Aldermaston was initially planned as an RAF Bomber Command airfield, being constructed in 1941-1942. RAF 92 Group was programmed to occupy the facility with
Vickers Wellington bombers. The facility was constructed as a "Class A" bomber airfield with three concrete runways. The main was 1,830m aligned 06/24, with two crosswind secondary runways of 1,280m aligned 11-29 and 17-35. The airfield had an encircling perimeter track with both the pan and loop-type aircraft hardstands for aircraft parking. • 318th Service Group (53d Troop Carrier Wing) : 458th, 459th Service Squadron; HHS 318th Service Group • 21st Weather Squadron • 40th Mobile Communications Squadron • 819th Medical Air Evacuation Transportation Squadron (53d Troop Carrier Wing) • 97th Station Complement Squadron Regular Army Station Units included: • 1052nd Quartermaster Company • 1068th Quartermaster Company • 1075th Signal Company • 1229th Military Police Company • 1465th Ordnance Medium Maintenance Company • 2249th Quartermaster Truck Company • 2142nd Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon • Detachment ZB (40th Mobile Communications Squadron) • Weather Detachment ZB ;
Aldermaston Court A non-flying facility located about one-half mine north of the airfield. It is a large country house which was purchased from the Keyser family by the British Government at the outbreak of World War II. Taken over by the USAAF, it became the headquarters of the
XIX Tactical Air Command (formerly XIX Air Support Command). It was given the designation of AAF-476.
Eighth Air Force ;
60th Troop Carrier Group Due to Aldermaston's location in Berkshire, Eighth Air Force decided to use the base to station as a C-47 Troop Carrier base. Upon completion of construction in August, the
60th Troop Carrier Group (60th TCG) was transferred from its temporary locations at
RAF Chelveston and
RAF Podington in East Anglia, which became heavy bomber bases. The operational squadrons of the 60th TCG were: •
10th Troop Carrier Squadron (S6) (Arrived 7 August from Chelveston) The unit trained with Army paratroop units during the fall of 1942, preparing for combat operations in North Africa as part of the
Operation Torch invasion of French North Africa. It flew its only combat mission on 8 November 1942 when it transported airborne paratroopers from Aldermaston, and dropping them at Oran, Algeria during the early hours of the invasion. ;
107th Observation Squadron With the 60th's move to North Africa, the 107th Reconnaissance Squadron,
67th Observation Group, was moved to Aldermaston on a temporary basis from
RAF Membury in Berkshire. It flew a mixture of light observation
L-4 Grasshopper single engine and
Douglas A-20 Havoc two-engine reconnaissance aircraft. It also had several
Supermarine Spitfires. The squadron remained only until 8 January 1943 when it was moved back to Membury. After the invasion of France, the mission of the 435th became resupply and casualty evacuation of Allied ground forces on the continent. Supplies transported were, for the most part, critically needed items such as communications equipment and special ammunition In 1949,
Fairey Aviation used Aldermaston airfield for the first flight of the first prototype
Fairey Gannet, serialled VR546, which was built in its factory at Hayes, Middlesex then taken by road to Aldermaston, reassembled and successfully test flown by the company's chief test pilot Gp/Capt R G Slade on 19 September.
Other units assigned ; United States Army Air Forces • HQ,
IX Air Support Command (November 1943 - 1 February 1944) • HQ, 71st Fighter Wing • HQ,
XIX Air Support Command (1 February 1944 - 15 June 1945) • 370th Fighter Group (12–29 February 1944) • 434th Troop Carrier Group (3 March 1944 - 12 February 1945) ==Postwar use==