RAF Membury, Berkshire. Airfield Site USAAF Station 466

RAF · Berkshire · England · United Kingdom

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

History : the original plan was as a bomber Operational Training Unit (OTU). It was immediately transferred to the USAAF and opened as Station 466. This was to be one of the main reconnaissance bases for the USAAF and housed a number of units operating a variety of types. By late 1943 they had left and Membury was now being used by the 6th Tactical Air Depot within IXth Air Force.

Spitfire Vb BM181 AX-D of the 107th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 67th TRG, Membury, England, 1943.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Our route takes us from south to north, many items that I show have now gone to time and developers. But I believe all the T2 hangars are still in use. TB - Temporary Brick. St - Steel. N - Nissan. PB - Permanent Brick.Our route takes us from south to north, many items that I show have now gone to time and developers. But I believe all the T2 hangars are still in use.
TB - Temporary Brick.
St - Steel.
N - Nissan.
PB - Permanent Brick.

Date AM Record Site Plan 4495/44

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Google the Ramsbury Rd. looking north at Walker Logistics T2 hangar.

Google

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Walker Logistics T2 (1) hangar. In WW1 and right up until WW2, hangars were needed to store aeroplanes. Because they were very fragile. But b the 1930's metal covering started to be the main aircraft skins. So these were much more weather proof. So aircraft were dispersed around the airfield and only brought in to hangars for major servicing and battle damage repairs.

Date 24 August 2014

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

This is the T2 (2) on the right side of the road.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Small building not on the 1944 plan but does show up on a very bad copy I have of the 1953 plan. There were huts all around the fence line and around the back of here.

Date 21 May 2006

1946 air photo, the red is the place of the hut. You can see the huge increase in hutting between 1944 and 1946 when the USAAF used Membury as a depot. I counted at least 20 Romney huts that have been added here. Romney's are the black sheds.

Romney storage shed, made of steel tubing, wood stringers and covered in corrugated iron sheets.

Romney, pipes and wooden stringers covered in Corrugated iron sheets..

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

This is one of three used here and is No. 14.
12 - Maintenance Block - TB - 7793/41.
13 - Maintenance Block - TB - 7793/41.
14 - Maintenance Block - TB - 7793/41.
15 Technical Latrine - TB - 7784/40.
16 - T2 Hangar - St - 8254/40.
17 - Static Water Tank Brick American.
18 - Fire Equipment Building - TB - 4164/41.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Perimeter track running off to the east.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

The east/west runway.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

32 - Gas Defence Centre - TB - 148/40. This is where gas masks would be stored and serviced with other forms of anti-gas clothing.

Date 24 August 2014

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

This picture looks around D-Day, a Thunderbolt crosses the road and US WACO gliders in the background marked up ready for Normandy. The small road is Ramsbury Road today.

Date 1944

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Link road to T2 hangar and Pyro store..

Date 21 May 2006

78 - Control Tower - PB - 12779/41.
83 - RU Pyro - PB - 2847/37.
84 - Locker & Crew Rest Rooms - TB - 1452/42.
85 - Squadron Office - TB - 7791/41.
86 to 88 - Flight Offices - TB - 4785/42.
89 - T2 Hangar - St - 8254/40.
93 - Armoury - TB - 7801/41.78 - Control Tower - PB - 12779/41.
83 - RU Pyro - PB - 2847/37.
84 - Locker & Crew Rest Rooms - TB - 1452/42.
85 - Squadron Office - TB - 7791/41.
86 to 88 - Flight Offices - TB - 4785/42.

89 - T2 Hangar - St - 8254/40.
93 - Armoury - TB - 7801/41. — 78 - Control Tower - PB - 12779/41. 83 - RU Pyro - PB - 2847/37. 84 - Locker & Crew Rest Rooms - TB - 1452/42. 85 - Squadron Office - TB - 7791/41. 86 to 88 - Flight Offices - TB - 4785/42. 89 - T2 Hangar - St - 8254/40. 93 - Armoury - TB - 7801/41.78 - Control Tower - PB - 12779/41. 83 - RU Pyro - PB - 2847/37. 84 - Locker & Crew Rest Rooms - TB - 1452/42. 85 - Squadron Office - TB - 7791/41. 86 to 88 - Flight Offices - TB - 4785/42. 89 - T2 Hangar - St - 8254/40. 93 - Armoury - TB - 7801/41.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Pyrotechnic Store rear . 83 - R.U. Pyro - PB - 2847/37.

