AAC Middle Wallop

United Kingdom / England / Upper Clatford-Abbotts Ann /
 airport, Second World War 1939-1945, military
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Army Air Corps Middle Wallop is a British Army base near the Hampshire village of Middle Wallop. The base hosts 2 Regiment Army Air Corps and the School of Army Aviation. The role of 2 Regiment is training and so AAC Middle Wallop is the base where most Army Air Corps pilots begin their careers.

Early use
The base was opened as RAF Middle Wallop, a training school for new pilots in 1940. It was originally intended for bomber use, however with the Battle of Britain being fought, No. 609 Squadron RAF, flying the Supermarine Spitfire, was moved to Middle Wallop. It kept some of its originally intended use when No. 604 Squadron were based at Middle Wallop on the 13 August. They flew the Blenheim, a light bomber.

USAAF use
Middle Wallop was also used by the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force as IX Fighter Command Headquarters beginning in November 1943. Along with its headquarters mission, the airfield also hosted the 67th Reconnaissance Group being moved from RAF Membury in December 1943 to be in close proximity to IX FC Headquarters. The 67th Group flew the photographic versions of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning (F-5) and North American P-51 Mustang (F-6) to fly artillery-adjustment, weather-reconnaissance, bomb-damage assessment, photographic-reconnaissance, and visual-reconnaissance missions to obtain photographs that aided the invasion of the Continent.

After D-Day, both the 67th RG moved to its Advanced Landing Ground at Le Molay-Littry (ALG A-9) and IX FC Headquarters moved to Les Obeaux, France in late June 1944 ending the USAAF presence at Middle Wallop. During the American use, the airfield was designated as USAAF Station 449, ID Code: MW.

RAF/RNAS use
Middle Wallop returned to RAF use from July 1944 for No. 418 Squadron RCAF and its de Havilland Mosquito nightfighters. [1]

In January 1945 RAF Middle Wallop was transferred to Royal Navy use and became RNAS Middle Wallop. HMS Flycatcher the HQ for the FAA MNAO organization moved there from RNAS Ludham the RAF taking on Ludham again. [2]Five units were assembled there and the last MONAB X ("HMS Nabhurst") was there until disbanded in 1946 following the end of the war in the Pacific.

In 1946 the Royal Air Force occupied Middle Wallop again. No. 164 Squadron RAF with its Spitfires came and were renumbered to No. 63 Squadron RAF. The following year No. 227 Operational Conversion Unit, an Army AOP training unit, was moved to the airfield. This was renamed as the Air Observation Post School in 1950 and the Light Aircraft School in 1952

From mid 1953 to 1957, Middle Wallop was the home for No. 288 Squadron RAF with its Boulton Paul Balliols.

Army Air Corps use
In 1954 a Development Flight (CFS) with helicopters was formed there, this led to the Joint Experimental Helicopter Unit in 1955. On 1 September 1957, when British Army aviation became independent of the RAF, Middle Wallop transferred to the new Army Air Corps. It became the school of Army Aviation, to which it has remained to the present date.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   51°8'48"N   1°33'58"W

Comments

  • Home of the Directorate of Army Aviation on one side and home of the School of Army Aviation (SAAvn) on the other. The School is run by the Commandant a full Colonel School uses several different Helicopters, Squirrels, Gazelles, Lynx and Apache. Was once the biggest grass airfield until a huge part was put under concrete for the Apache.
  • I was stationed for the whole of my National Service (2 years) at Middle Wallop. Starting as a Clerk Equipment Accounts, I transferred to being a storeman, and subsequently became the Signals Clerk for the Equipment section. My Barrack Block was No.4,and I recall that another Block (No.6) housed the gymnasium.One of the hangars had been bombed during the war, and it remained a shell until being demolished many years later. I played football for the Station, and also Table Tennis - we won the Andover League championship in 1954. Squadron Leader Clark was the Equipment Section leader. Group Captain Grece the Station Commander, was killed in a car accident whilst I was there, I recall. I was lucky to get a flight in an Avro Anson, which visited the station. Demob Day came in November 1954, and I returned to Civvy Street, living at that time in Central London.
This article was last modified 7 years ago