LOST AIRFIELDS | EPISODE 2 • RAF HARRINGTON "CARPETBAGGERS" AND THOR MISSILE SITE

Welcome to episode 2 of the Ted Coningsby series, Lost Airfields and we are at RAF Harrington in Northamptonshire. Built in September 1943, it was the home of the famous 801st Bomb Group who took part in the famous Operation Carpet Bagger, during the Cold War, Harrington was a Thor missile site, designed to deliver atomic warheads to the Soviet Union.
The Carpetbaggers missions were to fly B-24 Liberators with all armament removed (with some exceptions of top or tail turrets) and drop supplies to enemy occupied countries to resistance groups in France, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and Holland. Most of the sorties were flown to support patriots in northern France.. Bomb shackles were removed from the bomb bay and pretty much every space in the Liberator was utilised to carefully fit as many supplies as possible with special supply canisters. Oxygen bottles, radio gear or anything that could be removed to fit more supplies were carried.
The missions had to be done at night and at low level. The B-24s were not escorted by fighter aircraft. Special routes had to be chosen to avoid action from enemy aircraft. The aircraft would have to drop below 2,000ft to avoid detection by radar and avoid potential enemy threat attacks. The take offs from Harrington were done carefully and although night missions were standard, the moon played a major part in the success. The moon had to be out, making the ground visible to the navigator and bombardier.
After the war, Harrington fell into disuse but its fate was to be given new life for another sinister time. In 1955 the contract from the US Government for the development of an IRBM (Intermediate Range Ballistic missile) system went to the Douglas Aircraft Corporation, which by prodigious feats of design and engineering delivered the first SM - 75 Thor in October 1956 and despite an inauspicious start in the flight test programme and the system was declared operational in 1959. The plan was to deploy the Thor missiles to Britain and a proposal was put forward in 1957 and was even proposed that it would cost Britain nothing with the exception of the funds needed to prepare the site preparations and building work. To avoid political complications the weapons would be manned by the Royal Air Force, though the nuclear warheads would remain under American control.
The plan was to have twenty reformed RAF squadron and operating three missiles each. After its number, each squadron would carry the initials SM (Strategic Missile) - these are the only RAF squadrons ever to bear this designation. RAF Feltwell was the first to designated as 77SM and was reformed at Feltwell on 1 September 1958. In 1959 Harrington was also chosen to become a Thor missile sight, No. 218(SM).
Now that Harrington was a Thor missile sight, it was nearly involved in the worlds first ever nuclear war. In 1962, during the Cold War, the Soviet Union places missiles on the island of Cuba. In 1959, Castro had led the Communists in Cuba and had taken control. The Soviet Union had promised to support the communist and defend Cuba with their Soviet Weapons. Therefore as part of the agreement Soviet premier Khrushchev installed nuclear missiles on Cuba. The USA had also installed missiles in Turkey. The USA cut off supplies to the island and demanded that missiles to be removed. This was the closest the world has ever come to complete nuclear was with Thor sights potentially on standby. President John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev exchanged messages and both agreed to stand down; The US would never invade Cuba, Khrushchev to removed the missiles, withdrawal of missiles in Turkey. Both carried out their promises and nuclear was avoided and the crisis over by late November 1962
The nuclear missile site is now protected as a Grade II listed building as an example of Cold War architecture
#thor #lostairfields #thormissile #cubanmissilecrisis #rafharrington #mighty8th #801bg #ww2 #tedconingsby #historychannel #military #historic #nuclearwar #education
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HARRINGTON MUSEUM
harringtonmuseum.org.uk
ALL PHOTOS USED - PUBLIC DOMAIN
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Har...
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[@fernwright7737]

Nice one . I have been to Harrington museum as it’s not far from me. My grandparents told me stories about the planes going over from Desborough aerodrome . My Grandad fought in the war but never said much about it. The N flag he took from one of the German towns is still with the family somewhere as a reminder.

[@TedConingsby]

[@richardhartill6927]

Used to live a mile from the airfield, spent many an hour walking and exploring what’s left. The museum is a fantastic place to visit but maybe forced to close due to the land it’s on being sold on. Would be a real Shame to so it go !!

[@Mancozeb100]

Aw no … that would be a great shame to lose that. Developer/destroyers would have little respect for such significant history.

[@suepalin9202]

I agree - the sacrifices of these brave aircrew must never be forgotten. But developers only see money and not history. The work on RAF Scampton has, I believe, been temporary halted due to an Enforcement Notice being served on the developers by West Lindsey District Council.@@Mancozeb100

[@richardhartill6927]

@@Mancozeb100couldn’t agree more with you !!!

