Welcome to my dedication to the RAF Beaulieu airfield in the New Forest (USAAF Station 408). You can follow my project as I discover more about the history, heritage, walks, and sites of interest.
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RAF Beaulieu History: Most Recent Research
On August 13, 1943, a Vickers Wellington (MP622) of RCAF 407 Squadron based out of RAF Chivenor in Devon, landed at Beaulieu Airfield. The aircraft and Canadian crew had been on an anti-submarine...
405 Long Range Patrol Squadron was a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force that operated out of RAF Beaulieu from October 1942 to March 1943 under Coastal Command. They were tasked with anti-submarine...
Flight Officer Norman Peter Blacklock was a pilot with 263 Squadron RAF, a Typhoon fighter bomber squadron based at RAF Beaulieu from 23 January to 6 April 1944. He was lost in action on February 5,...
Cold Pixies Cave at Beaulieu Airfield & the Barrow Excavations of 1941
For hundreds of years, New Forest folk believed (and some may still do) in errant pixies that roamed the heathland. These mischievous beings are malevolent, rather than benign, and would be blamed...
After the Second World War, several celebratory air displays were put on around the country. The New Forest area was no different, with RAF Beaulieu being the venue for four annual "Battle of...
Memories of Ron Whatley: AFEE Photographer at Beaulieu Airfield
From 1945 to 1950 Beaulieu Airfield was home to the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment (AFEE). Their role was to test new technology, aircraft, and parachuting methods. This included...