RAF Shellingford
Encyclopedia
RAF Shellingford was a Royal Air Force
station located approximately 4 miles east of the town of Faringdon
in Oxfordshire
. It occupied land adjacent to the A417 road
, between the villages of Shellingford
and Stanford-in-the-Vale.
Much of the former aerodrome has now been given over to quarrying
activities, where significant sand and gravel deposits continue to be extracted to this day. Some of the original technical buildings still exist, and can be seen from the road. Other parts of the aerodrome are given over to agricultural
use, and a small industrial estate occupies the remainder of the site.
No 3 EFTS were located at RAF Shellingford with some 56 Tiger Moth
s and a communal site was established for all ranks at nearby Stanford-in-the-Vale. British Army pilots trained here as glider pilots from 1943, the base being one of many assisting in the training of Horsa Glider
pilots in preparation for the D-Day
landings of 1944.
Royal Netherlands Air Force
pilots also received training at Shellingford in 1946.
No.3 EFTS departed in 1948, the aerodrome closing on 31 March 1948 as the RAF gradually wound down following the Second World War. However, the airifeld was re-opened briefly for use by the United States Air Force
in the 1950s.
USAF 7568 Material Squadron provided radar maintenance for the 32nd Brigade whose task was to provide the air defence for all USAF SAC bases in the UK.
RAF Shellingford closed to the USAF in early 1957 with the 7568 MS moving to Denham Studios, near Uxbridge
, as the 7500 Air Base Group.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
station located approximately 4 miles east of the town of Faringdon
Faringdon
Faringdon is a market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the edge of the Thames Valley, between the River Thames and the Ridgeway...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. It occupied land adjacent to the A417 road
A417 road
-Streatley - Gloucester :It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 to Wantage, over the picturesque Berkshire Downs. In Wantage, it negotiates the market place -Streatley - Gloucester (M5):It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 (between Reading and Wallingford) to Wantage,...
, between the villages of Shellingford
Shellingford
Shellingford, historically also spelt Shillingford is a village and civil parish about south-east of Faringdon in the Vale of White Horse. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 Local Government Act transferred it to Oxfordshire....
and Stanford-in-the-Vale.
Much of the former aerodrome has now been given over to quarrying
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
activities, where significant sand and gravel deposits continue to be extracted to this day. Some of the original technical buildings still exist, and can be seen from the road. Other parts of the aerodrome are given over to agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
use, and a small industrial estate occupies the remainder of the site.
Military use
RAF Shellingford was opened for use as a practice landing field for Elementary Flying Training in 1931, the aerodrome being of grass. It opened for night flying on 25 September 1941.No 3 EFTS were located at RAF Shellingford with some 56 Tiger Moth
De Havilland Tiger Moth
The de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer. The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk in 1952, when many of the surplus aircraft...
s and a communal site was established for all ranks at nearby Stanford-in-the-Vale. British Army pilots trained here as glider pilots from 1943, the base being one of many assisting in the training of Horsa Glider
Airspeed Horsa
The Airspeed AS.51 Horsa was a British World War II troop-carrying glider built by Airspeed Limited and subcontractors and used for air assault by British and Allied armed forces...
pilots in preparation for the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings of 1944.
Royal Netherlands Air Force
Royal Netherlands Air Force
The Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on 1 July 1913, with four pilots...
pilots also received training at Shellingford in 1946.
No.3 EFTS departed in 1948, the aerodrome closing on 31 March 1948 as the RAF gradually wound down following the Second World War. However, the airifeld was re-opened briefly for use by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in the 1950s.
USAF 7568 Material Squadron provided radar maintenance for the 32nd Brigade whose task was to provide the air defence for all USAF SAC bases in the UK.
RAF Shellingford closed to the USAF in early 1957 with the 7568 MS moving to Denham Studios, near Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
, as the 7500 Air Base Group.