Airfield search

Ford (Yapton)

Major

Also known as:	Ford Aerodrome / Ford Airfield Industrial Estate / Ford Airfield Market / Ford Junction / Ford Junction Aerodrome / HMS Peregrine / RAF Ford / RAF Ford Junction / RAF Station, Ford / RFC Ford Junction / RN Air Station, Ford / RNAS Ford / USAAF Station 362
County:	West Sussex
Current Status:	Housing / Industry / Leisure activity / Prison / Public road
Date:	1 March 1918 - 1980
Current Use:	Disused
Used By:	RAF (main user) / RAF (Norwegian) / RAF (Polish) / RFC / FAA (main user) / Civil / RAAF / RCAF / USAS
Landing Surface Types:	Unpaved, later paved
Aircraft Roles:	Anti-aircraft co-operation / Bomber / Fighter (main role) / Fighter-reconnaissance / General aviation / Military development/support / Naval aviation (main role) / Trainer

Ford, the world’s most famous intruder airfield, originally opened in March 1918 for use by RAF and American squadrons prior to closing in January 1920. The site reopened for civil flying ten years later, becoming involved in early air-to-air flight refuelling experiments, and resumed military aviation connections from the end of 1937. Fleet Air Arm training units primarily employed Ford into World War Two but their base suffered extremely heavy damage and loss of life following a ferocious attack by Junkers Ju 87s on August 18 1940. As a result the RAF quickly returned and Ford gained prominence in its best known role as various intruder squadrons – notably No 23 – roamed enemy-occupied territory to attack targets at will with considerable success. Operational duties gradually altered to also include fighter-bomber sorties as the airfield became heavily involved through the vital D-Day period and beyond.

Ford kept busy during peacetime as the Fleet Air Arm returned in the summer of 1945 to enable first-line squadrons to form and work up to full readiness. Another major event occurred in August 1951 when No 800 Squadron formed at HMS Peregrine with Supermarine Attackers to become the first naval jet fighter unit. Eventually Ford was paid off or closed in November 1958 but this did not signal the end of flying by any means as civil aircraft continued to employ the airfield until all flying finally ceased in 1980. Today a wide variety of alternative uses which have become noticeable since the late 1950s are evident, ranging from industry and peripheral housing to leisure, an open prison and a popular Sunday market.

The following organisations are either based at, use and/or have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield (as at 31/07/2018):

A. & J. Bull (Engineering) Ltd
A-Plant Ltd
Adur Ventilation
Arun Sports Arena - indoor football
Arundel Brewery
Ashtead Plant Hire Ltd
Besmoke
Carrera Design and Draughting Ltd
Classic Mantels Ltd
Clymping/Climping Parish Council
Coastal Aerial Supplies
Demon Designs
Favour Fairy
Fire Detection Products Ltd
Ford Air Rifle Ranges
Ford Electro Plating Ltd
Ford Parish Council
HMP Ford
The Flying Fortress
The Home Fusion Company
John Booth Engineering Ltd
K T Services Ford Ltd
Malcolm Frederick Pearcey
Omni Davis Insurance Brokers
Pavilion Systems Ltd
Polestar Cooling Ltd
Roberts Transport Ltd
Roberts Transport Self Drive Hire Ltd
Quantum Steel Ltd
Slindon Bakery
Sounds The Business
South Coast Skips Limited
Southdown Circuits Ltd
Stage Services
Styropack
Tarmac Topblock Ltd
Transvac Systems
Unique Welding & Fabrication Ltd
Yapton & Ford Local History Group
Yapton Parish Council

Main unit(s) present:

