RAF Defford

Some of the Second World War buildings, once the Sick Quarters for the RAF Defford airbase, still remain and have been restored as Croome’s visitor centre and museum.

Museum

The museum reveals the once secret story of RAF Defford with wartime artefacts, emotive personal possessions, videos and costume displays.

Much of the land required for RAF Defford was requisitioned from the Earl of Coventry in 1940, with the station’s technical area being built on the eastern part of Croome park. The laying of the runways necessitated the closure of a public road, and extended across Defford common.

Various communal and domestic sites, including the Station Sick Quarters, were clustered around Croome Court, the ancestral home of the Earls of Coventry, to house over 2,000 service personnel and scientists who tested radar at this secret airbase to meet new enemy.

RAF Defford became the main station in Britain for the development of airborne radar during and after the Second World War.  The airfield housed the Telecommunications Flying Unit (TFU), carrying out flight trials for the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE), which had moved from Worth Matravers to Malvern in May 1942.

The experiments and developments carried out at Defford were of great historic significance, for they played a vital part in helping the Allies to win the war, and paved the way for many electronic applications that we now take for  granted.

2016 saw the restoration of the Ambulance Garage, once part of the secret airbase of RAF Defford.

A historic Canberra aircraft cockpit is inside with displays telling the story of airborne radar research at Pershore after Defford closed for flying in 1957.

Women of RAF Defford display

By 1945, there were well over 2500 people at RAF Defford up to 600 were women. They played an essential role in the fight to stay ahead of the enemy in the battle of the air waves and our display tells their story.

Opening times

The museum is open from 11am until 4pm every day during the winter  and 11am to 4.30pm during the summer.

RAF Walks 2017 

The first RAF Guided Walk of the year will take place on Sunday 7 May 2017 at 11.30am, departing from the Visitor Centre and returning around 1pm.

No booking required - tickets available at reception (please note numbers limited to 25)

RAF Walks in 2017 are scheduled for:

    Sunday 4 June
    Sunday 2 July
    Sunday 6 August
    Sunday 3 September
    Sunday 1 October.

Join our tour guide who will show you where during the Second World War, a substantial part of Croome Park was requisitioned for the building of a large military airfield, known as RAF Defford.

The RAF Walk highlights wartime locations and reveals how events changed the 18th century 'Capability' Brown landscape. There are also secrets waiting to be told along the route, for this was no ordinary airfield - top secret radar was tested here which helped to win the War.

Wartime romance

Romance blossomed between many civilians and service personnel. Read about a wartime romance at RAF Defford

Retrace their steps with our walks booklet

The footsteps of wartime personnel are followed in a RAF Defford walks booklet (£2 available from reception) showing a 2.8 mile walk around the park where the secret Second World War airbase once stood.

Defford Airfield Heritage Group (DAHG)

Preserving the history of Defford Airfield, the DAHG is an official National Trust supporter group who work closely with the team at Croome on many projects.

Visit their website for more information