RAF Harwell

RAF Harwell. Located in Oxfordshire, this former Royal Air Force station played a multifaceted role during the Second World War. Initially established as a Bomber Command airfield, it later served vital functions for Fighter Command and Training Command. Its post-military transformation into the Atomic Energy Research Establishment marked a significant shift from wartime aviation to pioneering nuclear research.

History

The airfield's construction began in 1935 on land requisitioned near the villages of Harwell and Chilton. It opened in 1937 under the control of Bomber Command, with its first operational squadron being No. 75 Squadron RAF, equipped with Vickers Wellington aircraft. During the early phases of the war, it hosted units flying the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and participated in leaflet raids over Germany and the first bombing raid on Berlin. In 1940, as the Battle of Britain intensified, the station was transferred to Fighter Command, becoming a sector airfield within No. 10 Group RAF and hosting squadrons flying the Hawker Hurricane. By 1942, its primary role shifted again to training, coming under the auspices of No. 91 Group RAF within Training Command, where it prepared aircrew for Bomber Command's escalating offensive against Axis targets.

Facilities and operations

The station was built to the standard pre-war expansion period pattern, featuring three concrete runways arranged in an "A" shape and a perimeter track connecting numerous dispersal hardstands. Its technical site included two T2-type hangars, workshops, and storage buildings for RAF maintenance units. For defense, the airfield was protected by light anti-aircraft positions and later by a Chain Home Low radar station. Living accommodations for personnel were spread across several dispersed sites in the surrounding countryside. Operationally, it supported a wide range of activities, from frontline bomber sorties and fighter scrambles to advanced flying training for pilots and navigators destined for RAF Bomber Command's Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax squadrons.

Units based at Harwell

Throughout its operational life, the station hosted a diverse array of RAF and allied units. Key bomber squadrons included No. 75 Squadron RAF, No. 148 Squadron RAF, and No. 215 Squadron RAF. During its tenure with Fighter Command, it was home to No. 245 Squadron RAF and No. 253 Squadron RAF, alongside elements of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Its most significant training role was with the Oxford University Air Squadron and the No. 17 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF, which provided final instruction for multi-engine aircraft. Other notable residents were the Air Transport Auxiliary ferry pool and several RAF maintenance units responsible for aircraft storage and preparation.

Post-war use and legacy

With the end of hostilities, the airfield was selected by the Ministry of Supply for a new civilian scientific establishment. The RAF formally departed in 1946, and the site was transferred to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. It was renamed the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, becoming the United Kingdom's primary centre for reactor development and nuclear physics research, housing reactors like GLEEP and BEPO. This transition cemented its legacy in the history of British science. The airfield itself was largely dismantled, with many runways removed, though some original buildings were repurposed. Today, the location forms part of the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, a major hub for research organizations and space agencies, with a preserved Supermarine Spitfire gate guardian commemorating its RAF heritage.