RAF Chelveston

• • RAF Chelveston: Historical Overview**

RAF Chelveston, located in Northamptonshire, England, holds significant historical importance as a Royal Air Force station. During World War II, it served as a crucial base for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), hosting the 305th and later the 2nd Bombardment Groups, which conducted numerous bombing missions over Europe.

Post-war, in the late 1940s, RAF Chelveston was utilized by the RAF for training. The Cold War era saw its resurgence as a strategic bomber base under the US Air Force, with a new 11,000-foot runway constructed for jet aircraft. In the 1960s, it briefly housed KC-135 Stratotankers before transitioning to accommodate the Phased Array Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (PAVE PAIRS) in the early 1970s, crucial for missile detection until its decommissioning in the 1990s.

By the late 1990s, operations scaled back significantly. The housing areas were repurposed or sold, and flight activities ceased in 1999 with the radar's decommissioning. In 2005, the site was sold to Heron Rural Developments Limited for £20 million, aiming to develop it into Chelveston Renewable Energy Park.

Today, remnants of the airfield include parts of runways and hangar foundations, though most structures have been demolished. A memorial unveiled in 2007 honors WWII servicemen. The site now primarily serves agricultural and renewable energy purposes, marking a transition from military significance to modern sustainable use.