Airfield search

Bedford (Thurleigh)

Major
Also known as: Bedford Autodrome / DERA Bedford / RAE Bedford / RAF Station, Thurleigh / RAF Thurleigh / Thurleigh Aerodrome / Thurleigh Airfield Business Park / USAAF Station 111
County: Bedfordshire
Current Status: Aviation / Industry / Leisure activity (main position) / Museum
Date: Opened 24 July 1941
Current Use: Active
Used By: RAF / USAAF / Civil
Landing Surface Types: Paved
Aircraft Roles: Bomber (main role) / Experimental (main role) / Trainer

The following organisations are either based at, use and/or have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield (as at 01/09/2011):

  • 306th Bombardment Group Museum
  • Akita Security Services Ltd
  • Bedford Aeronautical Heritage Group
  • Bedford Central Library
  • Bletsoe Parish Council
  • Bolnhurst and Keysoe Parish Council
  • Chaos Visual Productions Ltd
  • Charlie's Angels Security Services Ltd
  • Deep Consultants Ltd
  • Eden Remarketing Ltd
  • GB Accounting Solutions Ltd 
  • Hudson Kapel
  • Kazbar Systems Ltd
  • Leasecontracts Ltd
  • MotorSport Vision Limited - owner
  • Orion Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Ltd
  • PalmerSport
  • Paragon Automotive Logistics Ltd
  • Photoreverie At Bedford Autodrome
  • QinetiQ - Bedford
  • Riseley Parish Council
  • St. Modwen Ventures
  • Seven Son Ltd
  • Smash It PR Ltd
  • SMH Fleet Solutions Limited
  • Teleport London International Ltd
  • Tenwell Services Ltd
  • Thurleigh Parish Council
  • Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre

The following alternative information/mass media sources have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield (as at 30/11/2018):

  • Bletsoe Online
  • Riseley Village
  • Thurleigh Village

Main unit(s) present:

  • No 18 OTU
  • No 160 Sqn
  • 306th BG
  • 367th BS
  • 368th BS
  • 369th BS
  • 423rd BS
  • No 2813 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • Central Gunnery School
  • Radar Research Sqn
001Control Tower2 (Building 141) - 25 August 2008.png

Control Tower at Bedford, 25 August 2008. © Richard Flagg

002Control Tower (Building 141) - 25 August 2008.png

The control tower at Bedford, 25 August 2008. © Richard Flagg

003Hangar : Maintenance Hangar (Hangar 1) - 25 August 2008.png

Maintenance Hangar (Hangar 1) at Bedford, 25 August 2008. © Richard Flagg

004Hangar (Hangar 2) - 25 August 2008.png

Hangar 2 at Bedford, 25 August 2008. © Richard Flagg

005Hangar : Aero Flights Hangar (Hangar 3) - 25 August 2008.png

Aero Flights Hangar (Hangar 3) at Bedford, 25 August 2008. © Richard Flagg

006Unknown - 25 August 2008.png

Unknown building at Bedford, 25 August 2008. © Richard Flagg

007Unknown (Building 144) - 25 August 2008.png

Unknown building at Bedford, 25 August 2008. © Richard Flagg

008Unknown2 - 25 August 2008.png

306th Bombardment Group Museum at Bedford, 25 August 2008. © Richard Flagg

009Aerial View. RAF Thurleigh Airfield - 14 March 2009.png

Aerial view of Bedford, 14 March 2009. © Richard Flagg

010geograph-1832095-by-M-J-Richardson.jpg

View over the north-west part of the airfield, 22 April 2010.

011geograph-1832093-by-M-J-Richardson.jpg

A hangar at Bedford, 22 April 2010.

Footage from an RAF Open Day at Bedford. Courtesy of British Movietone

The Short SC1 experimental aircraft at Bedford. Courtesy of British Movietone

A Helicopter Platform mimicking the deck of a ship at Bedford, 1963. Courtesy of British Pathé

An open day at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Bedford, 1964. Courtesy of British Pathé

Aircraft and personnel of the Bedford Blind Landing Experimental Unit, 1965. Courtesy of British Pathé

A Concord model is flown at Bedford, 1966. Courtesy of British Pathé

Footage of Bedford, March 1994. Courtesy of Gavin Weaver

Aircraft departing Bedford in March 1994. Courtesy of Gavin Weaver

More aircraft departing Bedford in March 1994. Courtesy of Gavin Weaver

Aerial footage of Bedford. Courtesy of Auto map

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