RAF Beaulieu

The airfield was closed after being deemed surplus to military requirements following the Second World War. After its primary wartime role ended, it was used by the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment until 1950. With the establishment's relocation and a general post-war military drawdown, the airfield was no longer needed and the land was returned to the Forestry Commission.

The site is now located within the New Forest National Park and has largely been returned to heathland and woodland. The main runways were broken up in the 1960s to facilitate this restoration. However, the perimeter track remains largely intact and is now a popular public cycleway and footpath. Some sections of the original runways and the foundations of former airfield buildings are still visible. The site features memorials dedicated to the squadrons and personnel who served there, including the USAAF 365th Fighter Group and the Czechoslovak airmen. The former communal and accommodation site is now occupied by the Roundhill Campsite, managed by Forestry England.

RAF Beaulieu was a significant multi-role airfield during and immediately after World War II. Opened in August 1942, it initially served as a base for RAF Coastal Command squadrons (including the notable No. 311 Czechoslovak Squadron) flying anti-submarine patrols over the Bay of Biscay in aircraft like the Vickers Wellington and Consolidated Liberator. In early 1944, it was transferred to the USAAF Ninth Air Force, hosting the 365th Fighter Group ('Hell Hawks') and their Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers. This group played a crucial role in providing air support for the D-Day landings and the subsequent Allied advance across Northwest Europe. Post-war, from 1945 to 1950, the airfield became the home of the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment (AFEE), which conducted vital research and development on parachutes, gliders (such as the Airspeed Horsa), and the aerial delivery of heavy equipment, significantly influencing post-war airborne capabilities.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening RAF Beaulieu as an airport. Its location within the highly protected New Forest National Park, a designated area of significant ecological and historical importance, makes any such development unfeasible. The majority of the essential aviation infrastructure, including the runways, was removed over 60 years ago, and the land has been successfully reclaimed by nature and repurposed for public recreation and conservation.