Long time lurker (since oh, 2005ish? Can that even be true?). First report.
History
Short version – built on an ancient barrow site the airfield became operational in 1940 and was first used by the RAF for night fighters. One of several aircraft I had not previously heard of that flew from here was the Turbinlite – effectively a flying searchlight, apparently they didn’t get on so well (easy targets?) and the squadrons were short-lived.
In 1943 it was later taken over by the USAAF who also flew night fighters from it – another plane I’d never heard of – the P-61 Black Widow. Pretty!
After the war it was proposed for use for ROTOR radar stations as part of the UK’s nuclear defences but as so often in this field the lead time for building facilities meant that by the time construction was underway the planned facility was obsolete/subjected to budget cuts and the ROTOR station never got built.
Long version – thanks to Wikipedia! A kerbed long barrow site was flattened to make way for the airfield. A cremation urn had been found near a burial of a long necked beaker and a bronze dagger, believed to be from the Beaker people.
The airfield was planned as a satellite for the Maintenance Unit at nearby RAF Colerne, but by the time construction work started in 1940 it had been selected as a sector station by No. 10 Group of RAF Fighter Command.
The airfield was opened late in 1940 and originally had a grass surface with landing strips of 4,125 feet (1,257 m), both southeast to northwest and northeast to southwest. It was upgraded to the Class A airfield standard set by the Air Ministry in 1941, with three concrete runways at 60-degree angles in a triangular pattern. A 50 feet (15 m) wide tarmac perimeter track and 39 aircraft dispersal points were constructed; there were 12 double pens and 15 single standings.
The technical site connected to the ground station and airfield had 12 Blister hangars, one Bellman hangar and various organisational, component and field maintenance shops, along with the maintenance personnel necessary to keep the aircraft airworthy and to quickly repair light to moderate battle damage. The ammunition dump was in concrete pens outside the perimeter track on the north side of the airfield, surrounded by large dirt mounds.
Royal Air Force use
The first occupant of Charmy Down was No. 87 Squadron RAF, with night-fighting Hawker Hurricanes. In the summer of 1941 Boulton Paul Defiants appeared, and Westland Whirlwinds and Turbinlite Havocs of 125 and 263 squadrons respectively were to be seen the following year. 137 Squadron replaced No 263 Squadron in September 1941. In November 1941, 417 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force was formed here.
During 1942 various other squadrons were posted to Charmy Down including 533 Squadron which was formed on 8 September 1942, from No. 1454 (Turbinlite) Flight, as part of No. 10 Group RAF in Fighter Command. Instead of operating only Turbinlite and Airborne Intercept (AI) radar equipped aircraft (Havocs and Bostons) and working together with a normal night fighter unit, such as the Hawker Hurricanes of 87 Squadron, the unit also flew their own Hurricanes. It was disbanded at Charmy Down on 25 January 1943, since Turbinlite squadrons were, due to lack of success and the rapid development of AI radar, deemed to be superfluous.
A Supermarine Spitfire Operational Training Unit took over in 1943 and stayed until the airfield was turned over to the USAAF in November 1943.
United States Army Air Forces use
Charmy Down was known as USAAF Station AAF 487 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and not referred to by its location. The airfield code/USAAF Station Code was "CH".
4th Tactical Air Depot
Service groups were deployed there late in 1943 to operate the 4th Tactical Air Depot, which was intended to repair, modify and maintain Allison-engined fighter types, primarily Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and North American P-51 Mustangs.
For unrecorded reasons, it was decided to transfer this operation to Kingston Bagpuize early in 1944, possibly for better local logistics and communications in the Oxford area. Nevertheless, IX Air Force Service Command activities continued at Charmy Down until the autumn of 1944.
422d, 423d and 425th Night Fighter Squadrons
The Ninth Air Force was scheduled to receive three night fighter squadrons with a mission to effect night air defence of US airfields when these were established on the Continent. RAF Charmy Down was selected as an airfield for these squadrons which would arrive individually, not as part of a group, and were to be equipped with the new Northrop P-61 Black Widow.
Personnel of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron arrived first on 7 March 1944 and had their aircrews posted to various RAF night fighter and signal schools for theatre indoctrination.
Postwar use
After the end of hostilities in Europe, the airfield returned to the RAF. There was little flying from the station although it was not officially closed until October 1946. From January 1946 to October 1946, No 92 Gliding School, Air Training Corps used the airfield and it was home to the Personnel Resettlement Centre for Australians.
