Site of Second World War military airfield, Great Dunmow Airfield (EHER 14070)

A former World War Two military airfield and Post-war period military depot, opened in 1943 and finally closed in 1958. Construction of the airfield took place between 1942 and 1943, this was undertaken by an American forces engineering unit with some input from British civilian contractors. It was built as a "Class A" bomber airfield, that is to say it had three hard landing surfaces (concrete and wood chippings) along with suitable aircraft hangars (two type T2 and one blister aircraft hangars). Barracks were dispersed to the north of the flying field, and there were ammunition dumps and bomb stores to the east of the flying field. It was used by units of the United States Army Eighth Air Force 386th Bomber Group who moved from Boxted (and who were later administratively transferred to the 9th Air Force). After they moved to France in October 1944 it was used by two Royal Air Force Squadrons. From December 1945 to 1948 it was utilised as a depot for the storage of army vehicles. The United States Air Force returned in the mid 1950s when the airfield was used once more as a depot. The wartime control tower was demolished in 1966. Although few buildings remain and the site is used for agricultural purposes, in 2000 it was said to still "retain the general appearance of a one-time aerodrome".

The US army began to built this airfield in July 1942 and completed it in July 1943. The 8th Division's 386th Bomb Group arrived with B-26's and commenced operations. The RAF moved in as the war carried to Europe in late 1944 and Stirling aircraft towed horsa gliders in Operation Varsity from the station. Great Dunmow was put on care and sold in in 1958. Great Dunmow was a typical American wartime built airfield: equipped with 3 runways and linked by a perimeter track around which were 50 looped dispersals. Two T-2 hangars were built at opposite sides of the airfield (TL5882 2300) (TL5930 2361). Close to the latter stood the control tower (type 12799/41, 343/43) (TL5911 2352). All evidence of these buildings has gone under cultivation. A Blister hangar survives at TL5907 2382 but this is all that remains of the main technical site. The SHQ/Ops site survives including the Operations block and four Nissen huts (TL5898 2402) now in agricultural use. The runways, perimeter track and bomb stores loop remain at much reduced width, as does the track which linked the control tower with the runway and perimeter. All the dispersals have been moved. The dispersed sites stretched north to the sewage works at TL5972 2496, but they have been destroyed by agriculture. SITE ASSESSMENT: The Ops site appears complete but in an unknown condition; the Blister hangar is the only surviving structure. Importance - **/*** depending on ground inspection. <1> An archaeological evaluation on the site in 2007 found that the remains of the WWII airfield correspond well with the 1944 Air Ministry plan of the site and areas of disturbance in a number of trenches are consistent with the location of earth bunds situated around the bomb and ammunition stores. <2> See also: <3> - <12> NRHE data transfer: Great Dunmow Airfield, Essex, TL 592 235. Opened in 1943 and finally closed in 1958. Use in 1985 stated to be agriculture. <13> Construction of the airfield took place between 1942 and 1943, this was undertaken by an American forces engineering unit with some input from British civilian contractors. It was designated as "Station 164" by the Americans. It was built as a "Class A" bomber airfield, that is to say it had three hard landing surfaces (concrete and wood chippings) along with suitable aircraft hangars (two type T2 and one blister aircraft hangars). An annotated reproduction of a 1947 RAF Air photograph in the source shows that barracks were dispersed to the north of the flying field, and there were ammunition dumps and bomb stores to the east of the flying field. It was used by units of the United States Army Eighth Air Force 386th Bomber Group who moved from Boxted (and who were later administratively transferred to the 9th Air Force). <14> After they moved to France in October 1944 it was used by 190 and 620 Royal Air Force Squadrons. From December 1945 to 1948 it was utilised as a depot for the storage of army vehicles. The United States Air Force returned in the mid 1950s when the airfield was used once more as a depot. Although the site is used for agricultural purposes, when the source was published in 2000 it was said by MJF Bowyer to still "retain the general appearance of a one-time aerodrome". <15> The wartime control tower with 1941 and 1943 pattern features was demolished in 1966. The web site notes one of the British squadrons using the base until 1945 as being No. 260 rather than No. 620 quoted in source 3. "Very few" of the wartime buildings are said to have survived. <16> Although not labelled as such, the basic layout of the former Great Dunmow Airfield is clearly visible on the OS 1:10000 sheet TL 52 SE for 1971, cantered at TL 592 235 (NAT). <17>