See 11 locations map
Husbands Bosworth Airfield is located in Leicestershire and is a 14-mile drive from Rugby. The airfield opened in 1943, operating as a RAF base. Although the airfield's life as an RAF base was short-lived, it was no longer needed due to the war ending.
George Wimpey & Son undertook the airfield, and construction began in August 1942. RAF Husbands Bosworth conformed to the typical layout of an RAF Aerodrome. The specifications set out by the British Air Ministry called for three converging strips in the shape of an ‘A’. Gravel was used to level the land.
Whilst the final stages of construction were being completed, the first RAF personnel arrived at the station on 1 August 1943, when personnel from No.14 Operational Training Unit arrived from RAF Cottesmore. Operational flying commenced on 10 August when daylight operations were undertaken. Night operations began operating on 17 August.
RAF Husbands Bosworth came under 92 Group RAF and was initially a satellite airfield for RAF Market Harborough, under the command of the parent station. There was a variety of aircraft on the stations. As of 1943, the list consisted of 61 Vickers Wellington - A British twin-engine, long-range medium bomber, 4 Miles Martinets - A target tug aircraft, and an Avro Anson - British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. The Wellingtons were the primary training aircraft; the Martiens would have been used for target towing operations, and the Anson would have been the station's communications aircraft at the time.
In June 1944 No.85 Operational Training Unit was formed at the base and tasked with training crews to undertake night bombing operations. The unit was later disbanded on 14 June 1945.
Today, the airfield is being used by the Gliding Centre and has been since 1965, and the East Midlands Air Support Unit since 1996. There is also a National Police Air Service that has a helicopter based there to serve the midlands and East Anglia. The airport also hosts Gliding Experiences, which are available through FlyDays.
Please remember that Flying Experiences are dependent on weather conditions, so at times may need to be rescheduled.