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03/07/1959, RAF Station Gan, Addu Atoll, Maldive Islands.
Handley Page Hastings TG580 of 48 Squadron, RAF Changi, Singapore crashed on landing at Gan.
On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off and the airplane slid on its belly for few dozen yards before coming to rest.
The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Much later, after the essentials were stripped from the Hastings, the aircraft was towed into the Gan lagoon on barges and sunk in circa 80' depth of water.
Scroll down to TG580:
www.baaa-acro.com/city/gan-afb-addu-atoll
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._48_Squadron_RAF
Officially: The aircraft ground-looped in a strong sidewind, there were no serious injuries sustained by those onboard.
However, an eye witness stated:
"I have re read the report on the crash and disagree with the cross wind theory. I watched the aircraft coming in, I was standing near the edge of the runway, no crosswind. The starboard undercarriage collapsed on touchdown after a level landing. The aircraft scraped along the runway eventually veering off to Starboard the wing tip catching the coral which put out the fire and spun the aircraft through 180 degrees then coming to rest. I can still see it in my minds eye, even now".
Between 1957 and 1959 my father worked for the MOD (Ministry of Defence) as the power station manager at RAF Gan airbase, and he took many slide photos whilst stationed there.
During these years the airbase, runway and facilities were being enlarged and updated. Work was in full swing at this time.
This image was scanned from a slide.
▪︎Turret Instructional Building 31, Type 'A' (Airfield Site) Air Ministry Drawing Number 11023/40▪︎
Originally known as RAF Bury St Edmunds Airfield, Rougham Airfield is situated 3 miles east of the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds. The airfield was built between 1941 and 1942, and had three intersecting concrete runways. The main runway was approximately 2,000 yards long, and ran in an east to west direction. It was designed for a United States Army Airforce unit (U.S.A.A.F) Bomb Group. Fifty concrete hardstands were constructed just off the encircling perimeter track. Two T2 type Hangars were erected, one on each side of the airfield, accommodation was provided for some 3,000 personnel in Nissen Huts and other temporary type buildings.
The airfield was opened in September 1942 and was used by the U.S.A.A.F Eighth Air Force, and given the designation Station 468 (BU). The first U.S.A.A.F group to use Bury St. Edmunds airfield was the 47th Bombardment Group (Light) arriving from Greensboro A.A.F North Carolina in mid-September 1942. The 47th was equipped with the Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, but the group quickly moved to RAF Horham, as Bury St. Edmunds was still under construction. On 2nd November the 47th was ordered to North Africa, departing for Medina Air Field 15 miles south of Casablanca in Morocco. The 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium) arrived in December 1942 from Drane Army Airfield, Florida, a satellite installation of nearby MacDill Field, where the 322nd originally began their pre-deployment training. The group was assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing and flew Martin B - Z6B/C Marauders.
Ongoing construction at RAF Bury St. Edmunds forced two of the group's squadrons to locate to RAF Rattlesden. The group's aircraft did not arrive until late in March 1943. Once operational, the 322nd flew two low-level bombing operations from RAF Bury St. Edmunds. The first, on the 14th of May when it dispatched 12 planes for a minimum-level attack on an electrical generating plant near Ijtnuiden. This was the first operational combat mission flown by B-26's. The second was a disastrous mission to the Netherlands on Monday, 17th May, when the group sent 11 aircraft on a similar operation from which none of the aircraft penetrating the enemy coast, returned. Sixty crewmen were lost to flak and interceptors. Group morale was not improved when, on the 29th of May, a B-26 crashed onto the airfield killing the crew and damaging a hangar. After these missions, the group was re-equipped and trained for medium-altitude operations for several weeks before returning to combat operations.
On the 13th of June, the 322nd moved to RAF Andrews Field in Essex. The 94th Bombarment Group (Heavy) arrived from RAF Earls Colne on the 15th of June 1943. The 94th was assigned to the 4th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a 'Square-A'. The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.
The 94th flew its first mission on the 13th of June 1943, bombing an airfield at Saint Omer. After that, the group attacked such strategic objectives as the port of St Nazaire, shipyards at Kiel, an aircraft component parts factory at Kassel, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, a chemical factory at Ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Frankfurt, oil facilities at Mersburg, and ball-bearing works at Eberhausen. The 94th took part in the campaign of heavy bombers against the enemy aircraft industry during ''Big Week'' between the 20th and the 25th of February, 1944. Prior to ''D-Day'' on June 1944, they helped to neutralize V-Weapon sites, airfields, and other military installations along the cob Industrial Estate.
The T2 hangars are still in use, for storage, the Control Tower was used for many years as a private dwelling, and has now been restored and is used as a museum. The airfield, once again known as Rougham Airfield, now has two grass runways available for civil use. Gliding and model aircraft flying are frequent and several open-air events are organised each year.
Information sourced from – military-history.fandom.com/wiki/RAF_Bury_St_Edmunds
▪︎Parachute Store Building 14 (Airfield Site) Air Ministry Drawing Number 11137/41▪︎
Originally known as RAF Bury St Edmunds Airfield, Rougham Airfield is situated 3 miles east of the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds. The airfield was built between 1941 and 1942, and had three intersecting concrete runways. The main runway was approximately 2,000 yards long, and ran in an east to west direction. It was designed for a United States Army Airforce unit (U.S.A.A.F) Bomb Group. Fifty concrete hardstands were constructed just off the encircling perimeter track. Two T2 type Hangars were erected, one on each side of the airfield, accommodation was provided for some 3,000 personnel in Nissen Huts and other temporary type buildings.
