| Hunsdon Airfield | |
| Nativename: | |
| Owner: | Current owner unknown Air Ministry 1941−1945 |
| Operator: | Hunsdon Microlight Club Royal Air Force 1941−1945 |
| Location: | Hunsdon, Near Ware, Hertfordshire |
| Elevation-F: | 80m (260feet) |
| Elevation-M: | 80 |
| Coordinates: | 51.8°N 4°W |
| Pushpin Map: | Hertfordshire |
| Pushpin Label: | Hunsdon Airfield |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Hertfordshire |
| R1-Number: | 03/21 |
| R1-Length-F: | 4,200 |
| R1-Length-M: | 1,280 |
| R1-Surface: | Grass |
| R2-Number: | 09/27 |
| R2-Length-F: | 5,250 |
| R2-Length-M: | 1,600 |
| R2-Surface: | Disused |
| R3-Number: | 08/26 |
| R3-Surface: | Grass |
| R4-Number: | 14/32 |
| R4-Surface: | Grass |
Hunsdon Airfield is an airfield near Hunsdon, Hertfordshire and 2.8miles north of Harlow, Essex, England. As of 2021, it is used by a local microlight club.
The airfield was used by the Royal Air Force between 1941 and 1945 under the name of RAF Hunsdon.[1] [2]
RAF Hunsdon became operational in 1941. The first unit to arrive at the Airfield (in May 1941) was No. 85 Squadron RAF, flying Boston Havocs.
In June No. 1451 Flight RAF was formed. This experimental unit flew Bostons with searchlights fitted in the nose of the aircraft. This experiment was not successful and the unit was reformed as No. 530 Squadron RAF in September 1942. Numerous Squadrons and Wings used the airfield during its operational life. Hunsdon is most closely associated, however, with the de Havilland Mosquito, which first arrived in 1943.
On 18 February 1944, Mosquitos from No. 21 Squadron RAF, 464 Squadron (Australia) RAF, and 487 Squadron (New Zealand) RAF which formed No 140 Wing (Wing Commander P C Pickard DSO DFC) carried out Operation Jericho, otherwise known as the Amiens Prison Raid.[3]
Military flying ceased in 1945.
The last remaining blister hangar at Hunsdon was demolished in the mid 2000s as it was made unsafe after the great storm of 1987.
Today only a few original buildings remain of the former RAF Hunsdon. One such building is the Underground Battle Headquarters, which was designed to provide emergency organisation of airfield defenses should the airfield come under attack. Other remaining buildings include defensive pillboxes, a brick slit trench used as a defence position, the fire tender building now used as a store for the shooting club, a complete cantilever 'Oakington' type defence position, 20mm ammunition store, and a Small arms ammunition store. All of the remaining buildings at Hunsdon Airfield are no longer accessible due to safety reasons.
On Number 3 dispersed site, there are the remains of latrines and air raid shelters. (These are on private land and permission to enter must be sought.)
On 22 May 2005, a memorial was unveiled and dedicated to the groundcrew, aircrew and support staff who were based at RAF Hunsdon from 1941 to 1945.[4]
In June 2012 a new memorial commemorating the 126 air and ground crew who died while flying from or serving at RAF Hunsdon was unveiled.
