Another solo explore of what remains an old RAF Base.
With thanks to help from @Mikeymutt confirming what I already thought, i popped along one saturday morning. After wandering into the woods from where the industrial Estate is I came across what I assume to be the remains of an old training area, looked like obstacle courses. Moving on it took me a while to realise I had actually been walking in a massive circle before I finally found the place I was looking for. Should have used my map sooner 😂
Lovely place and nice and peaceful, was surprised to find a “house” inside one building that I’m told was used for training. And no bother from farmers with shotguns that I read about on here whilst doing some research.
History -
RAF Rivenhall
Opened in 1942, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces. During the war, it was used primarily as a combat airfield with various fighter and bomber units. After the war, it was closed in 1946 and kept in reserve until 1956.
Today, the remains of the airfield are located on private property with the northern half being turned into a quarry.
Rivenhall was known as USAAF Station AAF-168 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and by which it was referred to instead of location. Its USAAF Station Code was "RL".
On 22 January 1944, a squadron of the 363d Fighter Group arrived from RAF Keevil where it had been awaiting equipment. The group had been selected as the third in the European Theatre to be equipped with the new North American P-51B Mustang. The group consisted of the following operational squadrons:
380th Fighter Squadron (A9)
381st Fighter Squadron (B3)
382d Fighter Squadron (C3)
On 14 April 1944, as part of a general movement of Ninth Air Force fighter units in the Colchester area to the advanced landing grounds, the 363d moved to RAF Staplehurst. The actual movement of all elements had begun two days previously.
On the day following the departure of the 363d, the first Martin B-26 Marauders of the 397th Bombardment Group arrived from RAF Gosfield. The group consisted of the following operational squadrons:
596th Bombardment Squadron (X2)
597th Bombardment Squadron (9F)
598th Bombardment Squadron (U2)
599th Bombardment Squadron (6B)
The group's identification marking was a yellow diagonal band across both sides of the vertical stabiliser.
Early in August, officially on the 5th, the 397th transferred from Rivenhall to RAF Hurn in Hampshire, to give the Marauders a better radius of action as the break-out of the Allied forces from the Normandy beachhead meant that potential targets were receding.
The following units were here at some point:
No. 295 Squadron RAF (1944-46)
No. 570 Squadron RAF (1944-45)
No. 1677 (Target Towing) Flight RAF
Upon its release from military use, in June 1956, Marconi leased part of the airfield and within ten years had taken over most of the surviving buildings. Today, the northern half of the former airfield has been turned into a quarry, with the vast majority of the land in the northwest of the airfield being excavated.
The perimeter track of the airfield has been reduced to a single track agricultural road. All three runways either have been quarried, or substantially reduced in width, with agriculture fields taking over the grass areas of the former airfield. One T-2 hangar remains, along with a scattering of buildings. An automobile salvage yard has taken over some of the hardstands in the east end of the airfield, where once C-47s and gliders were stored. As of 2022, an integrated waste management facility is being constructed on part of the site.
With thanks to help from @Mikeymutt confirming what I already thought, i popped along one saturday morning. After wandering into the woods from where the industrial Estate is I came across what I assume to be the remains of an old training area, looked like obstacle courses. Moving on it took me a while to realise I had actually been walking in a massive circle before I finally found the place I was looking for. Should have used my map sooner 😂
Lovely place and nice and peaceful, was surprised to find a “house” inside one building that I’m told was used for training. And no bother from farmers with shotguns that I read about on here whilst doing some research.
History -
RAF Rivenhall
Opened in 1942, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces. During the war, it was used primarily as a combat airfield with various fighter and bomber units. After the war, it was closed in 1946 and kept in reserve until 1956.
Today, the remains of the airfield are located on private property with the northern half being turned into a quarry.
Rivenhall was known as USAAF Station AAF-168 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and by which it was referred to instead of location. Its USAAF Station Code was "RL".
On 22 January 1944, a squadron of the 363d Fighter Group arrived from RAF Keevil where it had been awaiting equipment. The group had been selected as the third in the European Theatre to be equipped with the new North American P-51B Mustang. The group consisted of the following operational squadrons:
380th Fighter Squadron (A9)
381st Fighter Squadron (B3)
382d Fighter Squadron (C3)
On 14 April 1944, as part of a general movement of Ninth Air Force fighter units in the Colchester area to the advanced landing grounds, the 363d moved to RAF Staplehurst. The actual movement of all elements had begun two days previously.
On the day following the departure of the 363d, the first Martin B-26 Marauders of the 397th Bombardment Group arrived from RAF Gosfield. The group consisted of the following operational squadrons:
596th Bombardment Squadron (X2)
597th Bombardment Squadron (9F)
598th Bombardment Squadron (U2)
599th Bombardment Squadron (6B)
The group's identification marking was a yellow diagonal band across both sides of the vertical stabiliser.
Early in August, officially on the 5th, the 397th transferred from Rivenhall to RAF Hurn in Hampshire, to give the Marauders a better radius of action as the break-out of the Allied forces from the Normandy beachhead meant that potential targets were receding.
The following units were here at some point:
No. 295 Squadron RAF (1944-46)
No. 570 Squadron RAF (1944-45)
No. 1677 (Target Towing) Flight RAF
Upon its release from military use, in June 1956, Marconi leased part of the airfield and within ten years had taken over most of the surviving buildings. Today, the northern half of the former airfield has been turned into a quarry, with the vast majority of the land in the northwest of the airfield being excavated.
The perimeter track of the airfield has been reduced to a single track agricultural road. All three runways either have been quarried, or substantially reduced in width, with agriculture fields taking over the grass areas of the former airfield. One T-2 hangar remains, along with a scattering of buildings. An automobile salvage yard has taken over some of the hardstands in the east end of the airfield, where once C-47s and gliders were stored. As of 2022, an integrated waste management facility is being constructed on part of the site.
