Finmere Airfield
The airfield lies in Tingewick Parish, Buckinghamshire, but has always been known as Finmere Airfield. Some buildings still survive, including the control tower and a hanger (the MSF warehouse). The majority of the hundreds of buildings in use during the Second World War have, however, long been demolished and the east-west runway has recently been removed to make way for the bypass.
Finmere was a satellite airfield to Bicester and hosted an Operational Training Unit (OTU) from 1941. Air crews trained on Blenheim aircraft for 2 Group and for overseas service.
As the war progressed, Finmere grew in importance and more accomodation and operational buildings were built. The Air Ministry plan (below) drawn in June 1945 shows 262 buildings on the airfield and in the woods to the east.
On 18 March 1943, the 307 Ferry Training Unit (FTU) moved to Finmere to train crews to fly Boston IIIs to North Africa. The first Bostons were ferried out on June 11, 1943, making journeys of more than seven hours. The FTU completed its task in October and moved to Melton Mowbray. Boston and Mitchell training continued at Finmere under 13 OTU.
In January 1944, Finmere received its first Mosquitoes and Blenhiems were withdrawn. Finmere now trained Mosquito, Mitchell and Boston crews for 2 Group, under 13 and 60 OTU.
Training for Bostons ceased in March 1945. Finmere continued to train eighteen Mosquito crews monthly for the Far East; this was increased to thirty-one crews in May. Mitchell training ceased in that month.
Training at Finmere ended when the 13 OTU left for Middleton St George in July 1945.
For a fuller story of Finmere Airfield, see The Millennium History, Chapter 23.
See also Finmere at War