The airfield was opened in September 1942 and was used by the U.S.A.A.F Eighth Air Force, and given the designation Station 468 (BU). The first U.S.A.A.F group to use Bury St. Edmunds airfield was the 47th Bombardment Group (Light) arriving from Greensboro A.A.F North Carolina in mid-September 1942. The 47th was equipped with the Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, but the group quickly moved to RAF Horham, as Bury St. Edmunds was still under construction. On 2nd November the 47th was ordered to North Africa, departing for Medina Air Field 15 miles south of Casablanca in Morocco. The 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium) arrived in December 1942 from Drane Army Airfield, Florida, a satellite installation of nearby MacDill Field, where the 322nd originally began their pre-deployment training. The group was assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing and flew Martin B - Z6B/C Marauders.
Ongoing construction at RAF Bury St. Edmunds forced two of the group's squadrons to locate to RAF Rattlesden. The group's aircraft did not arrive until late in March 1943. Once operational, the 322nd flew two low-level bombing operations from RAF Bury St. Edmunds. The first, on the 14th of May when it dispatched 12 planes for a minimum-level attack on an electrical generating plant near Ijtnuiden. This was the first operational combat mission flown by B-26's. The second was a disastrous mission to the Netherlands on Monday, 17th May, when the group sent 11 aircraft on a similar operation from which none of the aircraft penetrating the enemy coast, returned. Sixty crewmen were lost to flak and interceptors. Group morale was not improved when, on the 29th of May, a B-26 crashed onto the airfield killing the crew and damaging a hangar. After these missions, the group was re-equipped and trained for medium-altitude operations for several weeks before returning to combat operations.
On the 13th of June, the 322nd moved to RAF Andrews Field in Essex. The 94th Bombarment Group (Heavy) arrived from RAF Earls Colne on the 15th of June 1943. The 94th was assigned to the 4th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a 'Square-A'. The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.
The 94th flew its first mission on the 13th of June 1943, bombing an airfield at Saint Omer. After that, the group attacked such strategic objectives as the port of St Nazaire, shipyards at Kiel, an aircraft component parts factory at Kassel, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, a chemical factory at Ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Frankfurt, oil facilities at Mersburg, and ball-bearing works at Eberhausen. The 94th took part in the campaign of heavy bombers against the enemy aircraft industry during ''Big Week'' between the 20th and the 25th of February, 1944. Prior to ''D-Day'' on June 1944, they helped to neutralize V-Weapon sites, airfields, and other military installations along the cob Industrial Estate.
The T2 hangars are still in use, for storage, the Control Tower was used for many years as a private dwelling, and has now been restored and is used as a museum. The airfield, once again known as Rougham Airfield, now has two grass runways available for civil use. Gliding and model aircraft flying are frequent and several open-air events are organised each year.
Information sourced from – military-history.fandom.com/wiki/RAF_Bury_St_Edmunds
Mildenhall Air Fete, Mildenhall AB (1989) - United Kingdom
British Aerospace (BAe) Harrier GR.5, ZD324 Royal Air Force (RAF) marked \B
written off 31 Oct 1997
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Mildenhall Air Fete, Mildenhall AB (1989) - United Kingdom
LTV-Vought A-7D Corsair II, 69-6222 as USAF 'Scrappy'
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Mildenhall Air Fete, Mildenhall AB (1989) - United Kingdom
Rockwell B-1B Lancer, 86-0119 United States Airforce
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The partially buried remains of an hexagonal type structure, there's appears to be no evidence of having a covering or a roof. The reinforced concrete walls are 6 inches thick, there are really bad cracks in sections of the wall, and broken sections of concrete lay nearby. The two large embrasures or openings, one of which the top section has broken away, these would probably have been for a close defence role. The rear entrance has a wall for protection, the overall condition is very poor, almost in a ruinous state.
The World War II Light Anti-aircraft (LAA) Weapons Pit, was a defensive position built to protect vulnerable points like airfields, factories, or towns from low-flying enemy aircraft. The pits typically housed rapid-firing machine guns or small-caliber cannons.
Construction and purpose: LAA Weapons Pits varied in their construction and features depending on the location, the weapon, and whether they were temporary or permanent.
Earthwork breastwork: Many simple LAA positions were earthwork pits or foxholes, which provided cover for the gun crew from ground-level attack and flying debris. A weapons pit might also be paired with a nearby slit trench for additional crew shelter.
Concrete emplacements: More permanent installations, particularly those protecting vital installations, were often built with concrete or brick. These offered greater protection and provided a stable platform for heavier guns like the Bofors.
Attached pillboxes: In some cases, a weapons pit was integrated with a pillbox. The open section of the pillbox provided a mounting for an LAA machine gun, while the enclosed area gave the crew better protection from ground attack.
Raised towers: To get a better field of fire over surrounding structures or terrain, some Bofors guns were mounted on concrete or steel towers.
