir
a
Phase 1: R
tellite
ance.
a sacontrol
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s
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a
under
the
of
RAF
Wyton.
in
s
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n
e
m
p
o
d
an
ry
Wyton.
for repairs
AF Alconbu
l of RAF
Upwood
1938 R
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ut under
p
and aircraf
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wo. The s
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1939
adrons.
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at RAF Alco
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e
im
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u
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ig
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l Blen
1940November: Vickers Wellington bombers replace
Alconbury’s Blenheims. They saw action over a
number of German cities, including Duisburg,
Hanover, Cologne, Essen and Berlin. These sorties
continued throughout 1941.
ncing bomb',
ou
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arnes Wallace, who
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also
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A Bristol Blenheim, of the
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in 1940
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ron and 40
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1940 Apr
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s return.
im
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B
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Squadron’s
1940April/May: 15 Squadron and 40 Squadron move
e Albert
h
t
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d the
ho leBattle
w
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flying
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,1943. involved in a number of raids
chare
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First RAF Vicbombers.
s
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al an
Canal.Charco
over Belgium and Holland in the early summer,
including a damaging raid on the Albert Canal;
only 6 of 15 Squadron’s 12 Blenheims return.
1940September: A Luftwaffe attack on the airfield takes
place, with 8 high explosives landing on the site.
March 1941:
ofrdAlconbury
from November 1940.
ops 44 bombs
es, 3 dr
l telephone lin
ca
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rs
ve
se
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t, at a cost of
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A
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By Summer 19
59 Wellington
m bombers. 2nd Luftwaffe raid severs local telephone
1941
March:
and 8 Blenhei
lines, 3rd drops 44 bombs
First RAF Victoria Cross of WW2 awarded to Alconbury’s Flying Officer Garland
who led the attack on the Albert Canal. Charcoal and pencil sketch,1943.
your memories...
By Summer 1942 Alconbury aircraft had flown
over 650 operational sorties by this point, at a
cost of 59 Wellington and 8 Blenheim bombers.
Alconbury Airfield: 70
years of global history
on your doorstep
The arrival of the usaaf 1942 – 45
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Phase Two: The Arrival of
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1942 During the
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er 42 During the summer, RAF Alconbury was handed
ib
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ove
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1942During the summer, RAF Alconbury was handed, hang1943
January:
The
93rd
Bombardment
was
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r
to airfield w
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ith
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nway extension, additional hardstan
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ay USAAF.
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The 93rd Bombardment Group
replaced by the 92nd.
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1943
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detonated whilst loading a B-17 of the 95th
Timberlake’s Libera
Bomb Group, killing 18 and injuring a further 27
men. In September, Black Thursday sees the loss
of 60 aircraft in the Point Blank Raids effectively
writing
off
the
92nd.
1943
January: The 93rd Bombardm
ent Group was replaced by th
e 92nd.
1943 22nd May: One of the
major tragedies in Alconbury’s
long history took place. A bo
mb
detonated whilst loading a B17 of the 95th Bomb Group,
killing 18 and injuring a furth
er 27
men. In September, Black Thursd
ay seesthe loss of 60 aircraft in the
Point Blank Raids effectively writin
nd
g off the
92 .
1943August: 482nd Group was formed, known as
‘Pathfinder’. A bomb group using radar-led
‘blind bombing’ techniques, they used specially
1943 August: 482 Group
was B-17s.
formed, known as ‘Pathfinde
adapted
r’. A bomb group using radarled ‘blind bombing’ techniques
,
nd
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nd
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Alconbury was the first USAAF station tordbe visited
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Figure 3: 'Teggie Ann', one
of the USAAF B-24s based at
Alconbury, pictured during se
rvice.
‘Teggie Ann’, one of the USAAF B-24s based at
ard
a
r
g
in
s
u
Alconbury,
pictured
during
service.
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Figure 3: 'Teggie A
The Airfield c.1945
1944Abbots Ripton Strategic Air Depot (now the USAF
base) became operational.
1944Radar-enabled USAF bombers and
reconnaissance aircraft from Alconbury continue
to have a central role in events in Europe.
Mosquito surveillance craft photograph the
Normandy beaches prior to D-Day, while raids on
Berlin are launched from Alconbury in the closing
months of the war.
1945Victory in Europe declared on 8 May. The gradual
wind-down of RAF Alconbury from a war footing
begins from here. The USAF leave the site, and
hand it back to RAF in October.
Alconbury Airfield: History & Heritage
For over seventy years, RAF Alconbury, like so many sites across East Anglia, played a central part in military
operations across Europe. It was an operational airbase from 1938 to 1995, during which time it came
under the control of both the British and American Air Forces. The legacy of that time – hangars, control
centres, bunkers and huts – reflect a complex and fascinating history, intertwined with the communities
that surround the airfield.
Alconbury Airfield: History & Heritage
Alconbury Airfield: 70
years of global history
on your doorstep
1945Until 1951, RAF Alconbury sits in a mothballed
state, with the Royal Air Force using it as a site
for the storage, distribution and dismantling of
munitions.
1953June: The USAFE (United States Airforce in
Europe) officially move in to Alconbury, although
the airfield is not, at this stage, ready for
occupation and use.
1953–Construction of a number of buildings on the
1955 site, including the Control Tower, which still
stands, and the bomb dump. The watchtowers
surrounding the area originally known as ‘The
Peninsular Site’, are of a recognised American
design of the early 1950s.
1948Berlin Blockade: The Soviet government closes
land routes into Berlin to the Allied nations, in an
attempt to give the Soviet Union effective control
over the city. The Berlin Airlift undermines the
blockade and the episode forms the first major
tension point of the Cold War.
1950Invasion of South Korea by North Korea, with
support from fellow Communist nations,
China and the USSR. Tensions rise between
western democratic nations, and the emerging
Communist Bloc.
