RAF Abingdon
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RAF Abingdon (IATA: ABB, ICAO: EGUD) was a Royal Air Force station near Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It is now known as Dalton Barracks.
[edit] History
The base was opened in 1932, initially as a training station for RAF Bomber Command. It continued in this role through World War II. From 1940 to 1942, Abingdon's station commander was Herbert Massey.[1]
After World War II RAF Abingdon became part of RAF Transport Command, and also the home of 1 Parachute Training School. On 14 June 1968 a royal review was conducted at RAF Abingdon by Queen Elizabeth II to mark the 50th anniversary of the RAF.
1952 Units at RAF Abingdon:
- Ferry Unit. Aircraft Mosquito, Hornet, Meteor, Vampire and Spitfires. 15 Sabres were ferried from Canada, only 12 arrived. After checks and servicing the Sabres went to RAF Germany.
- 1953: All flying units dispersed to other units to make way for No.s 24 and No.47 Squadrons operating Mark 1, 2 and 4 Hastings. The three Mark 4 Hastings (shiny fleet} belonged to 24 Squadron, WD324, 326 and 500.
- 1953: RAF Abingdon received the freedom of Abingdon.
- 1955: 47 Squadron changed its Hastings for the Blackburn Beverley. Later 24 Squadron moved to RAF Colerne. It was replaced by No. 53 Squadron RAF operating the Beverley.
Besides London University Air Squadron, the Oxford University Air Squadron was based at RAF Abingdon. Abingdon was also the home of no 6 AEF (Air Experience Flight) operating between 6-8 DHC Chipmunks for ATC/CCF Air Cadet flight experience training. 6 AEF was one of a very few locations that offered air cadets the "Air Cadet Navigator" training course, leading to the award of Cadet Navigator Wings.
In the 1980s and 1990s Abingdon became a maintenance field, servicing BAE Hawk,SEPECAT Jaguar and Blackburn Buccaneer MkS2B aircraft. From 1981 many ex-airline Vickers VC10s were stored at the base following their purhcase by the MoD. By the early 1990s the aircraft were either converted to tanker configuration or scrapped.
From 1986 to 1988 RAF Abingdon became home to the Thames Valley Police Air Support Unit, flying a helicopter in support of police operations. It was also the home of the London University Air Squadron in the seventies. An annual airshow took place at RAF Abingdon until the late eighties.
The station was closed in December 1992. It was taken over by the British Army and renamed Dalton Barracks. RAF Benson continues to use Abingdon as a diversion airfield and for helicopter training. 612 Volunteer Glider School continues to fly Grob motorgliders at Abingdon. It lets members of the Air Cadets take part in flying, such as basic Gliding Induction Course (which normally lasts 3 flights), then for cadets over 16 to progress onto a Gliding Scholarship, which over a number of weeks lets cadets learn to fly the aircraft. This culminates in them undertaking in a solo circuit at the controls of the aircraft. Cadets can then take a longer course which includes navigational skills and advanced flight techniques. This leads to a higher class of Scholarship wings.
[edit] Aircrashes
On 6 July 1965 an RAF Handley Page Hastings departing on a Parachute Drop crashed at Little Baldon, with the loss of 41 lives. On 23 September 1988 a Phantom FGR2 crashed at the airfield while practicing for the annual airshow. On 14 September 1989 a Panavia Tornado crashed near the field. d