Predictor pits: More advanced LAA emplacements, particularly for Bofors guns, included a separate, circular pit for a predictor. This equipment used radar or optical data to calculate a target's course and speed, and then relayed firing corrections to the gun crew.
Common weapons: Two common British LAA weapons used in these pits were the Lewis gun and the Bofors gun.
Lewis gun: A light machine gun, the Lewis was used as an improvised LAA weapon, often mounted on a pintle to enable an anti-aircraft role. Lewis gun pits could be as simple as a circular earthen depression or a concrete pipe pit. The gun required a two-person crew for effective operation: one to fire and one to load the ammunition drum.
Bofors 40mm gun: The standard LAA cannon for the British Army, the Bofors fired 40mm shells at a high rate to take down aircraft of any size. In static positions, the Bofors gun was fixed to a central concrete pedestal, or "holdfast," which was surrounded by a low wall with recesses for ammunition. Because Bofors guns were effective against low-flying aircraft but could also target ground forces, their pits were positioned strategically to defend against both types of attacks.
The World War II airfield Control Tower (Watch Office) for All Commands 12779/41 with medium front windows to 343/43, was neglected for many years, used for storage of car parts from a scrapyard and becoming derelict with an uncertain future, but has since been saved and restored, being rebuilt from 2006 to 2007. Full interior refurbishment, new windows fitted by a specialist firm along with the replacement of the handrails. The Control Tower was at risk of fire in May 2007 when the nearby cornfield caught fire, but had a lucky escape when one of the developers rushed off, returning with a JCB and carved out a fire-break, a few minutes later there was a flash-over and the whole field burnt out ! The road to the former Control Tower is now officially known as 'Witchcraft Way' after the aircraft of the same name.
Airfield construction began in 1943 for the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force and followed the lines of other Heavy Bomber bases with a main runway of 2,000 yards and two auxiliary runways of 1,400 yards each. The perimeter track was 2.7 miles in length and this and the runways had a concrete screed finish. Mk. II airfield lighting was installed, two T-2 Hangars were erected for major aircraft maintenance, and dispersed temporary building accommodation provided for some 2,400 men in the wooded countryside of the estate to the south-west of the airfield. During construction, 556,000 cubic yards of soil were excavated, 14,000 yards of soakaway drains installed and 504,000 yards of concrete laid. A major overhead power line had to be put underground to clear the flying approaches. The airfield was laid out on agricultural land between the two settlements of Rackheath Parva and Rackheath Magna, and was given designation USAAF Station 145.
The airfield was opened on 11th March 1944 and was used by the 467th Bombardment Group (Heavy) ''The Rackheath Aggies'' with B-24 Liberator's, flew 212 missions losing 46 aircraft, had the best bombing accuracy record of the 8th U.S.A.A.F. arriving from Wendover AAF Utah. The 467th was assigned to the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a ''Circle-P''. Its operational squadrons were:
▪︎788th Bombardment Squadron (X7)
▪︎789th Bombardment Squadron (6A)
▪︎790th Bombardment Squadron (Q2)
▪︎791st Bombardment Squadron (4Z)
The group flew the Consolidated B-24 Liberator Bomber as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign. The 467th began operations on 10th April 1944 with an attack by thirty aircraft on an airfield at Bourges in Central France.
In combat, the unit served chiefly as a Strategic Bombardment organization, attacking the German Navy (Deutsche Marine) harbour at Kiel, chemical plants at Bonn, textile factories at Stuttgart, power plants at Hamm, steel works at Osnabrück, the aircraft industry at Brunswick, and other objectives. In addition to Strategic Operations, it was engaged occasionally in support and interdiction missions. It bombed shore installations and bridges near Cherbourg on D-Day, 6th June 1944. It struck enemy troop and supply concentrations near Montreuil on 25th July 1944 to assist the Allied drive across France.
In September, over two weeks the U.S Bombers flew gasoline from RAF Rackheath to a forward base at Clastres in France for use by the U.S Mechanized Forces. Attacked German Communications Installations and Fortifications during the ''Battle of the Bulge'', December 1944-January 1945. To assist the Allied assault across the Rhine in March 1945 it attacked enemy transportation.
The Group flew its last combat mission on 25th April 1945 and then returned to the U.S to Sioux Falls Army Air Forces South Dakota during June and July 1945. Subsequently the 467th was redesignated as the 467th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) with Boeing B-29 Superfortresse's in preparation for the planned invasion of Japan. The 467th was inactivated on 4th August 1946. The airfield was returned to the Royal Air Force and a number of units were posted here:
▪︎No. 94 Maintenance Unit RAF
▪︎No. 231 Maintenance Unit RAF
With the end of the war, the airfield was closed permanently in late 1945 and the site was returned to back for agricultural use, very little of the runways, perimeter track, or hardstands now remain. Most of the concrete has been broken up for aggregate. The Technical Site has become the Rackheath Industrial Estate with several of the Wartime Buildings being modified or extended, and used for light industry. The major access road on the estate was named 'Wendover Road' to commemorate the airbase in the U.S where the 467th Bomb Group was formed. Other roads carry related names, including one after 'Albert Shower' the Base Commander, 'Witchcraft Way' after an individual aircraft of the group, and 'Liberator Close'.