[@gazza2933]

I've never heard of the "The Carpetbaggers" Flying over enemy territory virtually unarmed. What an incredible thing to do! Interesting that they ceased operations on 16th September 1944. The following day was the start of "Market Garden" The Arnhem Offensive. Another very well researched and absorbing video, Ted and Nikos. Well done! 👏🏻

[@TedConingsby]

Thanks Gazza. We stumbled upon this airfield by accident while trying to find a country pub for some salmon! Amazing place and great that it has a museum nearby related to it

[@GOTOHOBBIES]

Thank you Ted, I mirror what others have said, beautifully edited with a nice music theme. Its so important to remember our fallen and what they did for our freedom thank you for doing this. All our armed services including our police force deserve our thanks and gratitude to keep us safe , God bless them all.

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you. We will do our best to remember our fallen who made the ultimate sacrifice. Our former bases may not have much left so we will do our best to get coverage and remember them LEST WE FORGET 🇬🇧 🇺🇸

[@AaronOxfordExmouth1989]

These bring a lot of emotions for me. Absolutely brilliant productions. I have a list of lost bases that I really want to visit. Cannot praise you enough for these.

[@TedConingsby]

Oii Oii Aaron we know exactly what you mean. This is why we do these videos with great amounts of passion. Thanks again

[@silvergtotwinturbo9984]

Hi Nikos, my dad was stationed at Harrington, was posted there just after he was called up, we were going to do Sywell and Harrington but he died of old age before we could get that in. Glad to have taken him to the Mossie Museum and Cosford in his last years. Thank you for this, me and my brother are still going to do it though.

[@TedConingsby]

❤️thank you for this. We hope you get to go

[@silvergtotwinturbo9984]

@@TedConingsby ❤❤

[@user-in2id2vo2t]

Another fabulous Lost Airfields. There is so much military history in England. Great job again Nikos

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much

[@SteveMorrisTCS]

This series is fantastic Nikos please keep them going it's important that we know our history and youngsters today can learn so much from these videos.

[@TedConingsby]

Thanks so much Steve. It really is important and especially as these historic places are vanishing into dust so we will do our best to get as many done as possible

[@Echho1]

Thank you for this series Ted and Nikos. It is great to have this footage for posterity, and to reflect on what happened here and those who did not return home, so that we may have a chance at a better life. Lest we forget.

[@Mancozeb100]

Yes… so, so sad to hear how many of those crews perished - and in such short time. Lots of families grieving. The sort of grief that ripples across generations. Yes - Lest We Forget 🙏🏼

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much

[@daveysurt8803]

Absolutely brilliant. Thank you Ted and Nikos for sharing this. So important to remember

[@TedConingsby]

Oii Oii Davey thank you so much. We will always remember them

[@T_K_Photographer]

Fantastic Video Nikos. Thank you for remember the history of the lost RAF Airfields

[@TedConingsby]

Oii Oii thank you so much.

[@brundebrauc5198]

Super interesting stuff, Nikos and Ted. Always nice to learn more facts about ww2 and the cold war. Keep up the good work! Thx

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much

[@margobaxter8344]

Brilliant. Thank you Nikos, very interesting & a piece of history worth treasuring. Wish the old, dis-used air bases could be brought back to life, as they once were. Sadly, it's like too many good things in life, they come to an end. Gone but not forgotten

[@TedConingsby]

Thanks Margo. Dust may vanish, memories don’t. So as long as words are spoken in honour to remember them, then we reignite the souls that gave us this day. The TCS have a mission to make sure no one is forgotten. It may seem an impossible task but we will do what we can.

[@Panigale67]

I came here years ago. Recall a good little museum.

[@barbaraweech7900]

Love hearing about disused airfields and looking around them. Thanks Nikos good work.👍

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you very much Barbara

[@danj3789]

Fantastic video Nikos, can't wait to see more. I hope we get to see Sculthorpe and W Raynham as thankfully they at least have quite a bit left to see. I haven't been in some time but have had many explores of both (as well as being lucky enough to have a guided tour of Coltishall, which is still a very interesting place for many other reasons too) and consider myself very lucky to have seen what I have, time hasn't been kind to some of the most interesting parts of both which is a shame but at least they still have use and the memories are retained. Keep it up mate!

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you very much. Yes we’ve had a look into Sculthorpe looks very good

[@jonminter7977]

Well done Nikos and Ted for bringing history to life

[@TedConingsby]

Oii Oii Jon you’re most welcome

[@ToxicChillz]

What a great insight to a base I'd have never known about, so much history and emotion behind it all, especially what could have been, had the nuclear threat actually gone in to war. Crazy to think, its a shame to see it in ruin, but it definitely serves as a piece of history we need to remember

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much. Good news is that the THOR missile buildings are now protected as GRADE II so this won’t see them get taken away any time soon luckily.

[@colinbracher405]

Another very interesting video. Very well shot and narrated. Can't wait for your Episode 3.

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much Colin

[@arjenav5968]

Great video. You got me at the first B-24 pic though. Love the old Liberator, done so much more that the 'pretty boy' B-17. Certainly worth a subscribe!

