Former RAF Polebrook

 Second World War 1939-1945, abandoned / shut down, RAF - Royal Air Force, draw only border, Army Air Field US, historical layer / disappeared object, former air force base

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On September 1, 1941, Bomber Command formed No. 8 Group with headquarters at Brampton, near Huntingdon, to control squadrons to be formed to fly the American made Fortress and Liberator heavy bombers on several new airfields in the untingdon/Northamptonshire area. However, the United States entry into hostilities, and the plan to base a USAAF heavy bomber force in the UK, saw this airfield grouping handed over to the Americans, which led to the disbandment of No. 8 Group in January 1942. Nevertheless, one of the airfields earmarked for the original No. 8 Group did come into operational use during the summer of 1941 for the first Fortresses received by the RAF - Polebrook.

In May 1941, No. 90 Squadron was reformed at Watton under No. 2 Group, then some days later transferred to West Raynham to operate the Fortress I. As this airfield was found unsuitable for the aircraft, its satellite at Great Massingham was used for a few weeks but it was clear the type demanded a smoother and longer take-off run when fully loaded so in June the squadron moved to Polebrook.

Located 3.5 miles east-south-east of Oundle, the airfield was built on Rothchild estate land from August 1940, George Wimpey & Co. Ltd being the main contractor. The concrete runway lengths were 08-26 at 1,280 yards, 14-32 at 1,200 yards and 02-20, 1,116 yards. Thirty square hardstandings, most on the eastern side, were reached by very long access tracks. The weapons store was unusual in that it lay within the perimeter track at the southern end. One Type J and two Type T2 hangars were erected on the technical site outside the northern perimeter with the domestic sites dispersed in woodland beyond. Several of the hardstandings and taxiways were still under construction when the squadron arrived.

No. 90's Fortress Is were used for very high-altitude attacks in daylight, the first operation from Polebrook being flown on July 8, 1941 when three Fortresses were despatched to a target at Wilhelmshaven. Their last raid launched from Polebrook was on September 2, 1941. While in residence No. 90 was then the sole operational squadron assigned to No. 8 Group and, before it was disbanded on February 12, 1942, its remaining aircraft and crews were only involved in experimentation and training. Although two Fortresses were missing from operations conducted from Kinloss, the only loss resulting from a raid flown from Polebrook involved a badly battle-damaged aircraft that crash landed at a south-coast airfield.

USAAF Station 110
With the departure of No. 90 Squadron work was put in hand to extend the runway lengths, increase the number of hardstandings and domestic accommodation for USAAF occupation. The first American units arrived in June 1942, and the station was subsequently occupied by the 97th Bomb Group from July to November 1942 and the 351st Bomb Group from May 1943 to June 1945, both formations being equipped with B-17 Fortresses.


Thor Missile Base
Post-war the station came under No. 273 Maintenance Unit and the airfield was kept in useable state until October 1948 when it was closed. Agriculture returned to the flying field but in 1959 No. 130 Squadron was formed at Polebrook to operate three Thor missile emplacements constructed in the centre of the airfield. The rockets were removed and the unit disbanded in August 1963. Thereafter the land was repurchased by the Rothchild estate and the St Ives Sand and Gravel company broke up all concrete apart from the ends of runways 02 and 32 during the next decade. In 1999 the airfield has few reminders of its wartime past.