STONEY CROSS was built during 1942,opening for business on 9th November 1942,although still incomplete.First occupant was Army Cooperation Command.From
1st June 1943 the airfield became part of 10 Group,Fighter Command.For the next six months the airfield was used for training with the Airborne Forces and the Glider Pilots Unit,In addition,large
numbers of Waco Hadrian Gliders were assembled on the airfield and flown out by a specialist US unit.On 13th March 1944 the airfield transferred to the USAAF 9th Air Force.With the departure of the
USAAF Stoney Cross returned to briefly RAF control on 7th July 1944,going back to the USAAF shortly after ,until the americans finally left on 5th September 1944.The next arrival was the No.1 Heavy
Glider Servicing Unit .Control passed to 11 Group Fighter Command in October,and to 116 Wing,Transport Command in November.On 1st January 1945 ,yet another chage of command as the airfield passed to
47 Group RAF Transport Command.This was however,the last change of command.When Transport Command left in October 1946,flying virtually ceased and in December 1946 Stoney Cross was placed on Care and
Mainetance.The airfield was officially closed by the Air Ministry in January 1948.Studies in 1970 of possible use of the site for construction of a new airport to serve the Bournemouth/Southampton
area came to nothing.Ultimately the runways were removed ,although parts of them remain in use as public roads today.
Above - Stoney Cross from the air in September 1943(OS Photo).
Above - Stoney Cross from the air in 1956(ten years after flying ceased).Below - a vertical view circa 1997 .Most of the concrete has been gone over 20 years but the layout still can be clearly seen.
Above and below - two 2009 pictures of Stoney Cross from Paul Smith.
RAF Units
26 Sq Mustang I arr 1/3/43, dep 10/3/43
26 Sq Mustang I arr 13/3/43, dep 7/4/43
46 Sq Stirling V /Dakota arr 9/1/45,dep 11/10/46
175 Sq Hurricane IIB arr 1/3/43,dep 11/3/43.
175 Sq Hurricane IIB arr 19/3/43,dep 8/4/43.
232 Sq Wellington XVI15/11/44 reduced to cadre 6/1/45
232 Sq Liberator VII re-established 5/2/45,dep14/2/45
239 Sq Mustang I arr 25/1/43,dep 10/3/43.
239 Sq Mustang I arr 12/3/43,dep 7/4/43
242 Sq Wellington XVI re-esblished 11/44 dep 12/45
296 Sq Mustang I arr3/6/43,dep 15/10/43(ground Echelon only)
297 Sq Albemarle I/II arr 25/8/43,dep14/3/44
299 Sq VenturaI/II and(1/44)Stirling IV arr 4/11/43dep 15/3/44
