RAF Oakley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
RAF Oakley was a World War II three-runway airfield between Oakley and Worminghall, Buckinghamshire. It was located in a flat, damp wooded area.
Contents |
[edit] World War II usage
Intended as RAF Westcott's satellite, the land at Field Farm had been requisitioned by the War Office, and the airfield built. Oakley was ready before its parent so, when it opened on 27 May 1942, so it became RAF Bicester's second satellite. August 1942 saw it switched to its intended status and when 11 OTU (Operational Training Unit) moved to Westcott in September 1942, Oakley became that unit's satellite where it placed some of its Vickers Wellington lcs. In autumn 1943, Hercules-engined Wellingtons came increasingly into use and the OTU's air gunnery training section was located at Oakley. Conversion training for bomber crews was Oakley's primary role, which continued to the end of the war during the final year of which most personnel were trained for overseas squadrons.
[edit] Operation Exodus
After the end of hostilities in Europe, orders were received on 2 May 1945 that 300 repatriated prisoners of war were arriving by air at 11:00. All arrangements were made for their reception, and the provision of refreshments laid on in the Social Club. The arrival was, in fact, postponed to later in the day. Seven Dakotas landed with repatriated POWs on the following day and more throughout the month, until by the end of April, 72 Dakotas had brought 1,787 PoWs. Operation Exodus was in full swing and May 1945 was even busier with 443 Avro Lancasters, 103 Dakotas, 51 Halifaxes, 31 B-24 Liberators, 3 Stirlings, 3 Hudsons and 2 Flying Fortresses bringing 15,088 personnel. The airfield will be remembered by many a prisoner of war who, after release from the Continent, first stood upon the soil of freedom as he stepped on to Oakley.
[edit] Closure
Oakley closed to flying in August 1945, but remains very visibly a wartime airfield, whose main runway remains largely intact like a 'T2' hangar retaining its wartime black finish. Temporary brick wartime buildings stand alongside and Oakley holds one special feature, a well-preserved 'B1' hangar.
[edit] Trivia
- RAF Oakley was the fictional air force base in England in the film Pearl Harbor, which was actually filmed at Badminton House.
- A hangar at RAF Oakley was actually used as a filmset in the James Bond film Octopussy
