RAF Stoney Cross,
USAAF Station 452, Hampshire
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RAF Stoney Cross,
USAAF Station 452, Hampshire
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Planned as a secret, emergency airfield, Stoney Cross was developed during 1942-43 as an advance base for both fighters and bombers. Occupied by the RAF from January 1943, before construction was completed, the station had eventually three concrete runways, 51 pan plus 11 loop hard standings, and three T2 plus six blister hangars. Allocated to the Ninth Air Force in March 1944 as a forward base for tactical fighters, it was occupied from April to July 1944 by the 367th Fighter Group, equipped with P-38s. The 387th Bomb Group, equipped with B-26s, next occupied the station from July to September 1944. Handed back to the RAF in September 1944, it was used as a transport base until 1946 and closed in 1948. As part of the New Forest Crown land, the site was taken over by the Forestry Commission in the 1950s, which removed most of the concrete parts from the airfield during the 1960s to establish new plantations. Three car parks and two camping sites were set up on wartime aircraft dispersals to create a public recreation area. "American Air Museum".
There were three stages of 'A' type bomber station design, as far as I see it.
1 - early stage with circular bomber dispersals.
2 - middle stage with a mix of circular and scissor dispersals.
3 - later stage with all scissor dispersals.

Dwight D Eisenhower at RAF Stoney Cross.

c.1950 (©Alan Eade via Peter Earley).

At the beginning of January 1945 and began operation under Transport Command. Equipped with Stirling’s, the Squadron operated the service to the Far East between Stoney Cross and Arkonam via Poona and between Stoney Cross, and Dum Dum

RAF Stoney Cross,
USAAF Station 452, Hampshire
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Details

RAF Stoney Cross,
USAAF Station 452, Hampshire
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RAF Stoney Cross, Technical, Communal Site 1, Sites,1, 2 & WAAF.

RAF Stoney Cross Sites No.'s 2,3,4,5 & 6.

RAF Stoney Cross my old site.

Site No.5.

Control Tower.

USAAF Lockheed P-38J Lightning, "Scrap Iron IV", 1944.

© 2013 Richard Drew