Royal Air Force Aldermaston or more simply RAF Aldermaston is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Newbury, Berkshire and southwest of Reading, Berkshire, England. Originally built as an RAF Bomber Command airfield during 1941-1942, Aldermaston was transferred to the United States Army Air Forces in August 1942. Placed under the jurisdiction of Eighth Air Force, it was home to several Douglas C-47 Skytrain Troop Carrier Groups. It was transferred to Ninth Air Force in 1943 primarily as a Troop Carrier Command base. Returned to RAF Control at the end of 1945, it was used by Technical Training Command before being placed on Care and Maintenance. In 1946, it was transferred to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and used by BOAC aircraft for training. Also used by the Ministry of Aircraft Production for Supermarine Spitfire assembly and flight testing, the airfield closed in 1950 and the site became home of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (later the Atomic Weapons Establishment) from 1950. History 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. The technical site was on the south side of the airfield, consisting of various administrative buildings, maintenance shops and four large T-2 hangars. United States Army Air Forces use However, to support the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force in August 1942, jurisdiction of Aldermaston was transferred from RAF Bomber Command to the USAAF. The USAAF assigned station No. 467 to the facility. USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Aldermaston were: 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