[@TedConingsby]

Thanks so much Arjen

[@vickywassell4312]

Love these mini documentaries!Great footage and narration as always. Looking forward to the next one.

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much Vicky. Can’t wait for the next one

[@suepalin9202]

Interesting video, Nikos. Similar operations into Occupied Europe, especially France, were carried out by the RAF Special Duties Squadrons flying Lysanders from RAF Tangmere and RAF Tempsford - the latter in Bedfordshire and not that far from Harrington. Hugh Verity's book "We Landed by Moonlight" tells of his exploits with these Squadrons. Also, The Eight in the East was a Lottery-funded project to record for posterity the USAAF in East Anglia during WW2 - its website has details of the local museums which are small memorials to the 8th.

[@paulburrows4590]

This is brilliant stuff Nikos,and thanks for this work..highly appreciated as a lifelong military history enthusiast…Paul Mildenhall 👍👍👍

[@TedConingsby]

Oii Oii Paul glad you enjoyed

[@morrislouiseeagle7161]

thank you Mr Ted and family - this is much appreciated xxxx

[@mwoldringh]

Nice one! We get some history, get some knowledge from things out of a recent past. And we get to know about some 'lost airfields'

[@user-fu5un8if9z]

Absolutely brilliant commentary Nikos, very concise well done. Loved the background music too very atmospheric. Thank you 😊❤

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed

[@richardoxlade5723]

This is excellent content! I'll be looking forward to watching many more videos like this. Keep up the great work!

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much Richard

[@GingerBailey-is1jx]

Another interesting item thanks Nikos and Ted….hadn’t heard about the Carpetbaggers before!

[@TedConingsby]

AIR HAIR LAIR thank you very much and hope you enjoyed this one. This was so much fun to make and we hadn’t heard of it either, yet alone find out that the CIA were once called OSS. ooohh yeah

[@nigelbewick9869]

Hi Nikos another great video. Great to learn about the history and use of Harrington. Did you know that equipment flown to agents and resistance groups was packed at Holmewood Hall. I was told about this when I went to the Life on the Holme Front weekends . I have since visited Harrington what a gem the museum is well worth a visit.

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much. Yes, we learned about Holmewood Hall when we went to the museum. Nikos has done over 50 weddings there

[@kevinhunton-young4833]

Thoroughly enjoyed this ! Hope you do more similar historical airfield related streams. Cheers Kev

[@TedConingsby]

Thanks Kev

[@timgooch4933]

Fabulous Nikos & Ted, great drone footage awesome, can only imagine how they felt as they left for each mission so vulnerable

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much

[@knoxyish]

lot of old airfields in essex and herts the whole place during the 2nd world war was like one gigantic airfield ! love exploring them .

[@TedConingsby]

[@ILSRWY4]

@2:56 A-26C Invader, my Favorite Light attack aircraft. You have an Awesome documentary here! Very interesting. So much history you are keeping it alive!

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much. We understand that the live streaming is our main stream forte but it wasn’t, we would easily make these episodes nearly an hour long. There really is so much to tell and learn. We forgot totally to mention that the food supplies that went to Harrington came from Holmewood Hall, which is now a wedding venue where Nikos has done over 50 weddings there! Even this venue has its own base related, RAF GLATTON. Another episode perhaps one day. But saying that, our members only video “camouflage” was recorded there. Ooohhh yeah

[@DickieDelouise]

Nikos, another stellar video production! Ted spreads the history

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much

[@fordwrc2006]

When I were in the air cadets I stopped at RAF Locking for summer camp - think it closed in the late 90’s or early 2000’s

[@jonathanledger1440]

I would also recommend a visit to the museum. They show some interesting black and white movies about the Carpetbagger missions. Seem to remember they even dropped bicycles to the French Resistance from there. Would also recommend the Tollemarche Arms in the village nearby. Lovely views of the countryside from the pub garden! Lamport Hall is also worth a visit.

[@TedConingsby]

It is amazing there

[@stevechopping3021]

Good job Ted and Nikos

[@TedConingsby]

Thanks Steve

[@wolfman_actual]

Love the series! Lots of history out there.

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much

[@JacksonEGMC]

Love this, keep doing more

[@dianarolph1770]

That was really well done. The drone footage gave a new aspect too. Thanks for all the hard work you and Ted put in to bring us these informative videos. Let’s hope developers are not allowed to build on these important historic sites!!!

