RAF Thurleigh Control Tower
The origins of Thurleigh Airfield date back to the fall of 1940. As World War II entered its second year, the Battle of Britain had been successfully concluded, the immediate threat of a German invasion had diminished, and attention shifted towards launching offensive operations. Bombers were recognized as the most formidable offensive weapon, leading to the production of four-engine heavy bombers in both the UK and the USA. To accommodate these aircraft, new airfields were necessary, prompting land acquisition and construction efforts. Thurleigh Airfield was established on a plateau to the west of the village that shares its name. The first elements of the RAF arrived in the summer of 1941, and by October, the first aircraft—a Wellington bomber [R1234]—landed on the still-developing airfield. The Number 18 Operational Training Unit subsequently set up operations there, providing training for both RAF and Polish personnel.
Thurleigh was subsequently assigned to the United States Eighth Army Air Force, designated as "Station 111." In September 1942, the 306th Bombardment Group took up residence, and for the next three years, until the end of the war, the airfield was home to four squadrons of Boeing B-17s, known as Flying Fortresses: the 367th, nicknamed "Clay Pigeons"; the 368th, called "Eager Beavers"; the 369th, known as Fitin Bitin; and the 423rd, referred to as "Grim Reapers." At any given time, around 80 aircraft were stationed at the field, with an average of 30 planes participating in each of the 341 bombing missions conducted from October 1942 to April 1945. The first USAAF raid over German soil, led by the 306th, occurred on January 27, 1943, targeting Wilhelmshaven, which inspired the group's motto, "First Over Germany." By the time they departed Thurleigh in the autumn of 1945, 177 aircraft had been lost, along with 738 men killed and 885 taken as prisoners of war. A memorial honoring those who served stands proudly in the village of Thurleigh.
As the B17s soared over Germany, the prospect of ultimate victory seemed imminent, prompting reflections on post-war recovery and the potential for prosperity. Aviation was recognized as a field ripe with commercial and technological possibilities, but it necessitated significant investment in new research facilities. To tackle the challenges of supersonic flight, powerful wind tunnels were established on a site near the village of Milton Ernest. Additionally, with the acquisition of extra land to the east, a specially designed flight-test facility was integrated into the existing wartime Thurleigh airfield. This development required the demolition or relocation of several structures, including the two hangars still in use at the Bedford Autodrome, both dating back to 1941. New runways were also built, with the main runway stretching an impressive 3,400 meters in length and 97 meters in width.
Flying resumed in 1954, and the research conducted at Thurleigh played a pivotal role in advancing global aviation in numerous fields. This included innovations in aircraft control and handling, the development of supersonic transport (notably Concorde), automatic blind landing systems for both civil and military use, all-weather operational capabilities, approach and landing aids, air traffic management, military vertical take-off and landing (such as the Harrier), and the launch and recovery of naval aircraft. The airfield's research activities came to an end in 1994 when all government test flights were consolidated at Boscombe Down. Since then, some aircraft have occasionally landed on the eastern runway, but in 2010, marking seventy years since its initial establishment, Thurleigh was re-licensed by the CAA for flying operations under the name "Bedford Aerodrome," thus ushering in a new era for this historic airfield.