1951The USAF, having decided that there was now
suitably pressing need to provide a military
presence in Europe, are allocated RAF Alconbury
for use as an airbase.
1959December: Construction of the Parachute Loft, to
replace a rudimentary one of linked Nissen Huts.
1965RF-4C (F-4) Phantoms begin to arrive at
Alconbury, flown by the 10th Tactical
Reconnaissance Wing, already present at
Alconbury.
1980Construction of the Hardened Aircraft Shelters at
Alconbury, to protect the F-4 Phantom IIIs and F-5
Tiger IIs at the base.
1982Arrival of U-2 Reconnaissance aircraft at
Alconbury with the 17th Tactical Reconnaissance
Wing. Remodelling of the northern section of the
airbase begins, providing new concrete aprons
and taxiways to accommodate the new aircraft.
USAF B-66 Destroyer, as flown from Alconbury from
1958 until around 1966.
1949April: North Atlantic Treaty signed, leading to the
formation of NATO, and a general agreement of
mutual defence between a number of nations in
Europe and North America.
195847th Bombardment Squadron began to fly B-66
‘Destroyers’ out of Alconbury.
1955May: The Warsaw Pact is signed, creating a
formal agreement of mutual defence between
eight nations of the Communist Bloc, including
the Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland and
Czechoslovakia.
1955September: USAFE begin to fly from Alconbury.
The 86th Bombardment Squadron move in, flying
B-45A Tornados.
The Airfield c.1966
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom at the Alconbury airshow
in 1983, shortly after the construction of the HASs.
1983Construction of special ‘extra-wide’ Hardened
Aircraft Shelters, to protect U-2 planes from
nuclear attack.
Alconbury Airfield: 70
years of global history
on your doorstep
cold war to
brownfield
1988Construction begins on the Avionics Building,
known as the ‘Magic Mountain’, built to process
the photography produced by reconnaissance
missions.
1993It is announced that as part of the wind-down of
USAFE, Alconbury will be returned to the Ministry
of Defence.
Alconbury’s current role as a commercial site began after
the Americans handed back their Cold War airbase to the
Ministry of Defence.
1995September, USAFE leave the base for good,
ending the airfield’s 57 years of near-continuous
use.
1997The site was acquired by Prologis in a joint
venture with BAA Lynton, with a plan to create
a freight interchange. Their planning application
for B8 use – the class of planning consent that
permits warehousing and distribution – was
called in for inquiry.
Anti-nuclear protests
The Avionics Building – officially known as Building 210 – is said to have cost
about £75 million to build. Designed to withstand a direct nuclear attack,
it was built to ensure that the 17th Reconnaissance Wing would always
have a command post for its TR-1A aircraft, and to support the processing
of recordings taken by the airplane. It was built with its own power plant,
communications facilities, air supply, and decontamination facility.
1989Construction of five ‘Ready Sheds’, undefended
hangars, for maintenance and storage of U-2
aircraft. The main runway is also overhauled,
leading to aircraft being temporarily seconded to
RAF bases at Wyton and Sculthorpe.
At this time we know there were local
protests against nuclear weapons and
a peace camp established next to the
site, which led to an increase of security
and fencing about the site. Were you
involved? Do you have pictures and
memories which can help us capture
this part of the site’s history?
.
.
.
s
e
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r
o
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e
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yo
1989Fall of the Berlin Wall, the symbolic end of the
Cold War. Communist governments begin to fall
in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Romania.
Figure 8: An A-10 Thun
derbolt II, or 'Warthog'
jet, as dispatched from
Gulf War.
RAF Alconbury to Kuwai
t during the
1990
An A-10 Thunderbolt II, or ‘Warthog’ jet, as dispatched from RAF
Alconbury to Kuwait during the Gulf War.
Following the fall of the
Berlin Wall, speculation
grows about the future
The Gulf War, which be
of Alconbury.
gun in August following
th
e invasion of Kuwait by
however, extended Alc
Iraq,
onbury’s usage. U-2/TR
-1
s
and A-10s were deploy
base to Saudi Arabia.
ed from the
1990
Following
the
fall
of
the
Berlin
Wall,
speculation
1993 It is announced
that as part of the winddown of USAFE, Alconbu
the Minis
ry wThe
ill be reGulf
tr
y
of
turned to
Defen
grows
about
the future of Alconbury.
ce.
1995 September, USA
FE leave thbegun
War,
which
in
following
the
e base for go
odAugust
,
en
di
ng
th
e
ai
rf
ie
ld
’s 57 years of nearcontinuous use.
invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, however, extended
<somewhere within the 80s
and 90s section, it would be
great to have a box/section w
hich says:
Alconbury’s
usage.
U-2/TR-1s
and
A-10s were
Anti‐nuclear protests
At this time we know
deployed
from
the base to Saudi Arabia.
there were local pr
otests against nuclear w
eapons and a peace camp es
tablished next to the
site, which led to an increase
of security and fencing abou
t the site. Were you involved
? Do you have pictures and
memories which can help us
capture this part of the site’s
history?
Cold War to Brownfield
The Airfield c.1991
Alconbury’s current role as a
the Ministry of Defence.
commercial site began after
the Americans handed back
their Cold War airbase to
2003Secretary of State John Prescott, gave consent for
7 million sqft of B8.
2007Prologis obtained a temporary consent to use the
site’s buildings for B8 and light industrial (B1/B2)
uses.
2009Urban&Civic acquired the site in 2009 and
obtained an extension to the temporary consents
until 2015 while development proposals for the
future are prepared.
Alconbury Airfield: History & Heritage
The cold war era 1945 – 91
Alconbury Airfield: History & Heritage
Alconbury Airfield: 70
years of global history
on your doorstep