The Control Tower still exists has been converted to use as an administrative building. The T2 Hangar nearby is virtually beyond recognition as compared to how it looked in 1943. Brickwork has been added to the front and the whole building has been repainted cream and green. Inside the building the roof girders appear to be original and identical to those seen on photographs taken in 1944. The other Hangar, on the eastern side of the airfield, was dismantled many years ago.
Sources en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Rackheath
Original photos taken on the 08/01/2010 — www.flickr.com/photos/139375961@N08/shares/U73k5039fN
The AMES Type 84, also known as the Microwave Early Warning or MEW, was a 23cm wavelength early warning radar used by the Royal Air Force as part of the Linesman/Mediator radar network. Operating in the L-band gave it improved performance in rain and hail, where the primary AMES Type 85 radar's performance dropped off. It operated beside the Type 85 and RX12874 in Linesman, and moved to the UKADGE system in the 1980's before being replaced during UKADGE upgrades in the early 1990's.
The Type 84 had a decade-long development period that saw the system being repeatedly redesigned. It was first conceived in 1951 during the ROTOR program as a megawatt-powered S-band system that would replace the WWII-era Chain Home radars for early warning. But an experimental system developed at the Royal Radar Establishment (RRE) offered similar performance and would be available long before the MEW's 1957 target date. Put into operation as the AMES Type 80 in 1953, the immediate need for MEW was eliminated. MEW was then assigned a lower priority and handed off to Marconi for further development.
A new concept emerged as an L-band counterpart to the Type 80, adding an advanced moving target indication (MTI) system. In this form, the system was ordered into production as the Type 84 in July 1957. That same month, concerns about the new carcinotron jammer grew. MEW was repositioned as an anti-jamming radar using a powerful 10 MW klystron, but this system failed to work. A 5 MW wide-band magnetron replaced the klystron, but this required a new MTI and antenna system as well. By the time these were ready the magnetron was not, and it finally settled on a 2.5 MW version, compromising its capability as an anti-jamming system.
During development, MEW was the primary radar of the Stage 2 ROTOR plans and was intended to hand-off targets to the Blue Envoy long-range missile. But the RRE once again trumped the Type 84 with their new Blue Yeoman design, which was much more powerful and offered frequency agility. Deployment of Type 84 went ahead anyway, largely because it was complete and offered a number of complimentary features. The first operational Type 84 was handed over to the RAF at RAF Bawdsey in October 1962. Three additional units came online during the 1960’s, and the fifth from the original order was instead sent to Cyprus and placed on Mount Olympus, the last unit shut down in 1994.
For more information and the source, please follow the link — en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMES_Type_84
The partially buried remains of an hexagonal type structure, there's appears to be no evidence of having a covering or a roof. The reinforced concrete walls are 6 inches thick, there are really bad cracks in sections of the wall, and broken sections of concrete lay nearby. The two large embrasures or openings, one of which the top section has broken away, these would probably have been for a close defence role. The rear entrance has a wall for protection, the overall condition is very poor, almost in a ruinous state.
The World War II Light Anti-aircraft (LAA) Weapons Pit, was a defensive position built to protect vulnerable points like airfields, factories, or towns from low-flying enemy aircraft. The pits typically housed rapid-firing machine guns or small-caliber cannons.
Construction and purpose: LAA Weapons Pits varied in their construction and features depending on the location, the weapon, and whether they were temporary or permanent.
Earthwork breastwork: Many simple LAA positions were earthwork pits or foxholes, which provided cover for the gun crew from ground-level attack and flying debris. A weapons pit might also be paired with a nearby slit trench for additional crew shelter.
Concrete emplacements: More permanent installations, particularly those protecting vital installations, were often built with concrete or brick. These offered greater protection and provided a stable platform for heavier guns like the Bofors.
Attached pillboxes: In some cases, a weapons pit was integrated with a pillbox. The open section of the pillbox provided a mounting for an LAA machine gun, while the enclosed area gave the crew better protection from ground attack.
Raised towers: To get a better field of fire over surrounding structures or terrain, some Bofors guns were mounted on concrete or steel towers.
Predictor pits: More advanced LAA emplacements, particularly for Bofors guns, included a separate, circular pit for a predictor. This equipment used radar or optical data to calculate a target's course and speed, and then relayed firing corrections to the gun crew.
Common weapons: Two common British LAA weapons used in these pits were the Lewis gun and the Bofors gun.
Lewis gun: A light machine gun, the Lewis was used as an improvised LAA weapon, often mounted on a pintle to enable an anti-aircraft role. Lewis gun pits could be as simple as a circular earthen depression or a concrete pipe pit. The gun required a two-person crew for effective operation: one to fire and one to load the ammunition drum.
Bofors 40mm gun: The standard LAA cannon for the British Army, the Bofors fired 40mm shells at a high rate to take down aircraft of any size. In static positions, the Bofors gun was fixed to a central concrete pedestal, or "holdfast," which was surrounded by a low wall with recesses for ammunition. Because Bofors guns were effective against low-flying aircraft but could also target ground forces, their pits were positioned strategically to defend against both types of attacks.
