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HHER Number:9207
Type of record:Monument
Name:WORLD WAR II AIRFIELD, SCALES WOOD, NUTHAMPSTEAD

Summary

1943 USAF airfield (Station 131), used until 1959 for bomb storage

Grid Reference:TL 418 344
Map Sheet:TL43SW
Parish:Nuthampstead, North Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire
Map:Show location on Streetmap

Monument Types

  • AIRFIELD (World War II - 1939 AD to 1945 AD)

Full description

Site of Second World War airfield, used by the American Air Force for Flying Fortress bombers. It incorporated about a third of Scales Wood (which was grubbed up for the purpose), the land to the north as far as Morrice Green, and extended eastwards a short distance into Essex. The surviving part of the woodland was used to store bombs. In addition to the service quarters for the airmen, there were also numerous support and ancilliary buildings in the vicinity, some of which survive <1, 2, 3>.
Construction by the Americans began in 1942 using hardcore from the blitzed cities of London and Coventry. It was completed in 1943 and the first aircrews arrived on 16 November. Lightning fighters were first based here until April 1944 when B-17G bombers arrived. The site was returned to the RAF on 10 July 1945. The airfield continued to be used for bomb storage and finally closed in 1959 <4>.
Traces of aircraft dispersals survive around the perimeter; see [17008].


RAF, 1946, World War II aerodrome, Nuthampstead, PNO 8835 (Aerial Photograph). SHT16075.


RAF, 1946, World War II aerodrome, Nuthampstead, PNO 8836 (Aerial Photograph). SHT16076.


RAF, 1946, World War II aerodrome, Nuthampstead, PNO 8837 (Aerial Photograph). SHT16077.


RAF, 1946, World War II aerodrome, Nuthampstead, PNO 8838 (Aerial Photograph). SHT16078.


<1> Dimsdale, Baron, 1968, Scales Park, 1270-1966; Herts Past & Present 8, 38-47, - p38-47 (Article in serial). SHT4739.


<2> Nuthampstead, Record Site Plan No 1, Airfield Site, A.M. (Bibliographic reference). SHT7901.


<3> Works Area No 8, NUT 61, 8.2.1945 (Bibliographic reference). SHT12478.


<4> Smith, Graham, 1999, Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire airfields in the Second World War, - p165-78 (Bibliographic reference). SHT10185.


<5> Evan-Hart, Julian, 2007, War-torn skies of Great Britain: Hertfordshire, - p21-3 (Bibliographic reference). SHT5756.

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. World War II aerodrome, Nuthampstead. PNO 8835.
---Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. World War II aerodrome, Nuthampstead. PNO 8836.
---Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. World War II aerodrome, Nuthampstead. PNO 8837.
---Aerial Photograph: RAF. 1946. World War II aerodrome, Nuthampstead. PNO 8838.
<1>Article in serial: Dimsdale, Baron. 1968. Scales Park, 1270-1966; Herts Past & Present 8, 38-47. - p38-47.
<2>Bibliographic reference: Nuthampstead, Record Site Plan No 1, Airfield Site, A.M..
<3>Bibliographic reference: Works Area No 8, NUT 61, 8.2.1945.
<4>Bibliographic reference: Smith, Graham. 1999. Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire airfields in the Second World War. - p165-78.
<5>Bibliographic reference: Evan-Hart, Julian. 2007. War-torn skies of Great Britain: Hertfordshire. - p21-3.

Related records

17008Parent of: SOILMARKS OF AIRFIELD FEATURES, THE WARREN, NUTHAMPSTEAD (Monument)

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