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Abbots Ripton

Military site : non-airfield

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Strategic Air Depots were given separate station numbers to avoid confusion with the main airfield operation; the 2nd Strategic Air Depot, originally at Little Staughton, moved to Alconbury in March 1944 as that airfield, well served by road and rail, was developed; built to the east of the main Alconbury perimeter taxiway it was self-contained with its own tracks, hardstanding and workshops; such depots existed to maintain, supply and salvage aircraft of Air Force Combat Units; 3000 personnel assigned. Alconbury ceased operations during 1990s and Abbots Ripton buildings and site currently house commercial industries.

Detailed history

Not yet known

English Heritage's record description

Not yet known

Service

Units

People

  • Edward Cosgriff

    Military | Captain | Fighter pilot | 20th Fighter Group
    Assigned to 55FS, 20FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 10th Mobile Reclamation and Repair Squadron. Ended Tour of Duty (ETD). Awards: DFC, AM (5OLC), WWII Victory, EAME.

Aircraft

  • 41-24484 'The Bad Egg'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Assigned 401BS/91BG [LL-C] Bangor 31/8/42; Bassingbourn 1/10/42; on return from Cognac 43+m 31/12/43, diverted through weather to Gt Dunmow, Andrews Field, then Hunsdon Afd, with Hilary Evers, Co-pilot: Paul McDuffee, Navigator: Frank Keneley,...

  • 41-24639 'Careful Virgin'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 9/9/42; Boise 16/9/42; wrecked on landing with broken crankshaft, rep; Cheyenne 11/10/42; Assigned 323BS/91BG [OR-W] Bassingbourn 29/1/43 and first in group to have AFCE fitted at 2 SAD Lt Staughton 8/3/44; transferred 7/5/44 50+m...

  • 42-102519

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 10/3/44; Kearney 6/4/44; Grenier 11/4/44; Assigned 600BS/398BG [N8-A] Nuthampstead 6/5/44; 601BG; Missing in Action 4/3/45 with Hoelzel, AOC 12/3/45; transferred 2 SAD Abbotts Ripton and ret group

  • 42-102568

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 15/3/44; Kearney 5/4/44; Grenier 15/4/44; Assigned 603BS/398BG [N7-N] Nuthampstead 28/4/44; 602BS [K8-N]; was on weather flight 28/10/44 with Lt K.S. Hastings, crash landed base; Salvaged 2 SAD Abbotts Ripton 29/10/44.

  • 42-102592 Wonder Bird

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 17/3/44; Kearney 5/4/44; Grenier 14/4/44; Assigned 600BS/398BG [N8-G] Nuthampstead 28/4/44; returning from aborted mission with severe oil leak and crash landed base with Lee Hicks 28/1/45; to 2 SAD Abbotts Ripton 29/1/45; Salvaged 8...

  • 42-102593

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 17/3/44; Kearney 1/4/44; Dow Fd 6/4/44; Assigned 602BS/398BG [K8-G] Nuthampstead 3/5/44; out on mission 13/1/45 with J.T. Shafer, AOC 15/1/45; re-ass from 2 SAD Abbotts Ripton 26/2/45; RAF Valley 2/6/45; Returned to the USA Bradley 7...

  • 42-102596 Doodit

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 17/3/44; Kearney 1/4/44; Grenier 14/4/44; Assigned 601BS/398BG [3O-N] Nuthampstead 28/4/44; after mission 23/2/45 with Green was AOC 23/2/45; re-ass from 2 SAD Abbotts Ripton 4/4/45; RAF Valley 1/6/45; Returned to the USA Bradley 4/6...

  • 42-107043 Fitch's Bandwagon

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Tulsa 4/2/44; Grenier 2/3/44; Assigned 613BS/401BG [IN-B] 21 combat missions; Deenethorpe 23/3/44; Taxi accident while waiting to take-off for Equihen, France 2/6/44 with Larry Fitchett, Co-pilot: Bruce Campbell, Navigator: Lawrence Pfeiffer,...

  • 42-107139

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Tulsa 4/3/44; Rapid City 13/3/44; Dow Fd 28/4/44; Assigned 398BG Nuthampstead 1/5/44; no ops, transferred 366BS/305BG [KY-J] Chelveston 3/5/44; Salvaged 2 SAD Abbotts Ripton 4/7/44 after electrical problems; 388BG Knettishall 5/44; Salvaged...

  • 42-30039 'Liberty Belle'

    B-17 Flying Fortress
    Delivered Cheyenne 2/4/43; Sioux City 14/4/43; Kearney 3/5/43; Dow Fd 24/5/43; Assigned 337BS/96BG [AW-Q] in US; transferred 544BS/384BG [SU-H] Grafton Underwood 29/5/43; 2 SAD Lt Staughton 14/8/43; transferred Aphrodite Project 803BS RCM Knettishall 1...

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Number
547
Known as
Not yet known
Construction date
Not yet known
USAAF from date
Not yet known
USAAF to date
Not yet known
Closure date
Not yet known

Revisions

Date Contributor Update
28 June 2016 16:47:58 Paul Bellamy Changes to name, number, latitude and longitude
Sources

2SAD records (AFHRA via ARG Archive)
Date Contributor Update
27 February 2015 00:58:47 Paul Bellamy Changes to history
Sources

On-site observation
Date Contributor Update
27 September 2014 18:02:16 AAM AAM ingest
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / M. Bowman, USAAF Handbook - 1939-1945 (Sutton Publishing Ltd, Stroud, 1997)

Roger Freeman, The Mighty Eighth War Manual (London, 1991)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Alcon_map_ww2.jpg

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