Bicester Aerodrome, formerly RAF Bicester, is a private airfield on the outskirts of the English town of Bicester in Oxfordshire. Dating back to 1916, it is notable as the location of the first flight of the prototype Handley Page Halifax in 1939. It was originally established as a military airfield, used by Royal Air Force until 2004.
"The most complete and strongly representative example of an RAF airbase from the interwar expansion, built as a bomber station as part of the 1920s Home Defence Expansion Scheme."[1]
The airfield consists of 400 acres (160 ha) of well-drained short-mown grass, with two mown grass runways of 06/24 (650 m (2,133 ft)) and 16/34 (790 m (2,592 ft)) long.[2] The airfield surface is bumpy in places, due to collapsing field drains, requiring care on the part of pilots operating aircraft in those areas.
History
In 1911 Captain H. R. P. Reynolds flew from Oxford in a Bristol Boxkite biplane and touched down near Launton. His rural landing is thought to be the first time an aircraft skimmed the grass at this location.
Organised flying began in 1916 when a Training Depot was established. In January 1917, the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) moved into the site, then 180 acres (0.73 km2), with the arrival of 118 night bomber squadron. Canvas-covered Bessonneau hangars were used until more substantial aircraft sheds were built.
In November 1918, No. 44 Training Station Depot arrived, followed in 1919 by 5 Squadron, flying Bristol F.2 Fighters returning from France, having flown in the First World War. All the squadrons disbanded by 1920, and the airfield was closed in 1920 after being used briefly as a clearing centre for repatriated soldiers.
In 1925, work began on redeveloping the site as a bomber station, and flying began again in January 1928. Various large RAF bombers operated from the field, including the Vickers Virginia. Other aircraft included Hawker Horsleys and, in 1935, Hawker Harts arrived. In November 1932, the only RAF squadron of Boulton Paul Sidestrands arrived, replaced by Overstrands in 1936.
Development of the station continued throughout this period, with many new buildings being erected. This included the construction of a connection from the nearby 'Varsity Line' railway to supply the airfield.[3]
Second World War
Photo of Bicester Airfield by the German Luftwaffe, 1939
However, the Winter War of 1939 between Finland and Russia had proved that 18 Finnish Bristol Blenheim Bombers (delivered in 1937) were insufficient and further air support from Britain was needed. Due to Britain's delicate political situation with Russia, the delivery of such important equipment was to be kept secret.
The aircraft had been stripped of armaments and non-essential equipment, with all RAF livery removed and replaced with the blue swastika, the insignia of the Finnish Airforce. This insignia had been hastily whitewashed over to disguise it for the journey. At 6 am on the 23rd February 1940 all twelve aircraft took off for the first leg from RAF Bicester to Dyce Airport at Aberdeen in Scotland. The rain had removed the white wash, making them more visible and their mission more dangerous than ever. However, after hopping from RAF Bicester to Aberdeen, Stavanger (Norway), Vasteras (Sweden) and finally landing safely at Lake Juva in Finland, all twelve aircraft successfully arrived.[4]
Later in 1939, having been built in Cricklewood just before war broke out, the first prototype Handley Page Halifax was taken by road to RAF Bicester and assembled in secret there before the company's chief test pilot Major Jim Cordes and flight test observer E A 'Ginger' Wright made its first flight on 25 October 1939.[5] The type went on to become the first four-engined bomber to drop bombs on Germany in the Second World War.
In July 1940, the second RAF Bomber Command Training Group (No. 7 Group RAF) was formed, with its headquarters at RAF Bicester. This was required due to a demand in operational training, supplying squadrons of No. 2 Group.[citation needed]No. 6 (T) Group RAF and No. 92 (OTU) Group RAF were both connected to the airfield.[6]
Throughout the war, RAF Bicester was used as a training centre, and in April 1940 became home to No. 13 Operational Training Unit RAF, under the control of RAF Bomber Command. In June 1943, the unit transferred to No. 9 Group RAF, RAF Fighter Command, flying Spitfires and de Havilland Mosquitos. Although no offensive missions were flown, flights were not without risk. On 8 April 1940, 13 OTU experienced its first loss.[7] On 6 December 1941, a Blenheim stalled on take-off, killing all three crew members.[citation needed] Just four days later, a second Blenheim crashed in an identical accident, again with no survivors.[8]
At the end of 1944, Bicester became a non-flying unit, used for maintenance, and later as a Motor Transport depot. In 1953, No. 71 Maintenance Unit arrived, that salvaged, repaired, and then transported damaged aircraft.[26]
in 1965, Queen Elizabeth II visited RAF Bicester with Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.[27] The visiting Royals were given a full tour of the site before watching various demonstrations of aircraft at the airfield.