No 8 Fighter Command Servicing Unit
No 10 Sqn
No 11 Gp TT Flight
14th Carrier Air Group
No 15 (Fighter) Wing
No 16 Sqn
18th (Training) Wing
No 19 Sqn
No 22 Sqn
No 23 Sqn
No 29 Sqn
No 43 Sqn
No 50 TS
No 65 Sqn
No 66 Sqn
No 88 Sqn
No 96 Sqn
No 97 Sqn
No 107 Sqn
No 115 Sqn
No 122 Airfield
No 122 (Rocket Projectile) Wing
No 122 Sqn
No 125 Airfield
No 125 (Fighter) Wing
No 127 Sqn
No 129 Sqn
No 131 (Polish) (Fighter) Wing
No 132 (Norwegian) (Fighter) Wing
No 132 Sqn
No 133 (Polish) (Fighter) Wing
No 141 Sqn
No 144 (RCAF) (Fighter) Wing
No 144 Sqn
No 148 Sqn
No 149 Sqn
No 161 GS
No 170 Sqn
No 174 Sqn
No 192 Sqn
No 215 Sqn
No 256 Sqn
No 287 Sqn
No 288 Sqn
No 302 Sqn
No 306 Sqn
No 308 Sqn
No 315 Sqn
No 317 Sqn
No 331 Sqn
No 332 Sqn
No 405 Repair & Salvage Unit
No 418 Sqn
422nd Night Fighter Sqn
No 441 Sqn
No 442 Sqn
No 443 Sqn
No 453 Sqn
No 456 Sqn
No 602 Sqn
No 604 Sqn
No 605 Sqn
No 611 Sqn
No 700 Sqn
No 700X Flight
No 702 Sqn
No 703 Sqn
No 703A Flight
No 703W Flight
No 703X Flight
No 708 Sqn
No 720 Sqn
No 745 Sqn
No 746 Sqn
No 750 Sqn
No 751 Sqn
No 752 Sqn
No 762 Sqn
No 764 Sqn
No 767 Sqn
No 771 Sqn
No 778 Sqn
No 781 Sqn
No 782 Sqn
No 787 Sqn
No 793 Sqn
No 800 Sqn
No 801 Sqn
No 802 Sqn
No 803 Sqn
No 804 Sqn
No 806 Sqn
No 807 Sqn
No 809 Sqn
No 810 Sqn
No 811 Sqn
No 812 Sqn
No 813 Sqn
No 814 Sqn
No 815 Sqn
No 816 Sqn
No 818 Sqn
No 819 Sqn
No 820 Sqn
No 821 Sqn
No 824 Sqn
No 825 Sqn
No 826 Sqn
No 827 Sqn
No 829 Sqn
No 830 Sqn
No 831 Sqn
No 890 Sqn
No 895 Sqn
No 897 Sqn
No 1003 Servicing Wing
No 1012 Servicing Wing
No 1303 Mobile Wing RAF Regiment
No 1314 Mobile Wing RAF Regiment
No 1334 Wing RAF Regiment
No 1488 (Fighter) Gunnery Flight
No 1832 Sqn
No 1833 Sqn
No 1840 Sqn
No 1840A Sqn
No 1841 Sqn
No 1842 Sqn
No 2701 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2704 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2709 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2710 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2718 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2720 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2736 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2739 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2758 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2766 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2767 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2791 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2795 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2806 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2813 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2829 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 2897 Sqn RAF Regiment
No 3209 Servicing Commando
No 4045 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment
Ayling Aviation
British Hospitals Air Pageant
C.D. Barnard Air Tours Ltd
Central Fighter Establishment
Fighter Interception Development Sqn
Fighter Interception Development Unit
Fighter Interception Unit
National Aviation Day Ltd
Night Fighter Development Wing
Night Fighter Training Sqn
Royal Navy Observers School
School of Naval Co-operation
South Downs Flying Club
Station Flight, Ford (FAA)
Station Flight, Ford (RAF)
Yapton Aero Club

Handley Page workshops being constructed at Ford, 22 October 1918. © IWM (Q 111623)

Temporary hangars and Farman aircraft at Ford, 24 October 1918. © IWM (Q 113464)

A Handley Page bomber under construction at Ford, 24 October 1918. © IWM (Q 66102)

A Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e aircraft landing at the Ford, 25 October 1918. © IWM (Q 58348)

'Evelyn', a No 23 Squadron Douglas A-20 Havoc starts up at Ford at the beginning of another night sortie, 28 November 1941. © IWM (CH 4048)

Electricians testing and charging aircraft batteries at Ford in May 1943. © IWM (CH 10089)

Aircrews of No 605 Squadron RAF relax in their crew room at Ford, before night intruder operations during the Second World War. © IWM (CH 9231)

Supermarine Spitfire Mark IXs of No 453 Squadron RAAF starting up at Ford during the Second World War. © IWM (HU 92143)

Supermarine Spitfire Mark IXB of No 602 Squadron RAF is guided out from its dispersal at Ford during the Second World War. © IWM (CH 12890)

Pilots of No 132 Squadron with their Commanding Officer and his Spitfire LF IX at Ford, 27 April 1944. © IWM (CH 12889)

A new transport stretcher being tested at Ford, January 1954. © IWM (A 33099)

A scoop designed to lift people from the sea using a helicopter being demonstrated at Ford, 11 January 1955. © IWM (A 33095)

A hangar at Ford, 21 March 2008.

Part of the perimeter track at Ford, 5 June 2010.

Fleet Air Arm aircraft at Ford, 1957. Courtesy of British Pathé

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Parent(s)/HQ Airfield(s):	Lee-on-Solent
Associated Airfield(s):	Tangmere

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Ford (Yapton)