English: Marsworth Airfield (12) - Boiler House. For once I know the precise purpose of this unit - it was the Boiler House where water was heated before being pumped around the site to heat the various other units. Its former purpose is betrayed by the tall chimney and the large-bore pipe seen emerging on the left. If you look carefully at some of the other images you may see similar pipes which connect them back to this room.

In the background can be seen the skeletal remains of an old Nissen Hut. This is the last photo in the sequence, to go back to the first one click here 1407439

• Please Note: This former airfield is a private site and permission is required to gain access *

General comments common to all photos in this sequence: This old airfield is known by several names, such as RAF Cheddington, RAF Marsworth, Cheddington Airfield etc. I am using Marsworth Airfield as the title throughout this series of photos as that is probably its commonest name nowadays. The airfield opened in March 1942 as RAF Cheddington, a satellite airfield to Wing. Wellington Bombers flew training missions out of here under the auspices of 26 Operational Training Unit. In September 1942 control of the airfield was passed to the US Army Airforce (USAAF). As a result the airfield became home to the B-24 Liberators of three squadrons (66th, 67th & 68th) of the Eighth Airforce 44th Bombardment Group. Quite soon however these squadrons were moved to Norfolk, and the RAFs 26th OTU returned. More training missions were flown from here during early 1943, and then in August of that year the US 8th Airforce returned, becoming Station 113. During 1944 several Bombardment squadrons flew special missions over Europe using mainly B24 Liberators, but also some B17 Flying Fortresses. These specials missions mostly involved leaflet drops, and document drops (such as fake ration books to disrupt the enemy's economy), but also involved early electronic warfare jamming RADAR and creating false signals etc.

The airfield passed to the British Army once the War was over, and closed in 1952 since when it has mostly slowly decayed, though some of the buildings are used for small industrial purposes, and the northern end of the airfield nearer Cheddington is home to some newer industrial units.