“RAF Bicester is the best preserved of the bomber bases constructed as the principal arm of Sir Hugh Trenchard’s expansion of the RAF from 1923, which was based on the philosophy of offensive deterrence. It retains, better than any other military airbase in Britain, the layout and fabric relating to both pre-1930s military aviation and the development of Britain’s strategic bomber force in the period up to 1939.”
So say English Heritage, but the flying history of Bicester predates its development as a bomber base: a Bristol Boxkite flew from the town as early as 1911. The first military occupiers of the airfield were the Royal Flying Corps in 1916, which became part of the newly formed Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918 when RAF Bicester, as it now was, became a Training Depot. In the three years from 1925, the airfield was transformed into a state-of-the-art Bomber Station.
In 1936 it expanded as the country prepared for war with Germany. As Britain went to war, RAF Bicester was home to such legendary flying machines as the Hawker Hart, Bristol Blenheim and the first flight of the Handley Page Halifax four-engined bomber, the Royal Air Force’s first heavy bomber to enter production.
By the time the Allies were ready to liberate Europe, training was well under way at RAF Bicester for glider pilots and their tug aircrews. Soldiers of the Glider Pilot Regiment trained at Bicester before setting off for D-Day, Arnhem and, eventually, the Rhine Crossing. As the battle moved towards Berlin, RAF Bicester was transforming to become a busy maintenance unit dealing with both aeroplanes and motor transport.
Now RAF Bicester is transforming again. Its War Department specification redbrick buildings are being restored and updated as it becomes home to the UK’s first centre for historic motoring and aviation. Just in time to celebrate the centenary of powered military flight at Bicester’s airfield in 2017.
- See more at: bicesterheritage.co.uk/about/history/#sthash.KW3GCPc5.dpuf
Mildenhall Air Fete, Mildenhall AB (1989) - United Kingdom
General Dynamics F-16A Falcon, J-230 Royal Dutch Airforce (RNLAF)
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Not sure why this bridge is still here. It looks like an old road bridge but it's some distance from the current road which goes from Kolossi to Akrotiri.
I need some old RAF servicemen here to help out... anyone who was posted there in the past, please?
Mildenhall Air Fete, Mildenhall AB (1989) - United Kingdom
Rockwell B-1B Lancer, 86-0114 United States Airforce
Photo selection
RAF Thorpe Abbotts is a former Royal Air Force station located 4 miles east of Diss, Norfolk. The station was built for the RAF use but handed over to the United States Army Air Forces in 1943 and upgraded for heavy bomber squadrons.
RAF Thorpe Abbotts was built during 1942 and early 1943 for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a satellite airfield for RAF Horham but the rapid buildup of the Eighth Air Force resulted in both airfields being handed over to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The thirty-six hardstandings originally planned were increased to fifty. Two T-2 hangars were erected, one on the east side of the flying field and one on the south side adjacent to the technical site. This and several of the domestic sites were in woodland stretching south and bordering the A143 Diss to Harleston road.
Thorpe Abbotts was given USAAF designation Station 139, (TA).
The 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrived at RAF Thorpe Abbotts on 9th June 1943, from Kearney AAF Nebraska. The 100th was assigned to the 13th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a ''Square-D''. Its operational squadrons were:
▪︎349th Bombardment Squadron (XR)
▪︎350th Bombardment Squadron (LN)
▪︎351st Bombardment Squadron (EP)
▪︎418th Bombardment Squadron (LD)
The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign. In combat, the 100th operated chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization until the war ended. The group gained the nickname ''The Bloody Hundredth'' due to its heavy losses during eight missions to Germany when the group experienced several instances where it lost a dozen or more aircraft on a single mission, whereas most units suffered losses in consistent small amounts.
From June 1943 to January 1944, as part of the Combined Bomber Offensive the 100th Bomb Group concentrated its efforts against airfields in France and naval facilities and industries in France and Germany. The 100th BG received a Distinguished Unit Citation for seriously disrupting German fighter plane production with an attack on an aircraft factory at Regensburg as part of the Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission on 17th August 1943.
On 10th October 1943, the bomb raid that the 100th BG made on Münster, ended up with the only surviving 100th BG B-17 that went out on the raid, the ''Royal Flush'' (s/n 42-6087) commanded that day by Robert Rosenthal and flown by his regular crew, returning safely on just two working engines and both waist gunners seriously wounded, to RAF Thorpe Abbotts.
''Masters of the Air'' is a 2024 American war drama miniseries created by John Shiban and John Orloff for Apple TV+. It is based on the 2007 book of the same name by Donald L. Miller and follows the actions of the 100th Bomb Group, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber unit in the Eighth Air Force in eastern England during World War II. Masters of the Air recounts the story of the 100th Bomb Group during World War II and follows bomber crews on dangerous missions to destroy targets inside German-occupied Europe, especially the doomed october 10th 1943 mission to Münster Germany, when only one B-17 flown by Robert Rosenthal came back.
The Bloody 100th bombed airfields, industries, marshalling yards, and missile sites in western Europe, January – May 1944. Operations in this period included participation in the Allied campaign against enemy aircraft factories during ''Big Week'' 20th – 25th February 1944. The group completed a series of attacks against Berlin in March 1944 and received a second Distinguished Unit Citation for the missions.