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you so much

[@kylobear7991]

Very thoughtful tribute thanks Ted and Nikos

[@TedConingsby]

LEST WE FORGET

[@DanielWalker67]

What an eerie feeling just watching. Shudder to think of the consequences of Thor should it have been launched. Thankfully common sense prevailed. So much history on out doorsteps. Beautifully done, with lots to still see at former RAF Harrington. Thank you for another episode of gone bt not Forgotten Airfields. Where it be next? Can't wait

[@TedConingsby]

Awesome isn’t it Daniel

[@tonym480]

They were giants in those days. Lest we forget

[@TedConingsby]

Lest we forget “They never forgot us”

[@Radio478]

Really appreciate your indepth commentary

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you very much

[@Mancozeb100]

Brilliant, fabulous piece of work there, Nikos. Amazing history and information. Your music selections so appropriate. Scary times. A kid of the sixties, and living in southern Ireland, had some, but really, quite little awareness of all this going on so near to us. Remember though, the heavy feeling of foreboding with the adults around the Cuban Missile crisis. Think it made Kennedy’s visit to Ireland in ‘63 all the more jubilant. Anyway - great resource there. Will put that on a visit list for next time I take foray around those parts. Thanks again. 👍🏻👍🏻

[@TedConingsby]

You are most welcome and thank you for taking the time to comment. We cannot wait to chose our next location

[@GingerBailey-is1jx]

Thanks

[@TedConingsby]

Oiii oiii Julian thank you so much for the super 😎🤙🏼

[@daceegee]

Thank you for sharing this. It's great to see the air field from above as it isn't accessible to the public. We were at Harrington the day you were there filming with our giraffes from Giraffe on Tour, but just missed you and saw your entry in the visitors book 😊

[@TedConingsby]

Oii Oii thank you so much and glad you enjoyed. Oh wow, you seen our guest book entry and how cool you came on the day. Great minds and hope you had a good day with the Giraffes on Tour 💜

[@daceegee]

@TedConingsby always have a good day there and yes saw your entry at the top of the page, we put ours 2 entries down, Statler and Waldorf Giraffe then got really excited and still hoped to see you on site. Not sure if we did or not when we looked around the thor cabin and talking to the volunteer 😁🦒💜

[@markhead8193]

there a old airfield in essex called riverhall near me is a SOE base called tempsford and i gone past one between steeple morden and litlington on the litlington road and there a war memorial on the B1045 near yaxley

[@markhead8193]

great vlog brother

[@TedConingsby]

Thanks Mark

[@ryanlotgd]

maybe you will visit the old airfield near where i used to live with it being the first airfield to get operational lancasters most of the airfield is still in tact

[@TedConingsby]

We would love to. FYI, the first squadron to have Lancasters were 44 Sqn and they were based at RAF Waddington. Also 97 received and again based at Waddo. Which airfield are you referring to?

[@ryanlotgd]

@@TedConingsby ex raf bottesford

[@markmarkplace]

Thanks Ted. I had no idea about any of this. 60 YO yank

[@TedConingsby]

Enjoy and you are most welcome

[@barrywood5357]

[@charlottejenkins9006]

Enjoyed that episode, good stuff!

[@TedConingsby]

Thank you Charlotte

[@SeanButterfield-dg6yj]

Hi. I’ve been trying to sort out membership to the TCS. I set it up previously, but it didn’t set up right. So I cancelled it and waited for it to lapse (25/09/23) and then try again. This time I get no link to join at all. PLEASE HELP, I really want to join the squadron but things just seem to be stopping me! I can’t find another way to contact you other than through comments.

[@TedConingsby]

Hi Sean, click the ABOUT page and contact us via email. We will do our best to help.

[@SeanButterfield-dg6yj]

Can’t see any email address in the about page. I think I may have sorted it though. I went through the website instead and it took me to the join page. If you could confirm to me that it’s worked that’d be great.

[@LEJapproach]

Absolutely fascinating! Love this series! The thing that always strikes me most when I think about places like this is a kind of duality that they inherently have: for me, on the one hand, they are memorials to mankind's inability to resolve conflicts in a peaceful way (sadly, this is still true today), but on the other hand, they are also monuments to the bravery, dedication and self-sacrifice of individuals, many of whom gave their lives defending their homeland. So, in a way, these places reflect the whole spectrum from the worst to the best of humanity, and that alone can and should teach us and those who will come after us a fundamental lesson!

[@TedConingsby]

Well said Gerd. This is absolutely right. As we’ve said before; in war, there is only loss. Thanks again for your comments, you are absolutely right. It should serve as a lesson and hope it does. Thank you 🇩🇪🇬🇧

[@user-vb7dj2oo5b]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PGM-17_Thor

[@Bex22]

Thanks

[@TedConingsby]

Oiii oiii Bex thank you so much

[@doughnuts2107]

Thanks

[@doughnuts2107]

Watching lost airfields it brings a tear to your eyes, these list airfields needs to be preserved for those who served & fought, either lost or died in action. This is our history for generations. I so hope they will never ever build homes on these lost airfields. God bless to all who served & sacrificed there lives for us.

[@TedConingsby]

Oiii oiii thank you so much for the super