Also known as Station 179
The story of RAF Harrington
The 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional) arrived from Alconbury on 25 March 1944. Known as the Carpetbaggers, it flew secret night missions dropping agents and supplies to resistance groups. Its B-24s were stripped of most guns, painted black underneath and fitted with British shackles for supply canisters. B-17 squadrons dropped leaflets across occupied Europe. In August 1944 the 801st became the 492nd Bombardment Group. It flew fuel to the advancing armies, then night bombing, then more special operations into Germany with B-24s, A-26s and Mosquitos. It won a Distinguished Unit Citation and flew its last Carpetbagger mission in April 1945.
The airfield fell into disuse after the war. In 1958 it was chosen as a Thor missile site, with three launch pads for nuclear-armed missiles. Deployment began that December and ended in 1963. The land returned to farming, and most of the concrete was removed. The Thor site was listed Grade II in 2011. The Carpetbagger Aviation Museum opened nearby in 1993.
Flying units
| Unit | Years | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| 801st Bombardment Group (Provisional), 'Carpetbaggers', USAAF | 1944–1944 | Consolidated B-24 Liberator |
| 492nd Bombardment Group (Heavy), USAAF | 1944–1945 | B-24 Liberator, B-17, A-26 Invader, de Havilland Mosquito |
| Thor missile squadron, RAF Bomber Command | 1959–1963 | PGM-17 Thor IRBM |
What survives
- The three Thor missile launch pads, listed Grade II in 2011
- Single-track farm roads on the line of the perimeter track
The museum on the airfield
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrington Aviation MuseumNorthampton, Northamptonshire | £8 | — | Harrington was Station 179, home of the 'Carpetbaggers' — black-painted B-24s dropping agents and supplies to the Resistance by… |