Beginning in the summer of 1944, oil installations became major targets. In addition to strategic operations, the group engaged in support and interdictory missions, hitting bridges and gun positions in the transportation plan preparations for the invasion of Normandy in June 1944. The unit bombed enemy positions at Saint-Lô in July and at Brest in August and September. Other missions were striking transportation and ground defences in the drive against the Siegfried Line, October – December 1944; attacking marshalling yards, defended villages, and communications in the Ardennes sector during the ''Battle of the Bulge'', December 1944 – January 1945; and covering the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945.
The 100th Bomb Group received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for attacking heavily defended installations in Germany and for dropping supplies to French Forces of the Interior, June – December 1944. The 100th BG flew its last combat mission of World War II on 10th April 1945 which was number 306. In December 1945, the group returned to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. Group personnel were demobilized and the aircraft sent to storage. The unit was inactivated on 21st December 1945 and redesignated as the 100th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy).
After the war, the airfield was transferred to the RAF on 27th June 1946. After many years of inactivity, RAF Thorpe Abbotts was closed in 1956. With the end of military control, the airfield was largely returned to agricultural use with most of the perimeter track, runways and hardstands removed. A small airstrip was built on a part of the former perimeter track which is used for light aircraft. The control tower was restored in 1977 and was turned into the 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum. Several World War II era buildings remain in various states of decay.
Information sourced from – RAF Thorpe Abbotts - Wikipedia share.google/cnLUbGXlEH5WRKeVi
▪︎Parachute Store Building 14 (Airfield Site) Air Ministry Drawing Number 11137/41▪︎
Originally known as RAF Bury St Edmunds Airfield, Rougham Airfield is situated 3 miles east of the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds. The airfield was built between 1941 and 1942, and had three intersecting concrete runways. The main runway was approximately 2,000 yards long, and ran in an east to west direction. It was designed for a United States Army Airforce unit (U.S.A.A.F) Bomb Group. Fifty concrete hardstands were constructed just off the encircling perimeter track. Two T2 type Hangars were erected, one on each side of the airfield, accommodation was provided for some 3,000 personnel in Nissen Huts and other temporary type buildings.
The airfield was opened in September 1942 and was used by the U.S.A.A.F Eighth Air Force, and given the designation Station 468 (BU). The first U.S.A.A.F group to use Bury St. Edmunds airfield was the 47th Bombardment Group (Light) arriving from Greensboro A.A.F North Carolina in mid-September 1942. The 47th was equipped with the Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, but the group quickly moved to RAF Horham, as Bury St. Edmunds was still under construction. On 2nd November the 47th was ordered to North Africa, departing for Medina Air Field 15 miles south of Casablanca in Morocco. The 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium) arrived in December 1942 from Drane Army Airfield, Florida, a satellite installation of nearby MacDill Field, where the 322nd originally began their pre-deployment training. The group was assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing and flew Martin B - Z6B/C Marauders.
Ongoing construction at RAF Bury St. Edmunds forced two of the group's squadrons to locate to RAF Rattlesden. The group's aircraft did not arrive until late in March 1943. Once operational, the 322nd flew two low-level bombing operations from RAF Bury St. Edmunds. The first, on the 14th of May when it dispatched 12 planes for a minimum-level attack on an electrical generating plant near Ijtnuiden. This was the first operational combat mission flown by B-26's. The second was a disastrous mission to the Netherlands on Monday, 17th May, when the group sent 11 aircraft on a similar operation from which none of the aircraft penetrating the enemy coast, returned. Sixty crewmen were lost to flak and interceptors. Group morale was not improved when, on the 29th of May, a B-26 crashed onto the airfield killing the crew and damaging a hangar. After these missions, the group was re-equipped and trained for medium-altitude operations for several weeks before returning to combat operations.
On the 13th of June, the 322nd moved to RAF Andrews Field in Essex. The 94th Bombarment Group (Heavy) arrived from RAF Earls Colne on the 15th of June 1943. The 94th was assigned to the 4th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a 'Square-A'. The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.
The 94th flew its first mission on the 13th of June 1943, bombing an airfield at Saint Omer. After that, the group attacked such strategic objectives as the port of St Nazaire, shipyards at Kiel, an aircraft component parts factory at Kassel, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, a chemical factory at Ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Frankfurt, oil facilities at Mersburg, and ball-bearing works at Eberhausen. The 94th took part in the campaign of heavy bombers against the enemy aircraft industry during ''Big Week'' between the 20th and the 25th of February, 1944. Prior to ''D-Day'' on June 1944, they helped to neutralize V-Weapon sites, airfields, and other military installations along the cob Industrial Estate.
The T2 hangars are still in use, for storage, the Control Tower was used for many years as a private dwelling, and has now been restored and is used as a museum. The airfield, once again known as Rougham Airfield, now has two grass runways available for civil use. Gliding and model aircraft flying are frequent and several open-air events are organised each year.
Information sourced from – military-history.fandom.com/wiki/RAF_Bury_St_Edmunds
RAF Westcott is a former Royal Air Force station located in Westcott, Buckinghamshire.It was used by No. 11 Operational Training Unit RAF during the war, along with its satellite station RAF Oakley.RAF Westcott opened in September 1942 with crews using Vickers Wellington bombers for training.
The RAF moved out in August 1945 shortly after nearly 53,000 liberated allied POWs who arrived by air into Westcott as the first UK staging post in their repatriation in Operation Exodus.The station closed on 3 April 1946.
In the 1960s and 1970s, it was the home of the Rocket Propulsion Establishment.
▪︎Dinghy Shed Building 510 (Airfield Site) Air Ministry Drawing Number 2901/40▪︎
Originally known as RAF Bury St Edmunds Airfield, Rougham Airfield is situated 3 miles east of the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds. The airfield was built between 1941 and 1942, and had three intersecting concrete runways. The main runway was approximately 2,000 yards long, and ran in an east to west direction. It was designed for a United States Army Airforce unit (U.S.A.A.F) Bomb Group. Fifty concrete hardstands were constructed just off the encircling perimeter track. Two T2 type Hangars were erected, one on each side of the airfield, accommodation was provided for some 3,000 personnel in Nissen Huts and other temporary type buildings.
The airfield was opened in September 1942 and was used by the U.S.A.A.F Eighth Air Force, and given the designation Station 468 (BU). The first U.S.A.A.F group to use Bury St. Edmunds airfield was the 47th Bombardment Group (Light) arriving from Greensboro A.A.F North Carolina in mid-September 1942. The 47th was equipped with the Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, but the group quickly moved to RAF Horham, as Bury St. Edmunds was still under construction. On 2nd November the 47th was ordered to North Africa, departing for Medina Air Field 15 miles south of Casablanca in Morocco. The 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium) arrived in December 1942 from Drane Army Airfield, Florida, a satellite installation of nearby MacDill Field, where the 322nd originally began their pre-deployment training. The group was assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing and flew Martin B - Z6B/C Marauders.
Ongoing construction at RAF Bury St. Edmunds forced two of the group's squadrons to locate to RAF Rattlesden. The group's aircraft did not arrive until late in March 1943. Once operational, the 322nd flew two low-level bombing operations from RAF Bury St. Edmunds. The first, on the 14th of May when it dispatched 12 planes for a minimum-level attack on an electrical generating plant near Ijtnuiden. This was the first operational combat mission flown by B-26's. The second was a disastrous mission to the Netherlands on Monday, 17th May, when the group sent 11 aircraft on a similar operation from which none of the aircraft penetrating the enemy coast, returned. Sixty crewmen were lost to flak and interceptors. Group morale was not improved when, on the 29th of May, a B-26 crashed onto the airfield killing the crew and damaging a hangar. After these missions, the group was re-equipped and trained for medium-altitude operations for several weeks before returning to combat operations.
On the 13th of June, the 322nd moved to RAF Andrews Field in Essex. The 94th Bombarment Group (Heavy) arrived from RAF Earls Colne on the 15th of June 1943. The 94th was assigned to the 4th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a 'Square-A'. The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.
The 94th flew its first mission on the 13th of June 1943, bombing an airfield at Saint Omer. After that, the group attacked such strategic objectives as the port of St Nazaire, shipyards at Kiel, an aircraft component parts factory at Kassel, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, a chemical factory at Ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Frankfurt, oil facilities at Mersburg, and ball-bearing works at Eberhausen. The 94th took part in the campaign of heavy bombers against the enemy aircraft industry during ''Big Week'' between the 20th and the 25th of February, 1944. Prior to ''D-Day'' on June 1944, they helped to neutralize V-Weapon sites, airfields, and other military installations along the cob Industrial Estate.
The T2 hangars are still in use, for storage, the Control Tower was used for many years as a private dwelling, and has now been restored and is used as a museum. The airfield, once again known as Rougham Airfield, now has two grass runways available for civil use. Gliding and model aircraft flying are frequent and several open-air events are organised each year.
Information sourced from – military-history.fandom.com/wiki/RAF_Bury_St_Edmunds
▪︎Dinghy Shed Building 510 (Airfield Site) Air Ministry Drawing Number 2901/40▪︎
Originally known as RAF Bury St Edmunds Airfield, Rougham Airfield is situated 3 miles east of the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds. The airfield was built between 1941 and 1942, and had three intersecting concrete runways. The main runway was approximately 2,000 yards long, and ran in an east to west direction. It was designed for a United States Army Airforce unit (U.S.A.A.F) Bomb Group. Fifty concrete hardstands were constructed just off the encircling perimeter track. Two T2 type Hangars were erected, one on each side of the airfield, accommodation was provided for some 3,000 personnel in Nissen Huts and other temporary type buildings.
The airfield was opened in September 1942 and was used by the U.S.A.A.F Eighth Air Force, and given the designation Station 468 (BU). The first U.S.A.A.F group to use Bury St. Edmunds airfield was the 47th Bombardment Group (Light) arriving from Greensboro A.A.F North Carolina in mid-September 1942. The 47th was equipped with the Douglas A-20 Havoc bomber, but the group quickly moved to RAF Horham, as Bury St. Edmunds was still under construction. On 2nd November the 47th was ordered to North Africa, departing for Medina Air Field 15 miles south of Casablanca in Morocco. The 322nd Bombardment Group (Medium) arrived in December 1942 from Drane Army Airfield, Florida, a satellite installation of nearby MacDill Field, where the 322nd originally began their pre-deployment training. The group was assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing and flew Martin B - Z6B/C Marauders.
