RAF Matching

Post-war military demobilization. With the end of hostilities in Europe, the airfield was deemed surplus to the requirements of the significantly reduced peacetime Royal Air Force.

The airfield is now almost entirely decommissioned and the land has reverted primarily to agricultural use. The main runways and most of the perimeter track were broken up for aggregate in the early 1960s, though their faint outlines can still be seen in aerial imagery. A portion of the former technical site is now a small industrial estate, which includes a concrete block manufacturer (Matching Airfield Blockmakers). A few original buildings and sections of the perimeter track remain in a derelict state. A memorial dedicated to the USAAF 391st Bombardment Group is located in the nearby village of Matching Green.

RAF Matching was a Class A bomber airfield constructed during World War II, opening in 1943. Although built for the RAF, its primary occupants were from the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), who designated it Station 166. It was the base for the 391st Bombardment Group (Medium), which flew Martin B-26 Marauder medium bombers. From February 1944, the 391st BG conducted tactical bombing missions against targets in France, including V-1 flying bomb sites, airfields, and coastal defenses in preparation for the D-Day invasion. After supporting the Normandy campaign, the group moved to France in September 1944. The station was then returned to the RAF and became a key base for No. 100 (Bomber Support) Group, which specialized in electronic warfare. Squadrons such as No. 192 and No. 169 flew de Havilland Mosquitos, Handley Page Halifaxes, and Vickers Wellingtons on electronic countermeasures (ECM) missions to jam and disrupt German radar and communications systems until the end of the war.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Matching as an airport. The site is privately owned, has been extensively redeveloped for agriculture and industry, and lacks the essential infrastructure. Reopening is considered logistically and economically unfeasible.