The original runways are now considerably reduced in length. Hunsdon Microlight Club uses the three grass runways for microlight flying.[5]
RAF units based here during the Second World War are:[6]
| Ensign | Squadron | Aircraft | From | To | To | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Squadron | Hawker Hurricane IIB Hawker Hurricane IIC Hawker Typhoon IB | 9 August 1941 9 August 1941 February 1943 | October 1941 February 1943 14 May 1943 | RAF West Malling | Detachments at RAF Manston and RAF Shoreham. | ||
| No. 29 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito XIII | 19 June 1944 | 22 February 1945 | RAF Colerne. | Squadron Code:RO. | ||
| No. 85 Squadron | Douglas Boston I Douglas Boston II de Havilland Mosquito II de Havilland Mosquito XV de Havilland Mosquito XII | 3 May 1941 July 1941 August 1942 March 1943 March 1943 | November 1941 September 1942 13 May 1943 13 May 1943 13 May 1943 | RAF West Malling. | Squadron Code:VY. | ||
| No. 107 Squadron | Bristol Blenheim IV | 3 May 1939 | 3 March 1941 | RAF Leuchars | As an detachment from RAF Wattisham. | ||
| No. 285 Squadron | Hawker Hurricane IIC North American Mustang I | 4 January 1945 February 1945 | 20 June 1945 | RAF Weston Zoyland | As a detachment from RAF North Weald. | ||
| No. 287 Squadron | Bristol Blenheim IV Lockheed Hudson III Westland Lysander III Hawker Hurricane I/IIB/IV Miles Master III Boulton Paul Defiant I/III Airspeed Oxford Miles Martinet Supermarine Spitfire VB Bristol Beaufighter VI Supermarine Spitfire IX Hawker Tempest V | 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 19 Nov 1941 3 May 1945 3 May 1945 3 May 1945 | 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 3 July 1944 15 June 1945 15 June 1945 15 June 1945 | RAF North Weald RAF Bradwell Bay | As a detachment from RAF Croydon As a detachment from RAF Hornchurch. | ||
| No. 410 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito II de Havilland Mosquito XIII | 8 November 1943 29 April 1944 | 30 December 1943 18 June 1944 | RAF Castle Camps RAF Zeals. | Squadron Code: RA | ||
| No. 442 Squadron | North American Mustang III | 23 March 1945 | 17 May 1945 | RAF Digby. | Squadron Code:?. | ||
| No. 487 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito VI | 31 December 1943 | 18 April 1944 | RAF Gravesend. | Squadron Code:EG. | ||
| No. 488 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito XXX | 9 October 1944 | 15 November 1944 | B 48/Amiens/Glisy. | Squadron Code:ME. | ||
| No. 515 Squadron | Boulton Paul Defiant II Bristol Beaufighter IIF | 1 June 1943 | 15 December 1943 | RAF Little Snoring. | Squadron Code:?. | ||
| No. 530 Squadron | Douglas Boston II (Turbinlite) Douglas Boston III (Turbinlite) Hawker Hurricane IIC | 8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Disbanded | This squadron only used Hunsdon during its timespan. |
| Ensign | Squadron | Aircraft | From | To | To | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 21 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito VI | 31 December 1943 | 17 April 1944 | RAF Gravesend. | Squadron Code:YH. | ||
| No. 151 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito XXX | 19 November 1944 | 1 March 1945 | RAF Bradwell Bay. | Squadron Code:DZ. | ||
| No. 154 Squadron | North American Mustang IV | 1 March 1945 | 19 March 1945 | Disbanded. | Squadron Code:HG. | ||
| No. 219 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito XXX | 29 August 1944 | 10 October 1944 | B 48 Amiens/Glisy. | Squadron Code:FK. | ||
| No. 264 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito XIII | 26 July 1944 | 11 August 1944 | A 8/Picauville. | Squadron Code:?. | ||
| No. 409 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito XXX | 1 March 1944 | 14 May 1944 | RAF West Malling. | Squadron Code:?. | ||
| No. 418 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito II de Havilland Mosquito VI | 28 August 1944 November 1944 | November 1944 21 November 1944 | RAF Blackbushe. | Squadron Code:TH. | ||
| No. 441 Squadron | Supermarine Spitfire IX | 27 April 1945 | 17 May 1945 | RAF Digby. | Squadron Code:?. | ||
| No. 464 Squadron | de Havilland Mosquito VI | 9 April 1944 | 17 April 1944 | RAF Gravesend. | Squadron Code:SB. | ||
| No. 501 Squadron | Hawker Tempest V | 3 March 1945 | 20 April 1945 | Disbanded. | Squadron Code:SD. | ||
| No. 605 Squadron | Douglas Boston III | July 1942 | February 1943 | RAF Castle Camps | As an detachment from RAF Ford. | ||
| No. 611 Squadron | North American Mustang IV | 3 March 1945 | 7 May 1945 | RAF Peterhead. | Squadron Code:FY. |