In the 1950s, Charmy Down was included at a low priority on the list of sites for the deployment of the ROTOR radar system. Construction started in May 1953 but was abandoned in April 1955, and only groundworks remain.
Explore on the day
I had no idea what I would find. The day began inauspiciously with a tantrum from one of the kids delaying their departure to the other half’s mum’s. Also delayed my departure! But an hour later I was on my way and pedaling through Bath. Trusting in my knowledge of the area I immediately pedaled up the wrong hill.
Wait, I’m not supposed to be in Wiltshire!
But still, I did get the opportunity to look down this beautiful stretch of the Fosse Way. No prizes for guessing who built it.
Right here we go, finally made it.
Yup, worth the trip, and still accessible. Very grim places, I would not want to head into one of these knowing I was going to use it in anger, very claustrophobic.
Wait what’s that on the skyline?
Moo-dy
Blige! That’s nice.
And still accessible.
Original fixtures and fittings!
It would be rude not to.
Stalactites
More pillboxes
I’d seen these on the way in, no idea what they were. I think now they were readiness rooms for the night-fighter crew, but if so what’s the metalwork in the ceiling?
As soon as I saw this place I thought butts! But I was thinking small arms butts for the station personnel. Further research reveals these were actually for the calibration of the aircraft armaments. In order to use these aircraft had to be tied down to prevent the recoil moving them. Love my bike's rear tyre just peaking round the corner.
A couple of hours later I was back on my bike and pedalling for home. Stopping off in Bath for delicious crispy duck and ho-fun noodles enjoyed in a deserted city.
All in all a great day, 60km covered, some beautiful scenery and a real treat to find the control tower. It’s especially nice that there was not ONE PIECE OF GRAF in the control tower. Either it’s
too much hassle to get to or the ‘artists’ realise that defacing it would be a defilement…yeah who am I trying to kid? Amazingly the airfield was the site of a rave last summer, but this seems to have been concentrated around the ‘readiness rooms’.
Plenty more to look at, especially when you start comparing old aerial photos of the site with google maps.
Hope you enjoyed as much as I did! The icing on the cake was getting home to a quiet house and enjoying a hot bath and some internet research of the place all by myself – those with kids know!
History
Short version – built on an ancient barrow site the airfield became operational in 1940 and was first used by the RAF for night fighters. One of several aircraft I had not previously heard of that flew from here was the Turbinlite – effectively a flying searchlight, apparently they didn’t get on so well (easy targets?) and the squadrons were short-lived.
In 1943 it was later taken over by the USAAF who also flew night fighters from it – another plane I’d never heard of – the P-61 Black Widow. Pretty!
After the war it was proposed for use for ROTOR radar stations as part of the UK’s nuclear defences but as so often in this field the lead time for building facilities meant that by the time construction was underway the planned facility was obsolete/subjected to budget cuts and the ROTOR station never got built.
Long version – thanks to Wikipedia! A kerbed long barrow site was flattened to make way for the airfield. A cremation urn had been found near a burial of a long necked beaker and a bronze dagger, believed to be from the Beaker people.
The airfield was planned as a satellite for the Maintenance Unit at nearby RAF Colerne, but by the time construction work started in 1940 it had been selected as a sector station by No. 10 Group of RAF Fighter Command.
The airfield was opened late in 1940 and originally had a grass surface with landing strips of 4,125 feet (1,257 m), both southeast to northwest and northeast to southwest. It was upgraded to the Class A airfield standard set by the Air Ministry in 1941, with three concrete runways at 60-degree angles in a triangular pattern. A 50 feet (15 m) wide tarmac perimeter track and 39 aircraft dispersal points were constructed; there were 12 double pens and 15 single standings.
The technical site connected to the ground station and airfield had 12 Blister hangars, one Bellman hangar and various organisational, component and field maintenance shops, along with the maintenance personnel necessary to keep the aircraft airworthy and to quickly repair light to moderate battle damage. The ammunition dump was in concrete pens outside the perimeter track on the north side of the airfield, surrounded by large dirt mounds.
Royal Air Force use
The first occupant of Charmy Down was No. 87 Squadron RAF, with night-fighting Hawker Hurricanes. In the summer of 1941 Boulton Paul Defiants appeared, and Westland Whirlwinds and Turbinlite Havocs of 125 and 263 squadrons respectively were to be seen the following year. 137 Squadron replaced No 263 Squadron in September 1941. In November 1941, 417 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force was formed here.
