RAF Tempsford

This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

RAF Tempsford
Tempsford, Bedfordshire in England
The Control Tower at Tempsford during the Second World War
RAF Tempsford Shown within Bedfordshire Show map of Bedfordshire RAF Tempsford RAF Tempsford (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom
Coordinates	52°09′31″N 000°15′49″W / 52.15861°N 0.26361°W / 52.15861; -0.26361
Type	Royal Air Force station
Code	TE/TQ
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force
Controlled by	RAF Bomber Command
Site history
Built	1941 (1941)
Built by	John Laing & Son Ltd Balfour Beatty
In use	1941 - February 1963 (1963)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Elevation	19 metres (62 ft)[1] AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 03/21 1,420 metres (4,659 ft) Concrete 06/24 1,400 metres (4,593 ft) Concrete 12/30 1,215 metres (3,986 ft) Concrete

Royal Air Force Tempsford or more simply RAF Tempsford is a former Royal Air Force station located 2.3 miles (3.7 km) north east of Sandy, Bedfordshire, England and 4.4 miles (7.1 km) south of St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, England.

The airfield was home to 138 (Special Duty) Squadron and 161 (Special Duty) Squadron, which dropped supplies and agents into occupied Europe for the Special Operations Executive (SOE). 138 (SD) Squadron handled most of the supply and agent drops, while 161 (SD) Squadron had the Lysander flight, and did the insertion and pick-up operations in occupied Europe.

RAF Tempsford is very close to Little Gransden Airfield and can be clearly seen from flights climbing out from the westerly runway 28. Other active airfields nearby include the former RAF bases at Gransden Lodge and Bourn.