RAF Chedworth

The primary reason for closure was military downsizing. With the end of World War II, the vast network of airfields built for the war effort was no longer required. RAF Chedworth was deemed surplus to the post-war requirements of the Royal Air Force.

The site has been largely returned to agricultural use, with fields covering much of the former airfield. However, significant remnants are still visible. The outlines of the three main runways and the perimeter track can be clearly seen from satellite imagery, though they are now mostly degraded farm tracks. A portion of the former technical site is now occupied by the Chedworth Airfield Industrial Estate, where some original wartime buildings have been repurposed for light industrial and commercial use. The control tower was demolished many years ago. The site is private land, but the history is preserved through historical records and visible scars on the landscape.

RAF Chedworth was a significant World War II airfield that played a crucial role in training and operational preparations.

- **Construction and Opening:** Built as a standard Class A bomber airfield, it opened in April 1942.

- **Initial Role (Training):** It was initially assigned to No. 23 Group, Flying Training Command. Its first occupants were No. 3 Flying Instructors School, flying Airspeed Oxfords. This was later replaced by No. 3 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit, which also used Oxfords to train pilots transitioning to multi-engine aircraft.

- **Night Fighter Training:** In March 1943, the station's role changed significantly when it became a satellite airfield for RAF Aston Down, under the control of No. 52 Operational Training Unit (OTU). This unit was responsible for training night fighter crews. Aircraft operated from Chedworth during this period included the Bristol Beaufighter and, later, the highly effective de Havilland Mosquito. Crews trained here went on to defend the UK from night-time raids and conduct intruder missions over occupied Europe.

- **USAAF Involvement (D-Day Preparations):** In early 1944, the airfield was temporarily used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The 44th Troop Carrier Squadron of the 316th Troop Carrier Group used Chedworth for glider towing practice with their Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft and Waco CG-4A gliders. This was part of the intensive training and build-up for the D-Day landings in Normandy.

- **Post D-Day:** After the USAAF departed, No. 52 OTU returned with their Mosquitoes and continued training operations until the unit was disbanded in June 1945, marking the end of active flying at the station.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Chedworth as an operational airfield. The essential infrastructure, such as the control tower and hangars, has been demolished or repurposed, and the runways are in a state of disrepair and integrated into farmland. The site's conversion to agricultural and light industrial use makes any future aviation-related reactivation highly improbable.