Ongoing construction at RAF Bury St. Edmunds forced two of the group's squadrons to locate to RAF Rattlesden. The group's aircraft did not arrive until late in March 1943. Once operational, the 322nd flew two low-level bombing operations from RAF Bury St. Edmunds. The first, on the 14th of May when it dispatched 12 planes for a minimum-level attack on an electrical generating plant near Ijtnuiden. This was the first operational combat mission flown by B-26's. The second was a disastrous mission to the Netherlands on Monday, 17th May, when the group sent 11 aircraft on a similar operation from which none of the aircraft penetrating the enemy coast, returned. Sixty crewmen were lost to flak and interceptors. Group morale was not improved when, on the 29th of May, a B-26 crashed onto the airfield killing the crew and damaging a hangar. After these missions, the group was re-equipped and trained for medium-altitude operations for several weeks before returning to combat operations.
On the 13th of June, the 322nd moved to RAF Andrews Field in Essex. The 94th Bombarment Group (Heavy) arrived from RAF Earls Colne on the 15th of June 1943. The 94th was assigned to the 4th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a 'Square-A'. The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.
The 94th flew its first mission on the 13th of June 1943, bombing an airfield at Saint Omer. After that, the group attacked such strategic objectives as the port of St Nazaire, shipyards at Kiel, an aircraft component parts factory at Kassel, a synthetic rubber plant at Hanover, a chemical factory at Ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Frankfurt, oil facilities at Mersburg, and ball-bearing works at Eberhausen. The 94th took part in the campaign of heavy bombers against the enemy aircraft industry during ''Big Week'' between the 20th and the 25th of February, 1944. Prior to ''D-Day'' on June 1944, they helped to neutralize V-Weapon sites, airfields, and other military installations along the cob Industrial Estate.
The T2 hangars are still in use, for storage, the Control Tower was used for many years as a private dwelling, and has now been restored and is used as a museum. The airfield, once again known as Rougham Airfield, now has two grass runways available for civil use. Gliding and model aircraft flying are frequent and several open-air events are organised each year.
Information sourced from – military-history.fandom.com/wiki/RAF_Bury_St_Edmunds
The Type T2 hangar is a type of temporary, steel-framed aircraft hangar that became the standard for the RAF during World War II. Developed in response to the obsolescence of earlier designs like the Bellman Shed, the T2 hangar featured a welded and bolted steel framework clad in galvanized corrugated iron. Over 900 T2 hangars were built to house and maintain aircraft during the war.
The T2 hangar was designed by architect A.E. Cotton and built by Teesside Bridge & Engineering Ltd. It utilized a modular design of steel lattice wall and roof units, clad with corrugated iron. The doors were typically six-leaf, opening the full width of the hangar. The Type T2 hangar served as a standard, temporary solution for housing and maintaining aircraft at RAF stations during World War II.
RAF Foulsham in Norfolk was built between 1941 and 1942 for No. 2 Group RAF Bomber Command and opened in May 1942 and declared operational on 26th June 1942. TAF Foulsham was one of the few airfields to be fitted with FIDO in 1944, a fog dispersal system which used fires at the sides of the runways. The airfield was equipped with three tarmac and woodchip runways and 37 hardstandings. It also had 9 hangars, five of which were built for storing Airspeed Horsa glider aircraft ready for D-Day.
The first residents were No. 98 Squadron RAF and No. 180 Squadron RAF, flying North American Mitchell bombers. The station was then used by No. 3 Group RAF who used Short Stirling and Avro Lancaster bombers. No. 514 Squadron RAF was formed at Foulsham, flying Lancasters. The station then became the home of No. 192 Squadron RAF, which was part of No. 100 Group RAF, an electronic warfare unit which had its headquarters at Bylaugh Hall. 192 Squadron was later joined by another 100 Group squadron, No. 462 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, which operated Handley Page Halifax aircraft.
During World War II, 45 aircraft based at RAF Foulsham were lost. Many aircraft made emergency landings at RAF Foulsham, including USAAF Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress F ''Ruthie'' which made an emergency landing there in 1943 after an epic return flight for which co-pilot John C. Morgan was awarded the highest U.S. medal, the ''Medal of Honor''. The airfield remained the property of the Ministry of Defence until the 1980's.
Based units:
▪︎No. 12 Heavy Glider Maintenance Section
▪︎No. 16 Maintenance Unit RAF
▪︎No. 98 Squadron RAF
▪︎No. 99 Maintenance Unit RAF
▪︎No. 180 Squadron RAF (1942-3)
▪︎No. 192 Squadron RAF (1943-5)
▪︎No. 462 Squadron RAAF (1944-5)
▪︎No. 514 Squadron RAF (1943)
▪︎No. 1473 (Radio Countermeasures) Flight RAF
▪︎No. 1508 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF
▪︎No. 1678 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF (1943)
▪︎No. 4261 Anti-Aircraft Flight RAF Regiment
▪︎Bomber Support Development Unit RAF
Information sourced from – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Foulsham