RAF Ashford

RAF Ashford is a former Royal Air Force Advanced Landing Ground in Kent, England. The landing ground is located approximately 3mi west of Ashford just south of the A28 near the junction with Old Surrenden Manor Road; about 50mi southeast of LondonOpened in 1943, Ashford was one of several a prototypes for the temporary Advanced Landing Ground airfields built in France after D-Day, required as the Allied forces moved east across France and Germany. It was used by British, Dominion and the United States Army Air Forces. It was closed in September 1944.Today the airfield is a mixture of agricultural fields with few recognisable remains: part of runway 15 - 33 is visible on Google Earth at 51.125594° 0.818962°.HistoryUnited States Army Air Forces useAshford was known as USAAF Station AAF-417 for security reasons by the USAAF during the war, and by which it was referred to instead of location. It's USAAF Station Code was "AF".406th Fighter GroupOn 5 April the airmen of the 406th Fighter Group arrived, having crossed the Atlantic by troopship. The group arrived from Congaree Army Airfield South Carolina. Operational fighter squadrons and fuselage codes were: