Cardington
| Also known as: | Bedford / Cardington Aerodrome / RAF Cardington / RAF Station, Cardington |
| County: | Bedfordshire |
| Current Status: | Aviation / Housing (main position) / Industry (main position) |
| Date: | 1917 - 1 January 2000; subsequent limited flying to present |
| Current Use: | Limited flying |
| Used By: | RAF / Civil |
| Landing Surface Types: | Unpaved |
| Prominent People: | Sir Sefton Brancker / Lord Thomson |
| Aircraft Roles: | Aircraft manufacture (main role) / Aircraft preparation/storage / Experimental / General aviation / Military development/support / 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):
- 134 (Bedford) Squadron ATC
- Cardington Parish Council
- Eastcotts Parish Council
- Frontier Estates
- Hybrid Air Vehicles
Main unit(s) present:
- No 1 Balloon Repair Depot
- No 1 Balloon Training Unit
- No 1 Glider Servicing School
- No 1 School of Recruit Training
- No 2 Aircraft Storage Unit
- No 2 Balloon Training Unit
- No 2 RAF Depot
- No 2 Recruit Receiving Centre
- No 2 School of Recruit Training
- No 4 Aviation Candidates Selection Board
- No 7 Aviation Candidates Selection Board
- No 9 Aviation Candidates Selection Board
- No 14 Joint Services Trials Unit
- No 19 Aviation Candidates Selection Board
- No 20 Aviation Candidates Selection Board
- No 25 MU
- No 26 MU
- No 26 Stores Depot
- No 29 MU
- No 102 'P' Balloon Flight
- No 102 Personnel Dispersal Centre
- No 104 'P' Balloon Flight
- No 172 Personnel Transit Centre
- No 217 MU
- No 244 MU
- No 260 (Balloon) Wing
- No 802 Defence Sqn
- No 912 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 914 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 924 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 931 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 954 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 955 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 956 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 957 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 958 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 959 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 963 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 965 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 967 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 970 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 971 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 972 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 973 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 974 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 975 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 976 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 986 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 990 (Balloon) Sqn
- No 1440 Flight
- No 2802 Sqn RAF Regiment
- 'A' Mobile Balloon Sqn
- Balloon Development Establishment
- Balloon Development Unit
- The Balloon Training Unit
- The Balloon Unit
- Ferry Flight, Cardington
- National Aviation Day Ltd
- Polish Balloon Unit
- Station Flight, Cardington
- Training Aids Development Flight
Kite balloons and balloon winches of No 1 Balloon Training Unit are prepared for handling practice at Cardington during the Second World War. © IWM (CH 1521)
Kite balloons of No 1 Balloon Training Unit at Cardington, October 1940. © IWM (CH 17333)
Damage from two bombs dropped half a mile north from the centre of the airfield, 11 October 1940. Courtesy of Robert Barlow
Work being done on the airship mooring mast tower at Cardington during the Second World War. Courtesy of Robert Barlow
Work being done on the airship mooring mast tower at Cardington during the Second World War. Courtesy of Robert Barlow
The Shorts Building at Cardington, once a hotel for airship passengers, 13 March 2008.
Trackway near the airship sheds, 25 June 2010. © Richard Flagg
Airship Shed No 2, 25 June 2010. © Richard Flagg
Airship Shed No 2, 1 February 2013. © Richard Flagg
Airship Sheds No 1 and No 2, 1 February 2013. © Richard Flagg
Station Headquarters, 1 February 2013. © Richard Flagg
Airship Shed No 1, 17 May 2013. © Richard Flagg
Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10, 9 April 2017. © Richard Flagg
Airship Sheds No 1 and No 2, 9 April 2017. © Richard Flagg
Footage of the Mayfly airship at Barrow-in-Furness and a R101 airship at Cardington, 1911 and c. 1930s. Courtesy of HuntleyFilmArchives
Three Commonwealth Prime Ministers observe the R33 Airship at Cardington, 1925. Courtesy of British Pathé
The R100 airship completing a successful flight to a mooring post at Cardington, 1929. Courtesy of British Pathé
The R100 Airship at Cardington, 1930. Courtesy of British Pathé
The Graf Zeppelin arrives at Cardington, 1930. Courtesy of British Pathé
Footage of Cardington, 1949. Courtesy of British Pathé
Footage of balloons at Cardington, 1949. Courtesy of British Pathé
RAF Cardington receiving the Freedom of Bedford, 1959. Courtesy of British Pathé
The RAF Research Centre at Cardington, 1966. Courtesy of British Pathé
Aerial footage of Cardington, c. January 2016. Courtesy of Crazy Places
| Decoy Airfield(s): |