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{{ref improve|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox Military Structure
|name= RAF Barford St John
[[Image:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg|80px]]
[[Image:United States Air Forces in Europe.png|60px]]
|partof=[[USAFE|United States Air Forces in Europe]] (USAFE)
|location= Located near [[Bloxham]] [[Oxfordshire]], [[England]]
|coordinates={{coord|52|0|16.92|N|001|21|28.55|W|}}
|type= Military Airfield
|code=BJ
|built=1941
|used=RAF 1941–46,<br>USAF 1951–present
|controlledby=[[Royal Air Force]]<BR>[[United States Air Force]]
|garrison=[[RAF Bomber Command]]<BR>[[Air Force Communications Service]]<BR>[[USAFE|United States Air Forces in Europe]]
|battles= [[European Theatre of World War II]]<BR>Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945
{{Location map|Oxfordshire
|caption= RAF Station Barford St John, shown within Oxfordshire
|lat= 52.02
|long= -1.371
|width= 200
}}
}}
'''Royal Air Force Station Barford St John''' or '''RAF Barford St John''' is a [[Royal 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]].

==History==
RAF Station Barford St John was opened on 30 July 1941 as a training facility for [[RAF Flying Training Command]]. It had three grass runways, used primarily by [[Airspeed Oxford]]s 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 and No 16 Operational Training Unit was stationed there with [[Vickers Wellington]]s until December 1944. No 1655 [[De Havilland Mosquito|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<ref name=OxfordMail>{{cite news |title=Base's special place in aviation history |last=Crossley |first=William |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/9259692.Base_s_special_place_in_aviation_history/ |newspaper=[[Oxford Mail]] |date=20 September 2011 |accessdate=26 September 2011}}</ref> 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<ref name=OxfordMail/> 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==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
{{Portal box|Royal Air Force|United States Air Force}}
*[[List of former Royal Air Force stations]]
*[[USAFE|United States Air Forces in Europe]]

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{{Infobox Military Structure
{{Infobox Military Structure
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{{Commons category|RAF Barford St John}}
{{Commons category|RAF Barford St John}}
*[http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/jsp/map_print.jsp?mapX=444200&mapY=234100&zoomLevel=7&isNI=n&mapAction=zoomabs&isGeo=y Ordnance survey map showing aerials on the site]
*[http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/jsp/map_print.jsp?mapX=444200&mapY=234100&zoomLevel=7&isNI=n&mapAction=zoomabs&isGeo=y Ordnance survey map showing aerials on the site]
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* [http://www.pixture.co.uk WW2 Airfields of Oxfordshire]


{{Royal Air Force}}
{{USAF Bases in the UK}}
{{USAF Bases in the UK}}
{{RAF-stub}}
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[[Category:Royal Air Force stations in Oxfordshire]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force stations in Oxfordshire]]
[[Category:Bases of the United States Air Force in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Bases of the United States Air Force in the United Kingdom]]
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[http://www.pixture.co.uk Category:WW2 Airfields of Oxfordshire]

Revision as of 18:25, 17 November 2013

RAF Barford St John

Part of United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE)
Located near Bloxham Oxfordshire, England
Coordinates52°0′16.92″N 001°21′28.55″W / 52.0047000°N 1.3579306°W / 52.0047000; -1.3579306
TypeMilitary Airfield
CodeBJ
Site information
Controlled byRoyal Air Force
United States Air Force
Site history
Built1941
In useRAF 1941–46,
USAF 1951–present
Battles/warsEuropean Theatre of World War II
Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945
RAF Barford St John is located in Oxfordshire
RAF Barford St John
class=notpageimage|
RAF Station Barford St John, shown within Oxfordshire
Garrison information
GarrisonRAF Bomber Command
Air Force Communications Service
United States Air Forces in Europe

Royal Air Force Station Barford St John or RAF Barford St John is a Royal 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.

History

RAF Station Barford St John was opened on 30 July 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 and 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

  1. ^ a b Crossley, William (20 September 2011). "Base's special place in aviation history". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 26 September 2011.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to RAF Barford St John.
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