SP9115 : Marsworth Airfield (8) - Strong Room

near to Marsworth, Buckinghamshire, Great Britain

Marsworth Airfield (8) - Strong Room
Marsworth Airfield (8) - Strong Room
Like SP9115 : Marsworth Airfield (7) - Brick built unit this unit is brick-built and considerably stronger than most of the units on the site. As can be seen it has no windows at all, and I think that it is this building which contains a strong room accessed via a blast-proof door. This may have been used to house explosives, but I am only surmising. I would welcome any information, especially from anyone who actually served on this base in or after the war. Next image in sequence SP9115 : Marsworth Airfield (9) - Dug-out beside Nissen Hut

* Please Note: This former airfield is a private site and permission is required to gain access *

General comments common to all photos in this sequence:
This old airfield is known by several names, such as RAF Cheddington, RAF Marsworth, Cheddington Airfield etc. I am using Marsworth Airfield as the title throughout this series of photos as that is probably its commonest name nowadays.
The airfield opened in March 1942 as RAF Cheddington, a satellite airfield to Wing. Wellington Bombers flew training missions out of here under the auspices of 26 Operational Training Unit. In September 1942 control of the airfield was passed to the US Army Airforce (USAAF). As a result the airfield became home to the B-24 Liberators of three squadrons (66th, 67th & 68th) of the Eighth Airforce 44th Bombardment Group. Quite soon however these squadrons were moved to Norfolk, and the RAFs 26th OTU returned. More training missions were flown from here during early 1943, and then in August of that year the US 8th Airforce returned, becoming Station 113. During 1944 several Bombardment squadrons flew special missions over Europe using mainly B24 Liberators, but also some B17 Flying Fortresses. These specials missions mostly involved leaflet drops, and document drops (such as fake ration books to disrupt the enemy's economy), but also involved early electronic warfare jamming RADAR and creating false signals etc.
The airfield passed to the British Army once the War was over, and closed in 1952 since when it has mostly slowly decayed, though some of the buildings are used for small industrial purposes, and the northern end of the airfield nearer Cheddington is home to some newer industrial units.
Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Rob Farrow and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
year taken
2006
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SP9115, 13 images   (more nearby)
Photographer
Rob Farrow   (find more nearby)
Image classification
Geograph
Date Taken
Sunday, 7 May, 2006   (more nearby)
Submitted
Monday, 20 July, 2009
Category
Airfield (disused)   (more nearby)
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SP 9126 1523 [10m precision]
WGS84: 51:49.6946N 0:40.6282W
Photographer Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SP 9126 1527
View Direction
SOUTH (about 180 degrees)
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