In 1976, the RAF ceased to use the airfield as a military base, but still maintained staff there to run the gliding training operation as adventure training for servicemen. In the mid-1980s, the USAF briefly used the Technical and Domestic Area for storage.
In 1982 the USAF created a wartime contingency hospital with 500 beds and all ancillary medical services using restored RAF World War II dormitories. There were between 12 and 20 USAF personnel stationed on site until the beginning of Operation Desert Storm, when they were augmented by 1200 USAF medical personnel from USAF medical Center, Wilford Hall, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The facility was used to treat minor physical injuries and possible PTSD patients. The unit was deactivated in 1992.
Between 1979 and 1992, the RAFGSA Centre allowed US servicemen from RAF Upper Heyford to become members. US servicemen, from the US Armed Forces family housing next to the airfield in Bicester, learnt to fly at Bicester as a result.
In 1990, during Operation Desert Shield, the USAF deployed medical personnel to the site, and equipped a number of buildings in both the Technical and Domestic area as a hospital. This was done in anticipation of large numbers of casualties that never materialised, during the 1991 First Persian Gulf War.[28] The blood fridges installed by the USAF still exist in Hangar 109 along with a large amount of graffiti relating to the servicemen based there, 109 is now used as a car storage facility.
In 1997 the Ministry of Defence placed the Married Quarter sites at RAF Bicester up for disposal by formal tender. The successful buyer was the Welbeck Estate Group from the City of Wells Somerset, this being their 35th successful acquisition of military sites from the Ministry of Defence since 1980. They renamed the NCO Married Quarters 'The 'Rowans'.
Recent History
The Watch Office (it pre-dates radio control, therefore is a Watch Office but commonly referred to as a Control Tower) at Bicester Heritage, 2020
The airfield is a substantially unmodified pre-war RAF station with 19 listed buildings. The brick-built 1934 "Fort" type 1959/34 control tower survives, as do the two C-type and two A-type aircraft hangars.
During the late 1990s, The Welbeck Estate Group/Hodge Group acquired 300 post-war and modern Officers and NCO married quarters on the Stratton Fields and The Rowans housing estate. In the late 1990s, plans were proposed to develop the airfield for housing and industry, but they were abandoned due to strong local opposition and the historic nature of the site.[29] In 2002, Cherwell District Council designated the aerodrome as a Conservation Area.
In June 2004, the RAF Gliding and Soaring Association moved to RAF Halton. The airfield became home to both Windrushers Gliding Club (reformed in July 2004) who leased the site from the MOD until 2013, with Oxford University Gliding Club and, for a few years, Cranfield University Gliding Club, as sub-sections within the Windrushers club. The club continued to operate from Bicester along with the Oxford University club, but after the existing lease expired the Club went into hibernation on 30 June 2020. At the same time, the Oxford University group moved to Weston on the Green, rejoining Oxford Gliding Club after over 40 years at Bicester.
In 2012, further plans for housing were refused permission by Cherwell District Council.[30]
Present Ownership
Bicester Heritage
In March 2013 Bicester Airfield was acquired from the Ministry of Defence by Bicester Motion Limited which has created the UK's first business park dedicated to historic motoring and aviation, named Bicester Heritage. Bicester Heritage aims to bring together the UK's cottage industry of automotive specialists in order to promote not just the preservation but, specifically, the use of historic motor cars.[31]
In 2023 Bicester Heritage celebrated its 10th anniversary at the former RAF Bicester aerodrome.[32] The established business campus is home to fifty businesses,[33] from the governing body of British Motorsport, Motorsport UK, to Formula E team NEOM McLaren Electric Racing and EV manufacturer Polestar's UK HQ, to many other individual, highly skilled manufacturing and engineering firms within the automotive sector.
