Ibsley airfield, located east of the River Avon and to the North of Ringwood, was a three runway airfield which opened during February 1941. Many nationalities operated from Ibsley including British, Polish, Czechoslovakian and Australian servicemen. Early 1944 these squadrons were joined by the United States Army Air Force fighter squadrons with P-47 Thunderbolts and P-38 Lightenings to prepare for D-Day. These units supported the allied forces up to and beyond D-Day, flying operational missions over France.
During the Second World War there were twelve airfields in the New Forest, nine of which were built in wartime. Flat areas of land in this region made it suitable for creating airfields. Being situated near the south coast of the UK also made the The New Forest a useful base for aircraft operating over continental Europe.
| Address | Ellingham Drove, Ringwood, Hampshire BH24, UK |
| County | Hampshire |
| Location type | Airfield |
| Access | Public Access |
| Site Ownership and Access Information | Part of the site is now the Blashford Lakes nature reserve, owned by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust |
| Contact details | See Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust website |
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