RAF Keevil

Fuselages and wings were taken on Queen Mary trailers to an assembly shed on the edge of the airfield near Steeple Ashton village,[3][4] then flown out by the Air Transport Auxiliary.

The unit remained in England until 15 November until being transferred to Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria as part of Twelfth Air Force.

They in turn were replaced in June 1945 by 61 Operation Training Unit converting newly qualified pilots on to Spitfires and, later, on to North American Mustangs.

61 OTU in due course became 203 Advanced Flying School and moved to Chivenor in Devon in July 1947 and this marked the end of RAF Keevil as a fully staffed and equipped operational airfield.

[6] Around 2023, management of the airfield was transferred from the RAF to the Army Air Corps, specifically the Joint Aviation Command at Middle Wallop.

[7] In May 2023, the Civil Aviation Authority granted permission for Keevil to be used by the Royal Artillery as a base for Thales Watchkeeper WK450 drone exercises on the nearby Salisbury Plain Training Area, with operations commencing in June 2023.

[9] The hangar that was used for Spitfire final assembly is outside the present-day airfield boundary at grid reference ST 910 570, and is now used by small businesses.

[10] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Media related to RAF Keevil at Wikimedia Commons

Short Stirlings of Nos. 196 and 299 Squadrons RAF lining the runway at RAF Keevil on the evening of 5 June 1944 before emplaning paratroops of the 5th Parachute Brigade Group for the invasion of Normandy.
Short Stirlings of Nos. 196 and 299 Squadrons RAF lining the runway at RAF Keevil on the evening of 5 June 1944 before emplaning paratroops of the 5th Parachute Brigade Group for the invasion of Normandy
Keevil airfield on 4 November 1956. The secondary runways are deteriorating; the main runway is still being maintained as an auxiliary runway for the USAF.
Keevil airfield on 4 November 1956. The secondary runways are deteriorating; the main runway is still being maintained as an auxiliary runway for the USAF.