RAF Atcham

The primary reason for closure was military drawdown following the end of World War II. As hostilities ceased, the vast number of airfields built across the UK became surplus to peacetime requirements. RAF Atcham was deemed no longer necessary for operational use by either the Royal Air Force or the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF).

The former airfield site is now the location of the **Atcham Business Park** (also known as Atcham Industrial Estate). Many of the original concrete runways, perimeter tracks, and hardstands are still visible and have been repurposed as roads and foundations for modern industrial and commercial units. Several original WWII-era buildings, including T2-type hangars and Nissen huts, still stand and are used by various businesses. The basic layout of the airfield remains clearly discernible from aerial views, serving as a tangible reminder of its wartime past.

RAF Atcham holds significant historical importance, primarily as a major United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) base during World War II.

- **Construction and Early Use (1941-1942):** Opened in early 1941, it was initially intended as a satellite airfield for the nearby RAF Tern Hill, operating under RAF Fighter Command. Early operations involved squadrons flying Supermarine Spitfires.

- **USAAF Arrival (1942):** In mid-1942, the airfield was transferred to the USAAF, becoming one of the first major American air bases in the United Kingdom. It was designated as USAAF Station 342.

- **Key USAAF Operations:** The airfield was the first operational base for fighters of the US 8th Air Force. It initially hosted the 31st Fighter Group, flying Spitfires, before they deployed for the invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch). It later became a crucial Combat Crew Replacement Center and Fighter Training Group base. The 495th Fighter Training Group, based at Atcham from 1943 to 1945, was responsible for training thousands of replacement pilots for the 8th and 9th Air Forces, flying aircraft such as the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-38 Lightning.

- **Post-War Use (1945-1946):** After the departure of the USAAF in 1945, the airfield was returned to the RAF and used by No. 29 Maintenance Unit for storage and disposal of aircraft before its final closure.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Atcham as an airport. The site has been extensively redeveloped for industrial and commercial use for over 60 years. The presence of the established Atcham Business Park, with its numerous buildings and infrastructure built directly on the former runways and operational areas, makes any conversion back to an active airfield economically and logistically unfeasible.