The majority the historic buildings in the former-RAF Technical Site have been restored for occupation by automotive tenants. In the ten years of operation to 2023, the Conservation Area of RAF Bicester has been removed from the Historic England 'Heritage At Risk Register',[34] and has since gone on to win multiple awards including Conservation and Regeneration at the SECBE Constructing Excellence Awards.[35] The second phase of restored buildings were unveiled by Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester.[36] The site has appeared as a film location in Darkest Hour[37] and The Imitation Game.[38]
In 2018 Bicester Motion achieved unanimous planning approval from Cherwell District Council[39] for the construction of eight new buildings to the southern edge of the former RAF Technical Site, adjacent to Skimmingdish Lane. The £10.4m project[40] was completed in 2020 and now houses many modern automotive specialist businesses, including synthetic fuel manufacturer ZERO Petroleum,[41] electric vehicle manufacturers Zapp Electric Vehicles and The Little Car Company.[42] The development now called 'The Command Works'[43] represents the first new buildings to be constructed at the former RAF base in c.80 years. Sir Lewis Hamilton officially opened Building 141, the headquarters of Motorsport UK, in July 2021.[44] The Sky Wave Distillery, is based on the site in converted tanker sheds.[45]
The Bicester Aerodrome Company
The Bristol Blenheim with MK 1 Spitfire at Flywheel, 2023
The airfield is now operated by The Bicester Aerodrome Company,[46] a part of the Bicester Motion Ltd. group as an unlicensed airfield. Private operators such as Finest Hour Experiences[47] and Motor Glide offer flight training and experience flights from the airfield in addition to privately owned powered aircraft and glider activity. Most recently the airfield was visited by the only flying Bristol Blenheim bomber for Flywheel,[48] an event run by Bicester Heritage to celebrate their 10 year anniversary.[49] Other period aircraft such as a MK1 Spitfire also visited for the event.[50] Returning a Bristol Blenheim to the grass airfield of the former RAF Bicester was a remarkable nod to the location's WW2 history, as a representative of the Aircraft Restoration Company, who maintain the Blenheim at Duxford said:
"Taking to the skies in the Blenheim is always an honour, however, to be bringing the aircraft to Bicester Heritage, and landing it upon turf once trodden by so many young crews, is very special."[51]
Events
The site regularly hosts automotive events, whilst acting as a venue for larger shows including Build It Live[52] and the world's largest vegan festival, Vegan Camp Out.[53]
Scramble
Visitors and vehicles at a Scramble event, within the former RAF Technical Site of Bicester
The Scramble is an open day event held at Bicester Heritage, which largely takes place within the former RAF Bicester Technical Site. The event welcomes 6,500 - 8,000 visitors each day, usually three or four times a year.[54] The specialist businesses based at Bicester Heritage often open their workshops and showrooms as part of the event. A large number of automotive displays of all eras are usually found at these events, showing cars from veteran and vintage, through to classic and modern classic.[55]
Flywheel
Flywheel was first launched at Bicester Heritage in 2015 as an event to showcase automotive and aviation activity to visitors. The event ran on consecutive years until 2018 when it partnered with Haymarket's Classic & Sports Car Show,[56] which moved to Bicester Heritage from Alexandra Palace. In 2023 the event was relaunched by Bicester Heritage to mark its 10th anniversary year.[57] Aviation activity on the airfield included pre-WW2 aircraft, WW2 era military aircraft and later civilian aircraft.
Charity
Registered charity StarterMotor[58] was founded in 2016 to support Heritage Skills Academy, the historic automotive apprenticeship training college at Bicester Heritage. It has established itself as the sector's only charity solely focused on introducing the next generation of automotive enthusiasts to historic motoring, careers and events.[59] Academy and college support has now been extended to Silverstone and Brooklands, in addition to its headquarters at Bicester Heritage, providing more learning cars for apprentices and other learning resources. StarterMotor currently supports 200 apprentices in learning.[60]
In 2023, StarterMotor's CEO David Withers was awarded a High Sheriff Award for his contribution to supporting young people in the county by the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire Mark Beard.[61] The annual shrieval awards recognise individuals in Oxfordshire who have made outstanding contributions to the communities in which they live and work, in particular those who have made contributions to supporting young people.
Accidents and incidents
On 6 December 1941 Bristol Blenheim IV Z7962 of No. 110 Squadron RAF was taking off from the airfield but crashed just outside the perimeter, killing all four people aboard. Incorrect trim tab settings were thought to have caused the accident.[62]
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