RAF Chilbolton

The airfield was closed as part of the widespread military drawdown and rationalization of airfields in the United Kingdom following the end of World War II. It was deemed surplus to the operational requirements of the post-war Royal Air Force.

The site is now home to the world-renowned Chilbolton Observatory, a major facility for atmospheric and radio science research. It is operated by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) RAL Space. The observatory's most prominent feature is a 25-meter, fully steerable dish antenna, which functions as an advanced meteorological and research radar. The site also hosts a suite of other instruments, including cloud radars, lidars, and radiometers, making it a crucial site for studying weather, climate, and space. While the main runways have been removed or repurposed, parts of the original perimeter track and some airfield buildings are still in use as access roads and facilities for the observatory.

RAF Chilbolton was a significant airfield during World War II. It opened in 1940 as a satellite station for RAF Middle Wallop, initially hosting RAF Fighter Command squadrons flying Hurricanes and Spitfires. In 1943, it was allocated to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and designated as USAAF Station 404. It became a key base for the USAAF Ninth Air Force, hosting fighter groups equipped with P-47 Thunderbolts and later P-51 Mustangs. These units provided tactical air support for the D-Day landings and subsequent Allied advance across France and into Germany. After the USAAF departed in 1945, the airfield was returned to the RAF and was used by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) from nearby Boscombe Down for test and evaluation flights until flying operations ceased.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Chilbolton as an airport. The site is now occupied by critical, high-value scientific infrastructure of international importance. The significant investment in the Chilbolton Observatory and its ongoing research mission make any conversion back to aviation use extremely unlikely.