RAF Blakehill Farm facts for kids

Quick facts for kids RAF Blakehill Farm
Cricklade, Wiltshire in England
Dakotas of No. 233 Squadron RAF lined up on the perimeter track at RAF Blakehill Farm, for an exercise with the 6th Airborne Division, 20 April 1944
RAF Blakehill Farm Shown within Wiltshire
Coordinates	51°37′20″N 1°53′20″W / 51.62222°N 1.88889°W / 51.62222; -1.88889
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Transport Command
Site history
Built	1943 (1943)
In use	1944-1952 (1952)
Battles/wars	Second World War
Airfield information
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete

Aerial photograph of RAF Blakehill Farm, 17 July 1943. The technical and barrack sites are to the right (east) of the airfield.

RAF Blakehill Farm was a special airfield in Wiltshire, England. It was a base for the Royal Air Force (RAF). This means it was a place where military aircraft took off and landed. The airfield was used from 1944 to 1952. It is located southwest of Cricklade.

History of RAF Blakehill Farm

Building the Airfield

Work on RAF Blakehill Farm started in 1943. It was built during World War II. The airfield was first planned for the American air force. However, they never actually used it.

Busy Years During World War II

The airfield opened in 1944. It became a home for transport aircraft. These planes belonged to RAF Transport Command. Their job was to move supplies and people. They played a big part in the war effort.

After the War: Training and Closure

After World War II ended, the airfield was still in use. In 1948, it became a smaller base. It was used for training aircraft. These planes helped pilots learn new skills. The airfield closed down in 1952. After that, the land was used for farming again.

From Airfield to Nature Reserve

Today, RAF Blakehill Farm is no longer an airfield. It has been turned into a beautiful Wiltshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve. This means it's a protected area for plants and animals. It's a great example of how old military sites can be used for nature.

Aircraft and Squadrons

Many different aircraft and RAF units used Blakehill Farm. Most of the planes were transport aircraft. They helped move important things during the war.

• Douglas Dakota: This was a very common transport plane. Many squadrons used it here.
  • No. 233 Squadron RAF
  • No. 271 Squadron RAF
  • No. 437 Squadron RCAF (a Canadian squadron)
  • No. 575 Squadron RAF

• Waco Hadrian: This was a type of glider. Gliders are planes without engines. They are pulled by other aircraft.
  • No. 22 Heavy Glider Conversion Unit RAF used these gliders for training.

Some other units also used the airfield. These included training schools and special flights. They helped with radio training and other important tasks.

Secret Role After the War

After World War II, RAF Blakehill Farm had a secret job. A government group called GCHQ set up a special station there. GCHQ is a British intelligence and security agency. They work to protect the UK from threats.

This secret station was for "experimental radio research." It had huge communication masts. These masts were arranged in mysterious patterns. They were used for top-secret research. The site was active until the mid-1990s. You can still see traces of the old mast bases in satellite pictures today.