Date 21 May 2006

Pyrotechnics that would be removed from an aircraft when it goes into the hangar for servicing/repair.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

A two roomed Pyro store, on the left side is a lightening conductor, two rooms, with steel doors (now removed). I have never seen shelving, but there must have been.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Weston-on-the-Green's Pyro store with its steel doors on.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

89 - T2 Hangar - St - 8254/40. (No.3)

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Six panels to a door, six doors.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Door runners and above the door guides. These make a T2 so noticeable.

Date 21 May 2006

By the hedge was a Blast shelter for 50men 2360/41.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Main runway looking north and on the left would have been the control tower.

Date 21 May 2006 ------------------------------------------------- ------------------- D-Day

How it looked on one of its D-Days, either Normandy, Holland or the Rhine crossing.

American paratroopers dropping in Holland.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

78 - Control Tower - PB - 12779/41.

Date Unknown

A 12779/41 with larger windows fitted below.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

78 - Control Tower - PB - 12779/41. I was sent this photo by one of the young ladies in the photo, unfortunately I have lost all the details.

Date Unknown

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Perimeter track, tower (converted to a house) and the 77 - Fire Tender Shelter - TB - 7802/41.

Date Unknown

How it could have looked.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

75 - Compass Platform PC 60'0" diam. 10936/40.
79 - Sleeve Streamer Mast MAST 5749/36.
77 - Fire Tender Shelter - TB - 7802/41.
78 - Control Tower - PB - 12779/41.
79 - Explosive Store BRICK Local.
80 - Speech Broadcasting - TB - 5648/41.

Date 1946

A Spitfire on a Compass platform having its compass swung.

79 - Sleeve Streamer Mast MAST - 5749/36.

80 - Speech Broadcasting - TB - 5648/41 plan.

There was also a signal square like the one above.

79 - Explosive Store BRICK Local would have looked very like a Pyro store, to store pyrotechnic flairs used to signal aircraft.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Main runway looking south.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

Looking north/east with the runway crossover.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

102 - T2 Hangar (No.4) - St - 8254/40. Normally only two T2 hangars were provided but here and I know RAF Tarrant Rushton had four hangars. They both were used for transport aircraft.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

A new end now replacing the doors.

Date 24 August 2014

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

40 - Main Workshop - TB - 7799/41.
43 - Static Water Tank - BRICK AMERICAN.
44 - Maintenance Block - TB - 7793/41.
47 - Main Store - -TB - 7798/41.
48 - Photographic Block - TB - 7803/41.
49 - Parachute Store & Tower - TB - 17865/3/ +87482/43.
50 - Gas Clothing Store - TB - 7794/41.
51 - Works Service building - TB - 10151/41.
56 - Operations Block - PB - 15586/40.
60 - Guard House - TB - 7802/41.
96 - Maintenance Block - TB - 7793/41.
101 - Maintenance Block - TB - 7793/41.
102 - T2 Hangar - St - 8254/40.
BS - Blast Shelter.

Date

56 - Operations Block - PB - 15586/40.
A typical operations board
that was used in the Ops Block. (https://www.americanairmuseum.com) — 56 - Operations Block - PB - 15586/40. A typical operations board that was used in the Ops Block. (https://www.americanairmuseum.com)

48 - Photographic Block - TB - 7803/41.
Delivering film.
(https://www.americanairmuseum.com) — 48 - Photographic Block - TB - 7803/41. Delivering film. (https://www.americanairmuseum.com)

Processing film.
(https://www.americanairmuseum.com) — Processing film. (https://www.americanairmuseum.com)

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

40 - Main Workshop - TB - 7799/41.

Date21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

40 - Main Workshop - TB - 7799/41.

Date 24 August 2014

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

40 - Main Workshop - TB - 7799/41. Inside one of the four parts to the workshops.

Date 24 August 2014

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

40 - Main Workshop - TB - 7799/41.

Date 24 August 2014

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

39 - Towed Target Store - TB - 7791/41.

Date 21 May 2006

A Hawker Henley towing a target for anti-aircraft batterie.

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

44 - Maintenance Block - TB - 7793/41. Now I believe removed, but it would be used for repairs to smaller aircraft parts.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

47 - Main Store - TB - 7798/41. This would have been the hub of an airfield, every part coming in would pass through the stores. The tall building was the fabric store and sheets of Irish linen would be hung down from the roof. and it had either bi fold doors or two large wooden doors for access. The two side buildings were more stores.

Date 21 May 2006

Fabric store with bi fold doors still in place.

24 August 2014

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

47 - Main Store - TB - 7798/41.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

47 - Main Store - TB - 7798/41. Around the back.

Date 21 May 2006

RAF Membury, Berkshire Airfield Site

47 - Main Store - TB - 7798/41 Stores in. Everything would have to pass through the middle door and its high enough to back a lorry up to it. There would have been a loading bay.

Date 02 January 2010