RAF Langar was opened in September 1942 and during World War II it was used by the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force Ninth Air Force. It was also known as USAAF Station 490, Station Code: LA.

The airfield was built during the early months of 1942 to Class A bomber airfield specifications. The three concrete runways were a main of 6000ft at 01-19, and two secondaries of 4,200ft at 07-25 and 4,200ft at 13-31. The original 36 hard-standings were of the pan type but in the summer of 1943 14 loops were added to bring the total to 50.

The original specification had the usual two T-2 hangars but an additional two were added when the airfield was required to hold 32 Horsa gliders in store. Accommodation was mainly Nissen type buildings which catered for 2,253 persons.

RAF Use

The first flying unit arrived in September 1942 when No.207 Squadron arrived with Lancaster bombers from RAF Bottesford. 207 Squadron was a major RAF Bomber Command unit and participated in major raids on occupied Europe.

Also, in September 1942, A.V.Roe Ltd. prepared to use a large hangar complex on the west side of the Langar/Harby road to carry out major repair and maintenance of Lancasters.

USAAF Use

In November 1943 Langar was transferred to the USAAF Ninth Air Force as a troop carrier group base. The airfield was used as a reception base for troop carrier groups flying in from the United States.

On 17th September 45 C-47s of the 441st TCG dropped paratroops of the 82nd Airborne, who had been camping on Wollaton Park, Nottingham since early March 1944 (see elsewhere on this site) near Nijmegen Holland. Five aircraft were lost to Flak. On 18th September, 40 C-47s, all towing CG-4A gliders carried out a reinforcement mission without loss or casualties.

No further missions were flown until 23rd September when 90 C-47s, all towing gliders to Holland encountered flak that brought down one C-47. This was the last operational mission by the USAAF from Langar and ended the association of the Ninth Air Force with the airfield.

Courtesy of https://www.skydivelangar.co.uk/langar-airfield-a-brief-history/

Key:

P-Pilot, FE- Flight Engineer, N- Navigator, W/Op - Wireless Operator, BA - Bomb Aimer, AG - Air Gunner