| Royal Air Force Barford St John
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| Part of United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) | |
| Located near Bloxham Oxfordshire, England | |
| Type | Military Airfield |
| Coordinates | 52°0′16.92″N 001°21′28.55″W / 52.0047°N 1.3579306°W |
| Location code | BJ |
| Built | 1941 |
| In use | RAF 1941–46, USAF 1951–present |
| Controlled by | Royal Air Force United States Air Force |
| Garrison | RAF Bomber Command Air Force Communications Service United States Air Forces in Europe |
| Battles/wars | European Theatre of World War II Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945 
 RAF Station Barford St John, shown within Oxfordshire
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RAF Barford St John is an air force station just north of the village of Barford St. John, Oxfordshire, England. It is now a non-flying facility, operated by the United States Air Force as a communications centre with many large communications aerials, and is a satellite of RAF Croughton.
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Contents
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History
RAF Barford St John was opened in June 1941 as a training facility for RAF Flying Training Command. It had three grass runways, used primarily by Airspeed Oxfords of No 15 Service Flying Training School from RAF Kidlington. The airfield was closed in late 1941 and rebuilt as an RAF Bomber Command airfield with paved runways and equipped for night operations.
The airfield reopened in December 1942 as a satellite for RAF Upper Heyford. Bomber Command No 16 Operational Training Unit was stationed there with Vickers Wellingtons until December 1944. No 1655 Mosquito Training Unit replaced the Wellingtons and the unit was renamed No 16 OTU in January 1945 when it moved to RAF Cottesmore. In 1943 the station served as flight test centre for its Gloster E.28/39 and Gloster Meteor jet aircraft[1] from RAF Brockworth.
After the war the airfield was closed in 1946 and placed into care and maintenance.
The site was used as the airfield in the 1949 film Twelve O'Clock High.
USAF use
In 1951[1] the United States Air Force opened a communications (transmitter) centre on the airfield, reporting to the 2130th Communications Squadron (UK Communications Region) at RAF Croughton.
Given its postwar use by the military, all its runways, perimeter track and hardstands still exist. Unfortunately the World War II buildings have been removed, being replaced by modern buildings on the airfield, secured and guarded with fencing and other security devices.
References
- ^ a b Crossley, William (20 September 2011). "Base's special place in aviation history". Oxford Mail. http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9259692.Base_s_special_place_in_aviation_history/. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
See also
External links
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