Site of Second World War bomb stores, Chipping Ongar Airfield (EHER 83235)

A former World War Two military airfield opened in 1943 and closed in 1946. It was mainly used by United States forces including the 9th Air Force 387 Bomb Group and later by the Air Disarmament section. The Americans designated the base as Station 162. The bomb stores, connected to the perimeter track, were to the west. Temporary materials were used for many building types, and after the war most were torn down and the site was converted back to agricultural use.

Chipping Ongar was one of the earliest stations built by the US Army in 1942-3. The 387th Bomb Group of the 9th USA Air Force flew B-26 bombers form the station between 1943 and 1944. In April 1945 the RAF took over. <1> The airfield followed the typical wartime American pattern. The bombstores, connected to the perimeter track, were to the west. No longer extant. Very little of the airfield remains with runways removed. The dispersals sites streched east and north but little remains <2> <3>. Aerial photographs <4> <5>, 3 photos of the site <6>. SITE ASSESSMENT Of the three surviving structures, the Blister hangar is in use but the Ops site is derelict. Importance: *** (Ops), **(Blister) <2>. Additional ref.: <7> NRHE data transfer: <8> includes a basic small sketch of the airfield layout. Chipping Ongar airfield was designated as Station 162. From 1-JUL-1943 to 21-JUL-1944 it was used by 387 Bomb Group. <9> Chipping Ongar airfield is still recognisable on OS 1:10000 sheet TL 50 NE 1978 edition, though large parts of the runways and perimeter track have already gone. It is centered at TL 582 055. <10>