RAF Beaulieu
Former Royal Air Force station in Hampshire, England / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Royal Air Force Beaulieu or more simply RAF Beaulieu is a former Royal Air Force station in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It was also known as Beaulieu airfield, Beaulieu aerodrome and USAAF Station AAF 408. It is located on Hatchet Moor 1 mile (2 km) west of the village of East Boldre, about 2 miles (3 km) west-southwest of the village of Beaulieu and 4 miles (6 km) north-east of Lymington.
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Beaulieu, Hampshire in England | |||||||||||
Coordinates | 50°48′27″N 001°30′17″W | ||||||||||
Type | Royal Air Force station
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Code | BQ[1]/BL | ||||||||||
Site information | |||||||||||
Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||||
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Site history | |||||||||||
Built | 1942 (1942) | ||||||||||
In use | August 1942 – September 1950 (1950) | ||||||||||
Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II | ||||||||||
Airfield information | |||||||||||
Elevation | 41 metres (135 ft)[1] AMSL | ||||||||||
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During the First World War there was a Royal Flying Corps training airfield, RFC Beaulieu, at East Boldre that was closed in 1919
The new RAF Beaulieu, opened on 8 August 1942, was built on the opposite side of the road.[2] It was used by both the Royal Air Force and then later United States Army Air Forces. During the war it was used as a bomber and fighter airfield. After the war, it was used for experimental work before it was closed in 1959.
Today the remains of the airfield are on heathland managed by the Forestry Commission. Areas of the old airfield are now designated as a flying area for model aircraft.