Both the RAF and US Army Air Forces made good use of airfields in southern England leading up to and throughout the D-Day period in 1944. Some of the souths 'strips' were already built and well established, but others were constructed specifically for operations during that time and, being temporary in nature, disappeared soon afterwards. The Hampshire/Dorset area features a long-standing airfield that has major connections with June 6, 1944 and is still active. Indeed, Middle Wallop is a true survivor and today an important military base for Britain's Army Air Corps. Located just northeast of Middle Wallop village in Hampshire, alongside the A343 main road and immediately to the west of the Iron Age hill fort of Danebury (sometimes called Danebury Hill), the facility came under the 'Expansion Scheme' RAF building programme of the late 1930s. To that end it featured excellent barracks and administrative buildings, as well as five permanent C-Type hangars. These were supplemented by a growing number of Blister hangars as World War Two progressed. Although not completed until later in 1940, it nevertheless played an important role during the Battle of Britain, initially being a part of 11 Group and later 10 Group, Fighter Command. It had a Sector Operations Room and was deemed significant enough for the Luftwaffe to mount several raids against it during August 1940. During one of these, bombs hit a hangar, successfully putting it out of action and killing three airmen. Unusually for Expansion Scheme RAF bases, hard runways were never laid on the airfield. Originally simply a grass strip, the base's two actual runways (a long north/south and a shorter northeast/ southwest) were later created with Sommerfeld Track. A solid perimeter and various hardstandings were added over time. One of the more notable occupants in 1940 was 604 Squadron and its Bristol Beaufighters, equipped with Airborne Interception (AI) Mk.IV radar for after-dark missions. The celebrated night-fighter ace John 'Cat's Eyes' Cunningham achieved several of his nocturnal victories while operating from Middle Wallop with this unit.
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