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Contents

   



(Top)
 


1 History  



1.1  Royal Air Force  





1.2  United States Army Air Forces use  



1.2.1  1st Fighter Group  





1.2.2  48th Fighter Group  





1.2.3  367th Fighter Group  









2 Current use  





3 See also  





4 References  



4.1  Citations  





4.2  Bibliography  







5 External links  














RAF Ibsley







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Coordinates: 50°5246N 001°4650W / 50.87944°N 1.78056°W / 50.87944; -1.78056
 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 


RAF Ibsley
USAAF Station AAF-347

Ibsley, Hampshire in England
Aerial Photo of Ibsley Airfield, January 1944. Note the runway extension to the 01 runway at the south side of the airfield, with the perimeter track extension.
RAF Ibsley is located in Hampshire
RAF Ibsley

RAF Ibsley

Shown within Hampshire

Coordinates50°52′46N 001°46′50W / 50.87944°N 1.78056°W / 50.87944; -1.78056
TypeSatellite Station
CodeIB
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
1942 & 1944
Controlled byRAF Fighter Command
1941-42 & 1942-44 & 1944-45
RAF Transport Command
1945-47
Site history
Built1940 (1940)/41
In useFebruary 1941 - 1947 (1947)
Battles/warsEuropean theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation24 metres (79 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
01/19 1,320 metres (4,331 ft) Grass
05/23 1,140 metres (3,740 ft) Grass
14/32 1,000 metres (3,281 ft) Grass

Royal Air Force Ibsley or more simply RAF Ibsley is a former Royal Air Force stationinHampshire, England. The airfield is near the village of Ibsley, about 2 miles (3 km) north of Ringwood and about 85 miles (137 km) southwest of London.

A perimeter track with three runways were laid out and 18 fighter pens allowing 46 fighters to stand in relative safety. 12 Blister and two Bellman hangars were built and ten dispersed accommodation sites were laid out to the north for the airmen & women. A double cupola Battle Head Quarters, two Control Towers (one small and one large)[2]

History[edit]

RAF Ibsley on a target dossier of the German Luftwaffe, 1942

Royal Air Force[edit]

The airfield was initially used by No. 32 Squadron RAF with Hawker Hurricanes, followed by No. 118 Squadron RAF with Supermarine Spitfires.[3]

In 1941 it was used as a location for the film The First of the Few.[4]

The following units were here at some point:[5]

  • No. 66 Squadron RAF (1942-43)
  • No. 118 Squadron RAF (1942-43)
  • No. 124 Squadron RAF
  • No. 129 Squadron RAF (1943)
  • No. 165 Squadron RAF (1943)
  • No. 170 Squadron RAF
  • No. 175 Squadron RAF
  • No. 234 Squadron RAF (1941-42)
  • No. 257 Squadron RAF
  • No. 263 Squadron RAF (1943-44)
  • No. 268 Squadron RAF
  • No. 302 Polish Fighter Squadron (1941)
  • No. 310 Squadron RAF (1943)
  • No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF (1943-44)
  • No. 313 Squadron RAF (1944)
  • No. 421 Squadron RCAF (1942)
  • No. 453 Squadron RAAF (1943)
  • No. 501 Squadron RAF (1942)
  • No. 504 Squadron RAF (1942-43)
  • No. 587 Squadron RAF
  • No. 616 Squadron RAF (1943)
  • No 7 Flying Instructors School RAF
  • No. 16 Casualty Air Evacuation Unit
  • No. 17 Casualty Air Evacuation Unit
  • No. 21 Sector RAF
  • No. 134 (Czech) Airfield
  • No. 147 (Night Fighter) Wing RAF
  • No. 150 Staging Post
  • No. 160 Staging Post
  • No. 200 Staging Post
  • No. 201 Staging Post
  • No. 302 (Transport) Wing RAF
  • No. 2763 Squadron RAF Regiment
  • No. 2772 Squadron RAF Regiment
  • No. 2800 Squadron RAF Regiment
  • No. 2888 Squadron RAF Regiment
  • No. 4043 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment
  • Glider Pick-up Training Flight
  • Ibsley was also used, for short periods, in 1942 and 1944, by the United States Army Air Forces[6]

    United States Army Air Forces use[edit]

    Ibsley was known as USAAF Station AAF-347 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and by which it was referred to instead of location. Its USAAF Station Code was "IB".

    USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Ibsley were:[7]

    329th and 79th Service Squadrons; HHS 327th Service Group

    Regular Army Station Units included:

    1st Fighter Group[edit]

    The first USAAF unit to use Ibsley was the Eighth Air Force 1st Fighter Group, equipped with Lockheed P-38 Lightnings. The 1st FG arrived from RAF Goxhill on 24 August 1942. Tactical squadrons of the group and squadron fuselage codes were:

    The stay of the 1st FG was short, being assigned to Twelfth Air Force for duty in the Mediterranean theater in support of the Operation Torch North African landings.

    On 16 October 1943 RAF Ibsley was allocated to the Ninth Air Force.

    48th Fighter Group[edit]

    Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt Serial 44-33204 of the 493d Fighter Squadron
    P-47Ds of the 48th Fighter Group at an advanced landing ground

    With construction completed, on 29 March 1944 the Ninth Air Force 48th Fighter Group arrived at Ibsley from Waterboro AAF, South Carolina (32°55′19N 80°38′00W / 32.921817°N 80.633297°W / 32.921817; -80.633297 (Waterboro AAF)). The 48th flew the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and had the following fighter squadrons and fuselage codes:

    The 48th was a group of Ninth Air Force's 70th Fighter Wing, IX Tactical Air Command. Ibsley continued to be used by the 48th FG until 4 July when the last personnel left.

    367th Fighter Group[edit]

    Lockheed P-38 Lightning of the 394th Fighter Squadron wearing D-Day invasion markings, June 1944

    Arriving on the heels of the departing 48th FG, the 367th Fighter Group arrived at Ibsley on 6 July 1944 from RAF Stoney Cross. The 367th flew Lockheed P-38 Lightnings. Tactical squadrons of the group and squadron fuselage codes were:

    The 367th was a group of Ninth Air Force's 70th Fighter Wing, IX Tactical Air Command. The 392d and 393d and 394th Fighter Squadrons went to Carentan (ALG A-10), Cretteville (ALG A-14) and Reuxeville (ALG A-6) respectively.

    Current use[edit]

    Today the airfield consists mostly of a series of gravel pits and large landscaped lakes. One lake is overlooked by the derelict, windowless control tower, although plans for The Landmark Trust to restore and repurpose this building as holiday accommodation were revealed by The Guardian newspaper in July 2023. A very small section of the end of runway 01 still exists south of Ellingham Drove at the southern part of the airfield.

    A small memorial is located near the control tower 50°52′45N 001°46′34.00″W / 50.87917°N 1.7761111°W / 50.87917; -1.7761111.

    See also[edit]

    References[edit]

    Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

    Citations[edit]

    1. ^ Falconer 1998, p. 53.
  • ^ "RAF Ibsley, Hampshire Airfield Site".
  • ^ "RAF Ibsley – Real New Forest Guide". 14 April 2020.
  • ^ "RAF Ibsley – Real New Forest Guide". 14 April 2020.
  • ^ "Ibsley". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  • ^ http://www.rafibsley.co.uk/
  • ^ "Ibsley". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  • ^ "327th Service Group". American Air Museum in Britain. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  • Bibliography[edit]

    External links[edit]


    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RAF_Ibsley&oldid=1223980311"

    Categories: 
    Airfields of the VIII Fighter Command in the United Kingdom
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    Military airbases established in 1941
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    Royal Air Force stations in Hampshire
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