RAF Boreham

The primary reason for the closure of RAF Boreham as an active airfield was the end of World War II. It was constructed as a temporary wartime base and, like hundreds of other airfields across the UK, became surplus to military requirements during the post-war demobilization and reduction of the Royal Air Force.

The site of the former RAF Boreham has been extensively redeveloped and is no longer recognizable as an airfield from the ground, although its layout is still visible from the air. The land has multiple uses:

- **Ford Motor Company Proving Ground:** A significant portion of the main runway and perimeter track was converted into the 'Boreham Circuit' for motor racing in 1952. While major public racing ceased in the 1970s, the Ford Motor Company acquired the site and continues to use it as a private test track and vehicle development facility.
- **Industrial and Commercial Use:** The area adjacent to the A12 trunk road has been developed into the Boreham Interchange Business Park, hosting numerous warehouses and commercial units.
- **Gravel Extraction:** Large parts of the former airfield have been used for gravel quarrying, resulting in the creation of several large lakes which are now used for recreational purposes like fishing and watersports.
- **Police and Emergency Services:** For many years, the site hosted a helipad for the Essex Police Air Support Unit and the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance. However, these services have since been consolidated at the nearby North Weald Airfield.

Only a few original wartime buildings and some sections of the concrete runways and taxiways remain, mostly within the confines of the Ford facility.

RAF Boreham, also designated as USAAF Station 161, was a Class A heavy bomber airfield built during 1943-1944. Its historical significance is twofold, having served both the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF).

USAAF Operations:
From its opening until July 1944, Boreham was home to the USAAF's 394th Bombardment Group (Medium), part of the Ninth Air Force. Flying the Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber, the group's primary mission was tactical bombing in preparation for the invasion of Europe. They targeted V-1 flying bomb sites, coastal defenses, bridges, and airfields in occupied France. The 394th provided crucial air support during the D-Day landings in Normandy before relocating to the continent to continue supporting the Allied advance.

RAF Operations:
After the USAAF's departure, the airfield was transferred to RAF No. 38 Group, Bomber Command. It became home to No. 190 Squadron and No. 620 Squadron. These squadrons operated Short Stirlings and Handley Page Halifaxes, not for bombing, but for airborne support roles. They were instrumental in major airborne operations, including towing gliders (such as the General Aircraft Hamilcar) and dropping paratroopers and supplies during Operation Market Garden (the battle for Arnhem) in September 1944 and Operation Varsity (the Rhine Crossing) in March 1945. After the war, the airfield was used for a short period to store and scrap surplus aircraft before being officially closed for flying in 1946.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening RAF Boreham as an airport. The site is fundamentally unsuitable for modern aviation due to extensive and irreversible redevelopment. The presence of the Ford Motor Company's proving ground, a large industrial estate, major quarrying lakes, and its proximity to the busy A12 road make any such proposal completely unfeasible. The land is now far more valuable for its industrial, commercial, and recreational uses.