During 1942 various other squadrons were posted to Charmy Down including 533 Squadron which was formed on 8 September 1942, from No. 1454 (Turbinlite) Flight, as part of No. 10 Group RAF in Fighter Command. Instead of operating only Turbinlite and Airborne Intercept (AI) radar equipped aircraft (Havocs and Bostons) and working together with a normal night fighter unit, such as the Hawker Hurricanes of 87 Squadron, the unit also flew their own Hurricanes. It was disbanded at Charmy Down on 25 January 1943, since Turbinlite squadrons were, due to lack of success and the rapid development of AI radar, deemed to be superfluous.
A Supermarine Spitfire Operational Training Unit took over in 1943 and stayed until the airfield was turned over to the USAAF in November 1943.
United States Army Air Forces use
Charmy Down was known as USAAF Station AAF 487 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and not referred to by its location. The airfield code/USAAF Station Code was "CH".
4th Tactical Air Depot
Service groups were deployed there late in 1943 to operate the 4th Tactical Air Depot, which was intended to repair, modify and maintain Allison-engined fighter types, primarily Lockheed P-38 Lightnings and North American P-51 Mustangs.
For unrecorded reasons, it was decided to transfer this operation to Kingston Bagpuize early in 1944, possibly for better local logistics and communications in the Oxford area. Nevertheless, IX Air Force Service Command activities continued at Charmy Down until the autumn of 1944.
422d, 423d and 425th Night Fighter Squadrons
The Ninth Air Force was scheduled to receive three night fighter squadrons with a mission to effect night air defence of US airfields when these were established on the Continent. RAF Charmy Down was selected as an airfield for these squadrons which would arrive individually, not as part of a group, and were to be equipped with the new Northrop P-61 Black Widow.
Personnel of the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron arrived first on 7 March 1944 and had their aircrews posted to various RAF night fighter and signal schools for theatre indoctrination.
Postwar use
After the end of hostilities in Europe, the airfield returned to the RAF. There was little flying from the station although it was not officially closed until October 1946. From January 1946 to October 1946, No 92 Gliding School, Air Training Corps used the airfield and it was home to the Personnel Resettlement Centre for Australians.
In the 1950s, Charmy Down was included at a low priority on the list of sites for the deployment of the ROTOR radar system. Construction started in May 1953 but was abandoned in April 1955, and only groundworks remain.
Explore on the day
I had no idea what I would find. The day began inauspiciously with a tantrum from one of the kids delaying their departure to the other half’s mum’s. Also delayed my departure! But an hour later I was on my way and pedaling through Bath. Trusting in my knowledge of the area I immediately pedaled up the wrong hill.
Wait, I’m not supposed to be in Wiltshire!
But still, I did get the opportunity to look down this beautiful stretch of the Fosse Way. No prizes for guessing who built it.
Right here we go, finally made it.
Yup, worth the trip, and still accessible. Very grim places, I would not want to head into one of these knowing I was going to use it in anger, very claustrophobic.
Wait what’s that on the skyline?
Moo-dy
Blige! That’s nice.
And still accessible.
Original fixtures and fittings!
It would be rude not to.
Stalactites
More pillboxes
I’d seen these on the way in, no idea what they were. I think now they were readiness rooms for the night-fighter crew, but if so what’s the metalwork in the ceiling?
As soon as I saw this place I thought butts! But I was thinking small arms butts for the station personnel. Further research reveals these were actually for the calibration of the aircraft armaments. In order to use these aircraft had to be tied down to prevent the recoil moving them. Love my bike's rear tyre just peaking round the corner.
A couple of hours later I was back on my bike and pedalling for home. Stopping off in Bath for delicious crispy duck and ho-fun noodles enjoyed in a deserted city.
All in all a great day, 60km covered, some beautiful scenery and a real treat to find the control tower. It’s especially nice that there was not ONE PIECE OF GRAF in the control tower. Either it’s
too much hassle to get to or the ‘artists’ realise that defacing it would be a defilement…yeah who am I trying to kid? Amazingly the airfield was the site of a rave last summer, but this seems to have been concentrated around the ‘readiness rooms’.
Plenty more to look at, especially when you start comparing old aerial photos of the site with google maps.
Hope you enjoyed as much as I did! The icing on the cake was getting home to a quiet house and enjoying a hot bath and some internet research of the place all by myself – those with kids know!
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