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BOURNEMOUTH AIRPORT, DORSET
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ABOUT & HISTORY
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Bournemouth Airport was previously known as Royal Air Force Hurn or more simply RAF Hurn. It was a Royal Air Force station located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) north west of Christchurch, Dorset, England. Opened in 1941, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces. During the war it was used primarily as a transport and fighter airfield. Hurn was the final airfield in England for aircraft flying to Morocco for the North African and Italian campaigns, avoiding France, Spain and Portugal airspace.
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RAF Hurn was significantly expanded for D day. The Second Tactical Airforce moved in april/may 44 getting ready for D-Day first was 143rd Wing, 83 Group comprising 438 (Wild Cat), 439 (Westmount) and 440 (City of Ottawa and Beaver) Squadrons, By the end of April, 124 Wing were also there, comprising 181, 182 and 247 (China-British) Squadrons. Hurn now hosted over a hundred Typhoons and to add to the logistical problems, 40 Mosquitoes. The Typhoons were busy shooting up eveything that moved ready for the invasion.
Bournemouth Airport is now well located for Spitfire flights along the south coast of England, with The Isle of Wight out to the east with it's famous White Cliffs of the Needles, and to the west there is Old Harry Rocks, Portland Bill, Weymouth, Corfe Castle and the beautiful Jurassic Coast stretching down to Devon. So a huge number of location possibilities to view over the wing of Spitfire from this fantastically situated Dorset Airport. On the ground you will be hosted in the very luxurious XLR Private Jet facility which has a fantastic position on the airfield with a great viewing area of the apron where the Spitfire will be parked, and very close to the runway too.
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