It was planned to open RAF Condover as a satellite station but when it opened in 1942 the RAF had decided to hand over the Atcham site for American use.[citation needed]
United States Army Air Forces use
To support the USAAF, jurisdiction of Atcham Airfield was transferred from RAF Fighter Command to the USAAF on 15 June 1942 when a number of RAF stations were turned over to the Americans. It was designated as Station 342 (AP).[2]
USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Atcham were:[4]
333d Service Group (VIII Air Force Composite Command)[6]
332d Service Squadron; HHS, 333d Service Group
42d Service Group (VIII Air Force Composite Command)[7]
356th, 361st Service Squadrons; HHS 42d Service Group
18th Weather Squadron
Regular Army Station Units included:
1004th Signal Company
1148th Quartermaster Company
1761st Ordnance Supply & Maintenance Company
2020th Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon
182nd Medical Dispensary
Fighter Training
The 6th Fighter Wing was the original training organisation established on 27 August 1942, under the control of VIII Fighter Command.[8] During 1942 and early 1943, it trained pilots in combat operations as well as air-to-air-gunnery with the attached 1st Gunnery & Tow Target Flight.[8] The training was conducted using Supermarine Spitfies and pilots drawn from the 67th Observation Group at RAF Membury (AAF-466) and RAF Middle Wallop (AAF-449).[8]
The 6th Fighter Wing provided training to the following groups:
After its training was completed in August 1942, the 31st moved to RAF Westhampnett in Sussex before moving into Tafaraoui Airfield, Oran, Algeria on 8 November 1942[9] as part of Twelfth Air Force.[11]
The 6th Wing was discontinued on 13 September 1943.[14] Its place was taken by a provisional unit, the 2906th Observation Training Group (Fighter), which had been organized on 16 August.[15] The 2906th was replaced in turn by a regular unit, the 495th Fighter Training Group on 26 October 1943.[8] The 495th switched its mission to a Replacement Training Group (RTU) and was assigned two RTU squadrons:[16]
551st Fighter Training Squadron (VM)[16]
552d Fighter Training Squadron (DQ)[16]
As a Combat Crew Replacement Center, the squadrons flew a mixture of hand-me-down aircraft, primarily planes which were considered not combat-ready to high hours and being "war weary". It flew Republic P-47C Thunderbolts, some Lockheed P-38H Lightnings, and Douglas A-20 Havocs. Pilots trained were then assigned to both VIII Fighter Command and IX Fighter Command after completion of training for subsequent assignment to units as needed.[16]
The 495 FTG stayed until February 1945, moving to RAF Cheddington. From August 1944 the Ninth AF P-38s from the 496 FTG/554 FTS from RAF Goxhill used Atcham as a training field.[2][16]
Atcham was abandoned on 22 October 1946 and disposed of on 20 January 1958.[3]
Current use
With the end of military control, Atcham airfield was returned to farmland with the runways being broken up and removed and the control tower demolished.[3]
Today there is little evidence of Atcham airfield. Some minor agricultural roads which were part of the perimeter track remain as access to farm fields, and the B4394 uses part of the former South West to North East runway. The three Callender Hamilton hangars of the former technical site remain together in use with all the administration buildings, the whole complex forming the Atcham Industrial Estate northwest of the former airfield area.[3]
Major units assigned
Royal Air Force[18]
131 Squadron (27 September 1941 – 8 February 1942)
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Citations
^ a bFalconer 2012, p. 37.
^ a b c d"RAF Atcham". Control Towers. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
^ a b c d eFreeman 2001, p. 22.
^ a b c"Atcham". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 1 March 2015.
^Jefford 2001, p. 59.
^"333d Service Group". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
^"42d Service Group". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
^ a b c d"495th Fighter Training Group". Eighth Air Force Historical Society. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
^ a bMaurer 1980, p. 85.
^Maurer 1980, p. 83.
^ a bMaurer 1980, p. 84.
^ a b cMaurer 1980, p. 58.
^ a bMaurer 1980, p. 57.
^"Factsheet 6 Air Division". Air Force Historical Research Agency. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
^"Abstract, History 2906 Observation Training Group (Fighter) (Provisional) September 1943". Air Force History Index. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
^ a b c d e"495th Fighter Training Group". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
^ a b"RAF Atcham". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
Bibliography
Falconer, J (2012). RAF Airfields of World War 2. UK: Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85780-349-5.
Freeman, R. Airfields of the Eighth – Then and Now. After the Battle. London, UK: Battle of Britain International Ltd., 2001. ISBN 0-9009-13-09-6.
Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
Maurer, M. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. USAF Historical Division. Washington D.C., USA: Zenger Publishing Co., Inc, 1980. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
External links
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