View source for RAF Down Ampney

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = RAF Down Ampney
| ensign = Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
| ensign_size = 90px
| native_name =
| partof = <!-- for elements within a larger site -->
| location = [[Down Ampney]], [[Gloucestershire]]
| country = England
| image = [[File:RAF Down Ampney - 4 Dec 1943 Airphoto.jpg|250px]]
| caption = Aerial photograph of Down Ampney airfield, 4 December 1943. The bomb dump is to the right (east) of the airfield, the technical site and barrack sites are to the left.
| image2 = <!--secondary image, major command emblems for airfields -->
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| type = [[List of former Royal Air Force stations|Royal Air Force Station]]
| coordinates = {{coord|51|40|01|N|01|50|22|W|type:airport_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| gridref =
| pushpin_map = Gloucestershire#UK
| pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Gloucestershire
| pushpin_label = RAF Down Ampney
| pushpin_label_position = top
| ownership = [[Air Ministry]]
| operator = [[Royal Air Force]]
| controlledby = [[RAF Transport Command]]
| open_to_public = <!-- for out of use sites/sites with museums etc -->
| site_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| site_other = <!-- for other sorts of facilities – radar types etc -->
| site_area = <!-- area of site m2, km2 square mile etc -->
| code = <!--facility/installation code -->
| built = {{Start date|1943}}
| used = 1944 - {{End date|1947}}
| builder =
| fate =
| condition =
| battles = [[European theatre of World War II]]
| events =
| past_commanders = <!-- past notable commander(s) -->
| garrison = <!-- such as the 25th Bombardment Group -->
| occupants = <!-- squadrons only -->
| designations =
| website =
| footnotes = <!-- catchall in case it's needed to preserve something in infobox -->
<!-- begin airfield information  -->
| IATA =
| ICAO =
| LID =
| GPS =
| WMO =
| elevation = {{Convert|82|m|0}}
| r1-number = 03/21
| r1-length = {{Convert|1830|m|0}}
| r1-surface = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]]
| r2-number = 09/27
| r2-length = {{Convert|1280|m|0}}
| r2-surface = Asphalt
| r3-number = 15/33
| r3-length = {{Convert|1280|m|0}}
| r3-surface = Asphalt
| h1-number =
| h1-length = <!-- {{Convert| |m|0}} -->
| h1-surface =
| airfield_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| airfield_other = <!-- for other sorts of airfield facilities -->
<!--  end airfield information   -->
}}
'''Royal Air Force Down Ampney''' or more simply '''RAF Down Ampney''' is a former [[Royal Air Force]] station located {{Convert|1.8|mi}} north east of [[Cricklade]], [[Wiltshire]] and {{Convert|3|mi}} south west of [[RAF Fairford]], [[Gloucestershire]]. The airfield operated during the [[World War II|Second World War]] from February 1944 until February 1947.<ref>{{cite web |title=Down Ampney |url=https://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/down-ampney/ |publisher=Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust |accessdate=5 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821082600/http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/airfield-finder/down-ampney |archive-date=21 August 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Down Ampney was part of a group of airfields dedicated to air transportation, alongside [[RAF Broadwell]] and [[RAF Blakehill Farm]].<ref>{{cite web |title=RAF Broadwell |url=http://www.aeroresource.co.uk/historic-reports/raf-broadwell/ |publisher=AeroResource |accessdate=5 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180602002815/http://www.aeroresource.co.uk/historic-reports/raf-broadwell/ |archive-date=2 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Based units==
[[No. 48 Squadron RAF]] and [[No. 271 Squadron RAF]] flew [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|Douglas Dakota]]s on major missions. On [[D-Day]] they dropped the main elements of the [[3rd Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|3rd Parachute Brigade]] in Normandy as well as towing [[Airspeed Horsa]] gliders across the English Channel.<ref>{{cite web |title=RAF Down Ampney |url=http://ampney.info/vicar/RAF_Down_Ampney.html |publisher=Ampney info |accessdate=5 July 2020}}</ref> They were also active in [[Operation Market Garden]] (Arnhem) and the Rhine crossing.<ref>{{cite web |title=RAF Down Ampney |url=https://www.downampneyvillage.co.uk/down-ampney/history/down-ampney-airfield.html |publisher=Down Ampney Village |accessdate=5 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821085810/https://www.downampneyvillage.co.uk/down-ampney/history/down-ampney-airfield.html |archive-date=21 August 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The same squadrons also flew Casevac flights to bring home wounded personnel from B landing grounds and airfields after the D Day landings.  These flights took about 80 minutes and included RAF nurses.
==Memorial==
A memorial has been erected at the southern end of what was the main runway.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1137607 |title=RAF memorial |access-date=8 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104151304/http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1137607 |archive-date=4 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> which reads:
{{blockquote|FROM THIS AIRFIELD IN 1944-5<br>
DOUGLAS DAKOTAS FROM 48 AND<br>
271 SQUADRONS RAF TRANSPORT<br>
COMMAND CARRIED THE 1ST AND 6TH<br>
AIRBORNE DIVISIONS UNITS OF<br>
THE AIR DESPATCH REGIMENT<br>
AND HORSA GLIDERS FLOWN BY<br>
THE GLIDER PILOTS REGIMENT TO<br>
NORMANDY – ARNHEM AND ON THE<br>
CROSSING THE RHINE OPERATIONS<br>
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110616044752/http://www.pegasusarchive.org/downampney/2010Jul.htm The R.A.F Down Ampney Association]
*[http://www.ww2museums.com/article/11655/Memorial-RAF-Down-Ampney.htm/ R.A.F Down Ampney Memorial]
{{Commons category-inline|RAF Down Ampney}}
{{Defunct airports in the United Kingdom}}
{{Royal Air Force}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Down Ampney}}
[[Category:Royal Air Force stations in Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force stations of World War II in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Defunct airports in England]]
[[Category:1944 establishments in England]]
[[Category:1947 disestablishments in England]]