The forgotten airfield at throwley, faversham, kent, which existed between 1917 and 1919, was created to aid britains coastal defence after the publics fearful. Airfields of britain conservation trust is registered in england and wales. The history of ruytons curious name is related elsewhere, but rednal is a saxon name, derived from radenshale or house of stone. The airfield at podington is now quite a part of the history of the village, first being occupied by the 301st, then the hundredth b. Staffordshire has a long history of involvement in aviation. The following organisations are either based at, use andor have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield as at 01092011. British aerospace dunsfold airfield history society. Deopham see norfolk parish links for more information about this parish. Books about old buckenham airfield area browse 24 photo books on old buckenham airfield and the surrounding area. Welcome to the 452nd bomb group association station 142 deopham green. Joyce green, at long reach, near dartford was one of the first royal flying corps rfc airfields. The two picketthamilton forts at honington airfield, 750m and 1. Many former ww2 airfield sites are within easy reach along with important aviation heritage sites. After 1776 deopham became part of the forehoe incorporation, and the workhouse was at wicklewood.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. The boxted airfield historical group was founded with the aims of educating, as well as promoting and preserving the history of boxted airfield, including its association with the various usaaf and raf groups that were based here during and after world war ii. Brief history of the airfield, construction and use including. The book has a good blend of material incorporated within and as this series of arcadia books are based on photos and minimal text, a definitive history of the. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of old buckenham airfield. Our map was marked and our route was planned that way, by the distances between service stations where it would be safe for. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Egtc is an airfield just outside the village of cranfield, in bedfordshire, england. Raf deopham green in the second world war 19391945 the. This series of books provides a fresh userfriendly look at the military airfields of. It grew gradually until ww2 was declared when it expanded rapidly into a front line fighter station.
The station was the exclusive home for the 453rd bomb group, equipped with b24s, from december 1943 to may 1945. It was established in 1911 by vickers limited the aircraft and weapons manufacturer who used it as an airfield and testing ground. Subject to frequent flooding and a reputation as being unsuitable and too dangerous. Raf deopham green, latterly home to 452nd bombardment group heavy, becoming usaaf designation station 142. Nov, 2011 the airfield that we did visit was at deopham green and was the home to the 452nd bomber group of the usaaf. It was originally a world war ii aerodrome, raf cranfield. North wealds finest hour came in the summer of 1940, when it served as a frontline airfield in the battle of britain. Further reference should be made to s4s5 if further research on the airfield is undertaken, the sewerage works for the site is located to the southwest at tm 0236 9781. Airfields included are bury st edmunds, debach, deopham green eye, framlington, great ashfield, horham, knettishall, lavenham, mendlesham, rattlesden, snetterton heath, sudbury and thorpe abbot, which has one of the finest aviation museums in england. Great yarmouth ii north denes airfields of britain.
Raf deopham green usaaf station 142 geograph britain. Joyce green airfield, near dartford was opened 100 years ago. The group flew b17 flying fortresses as part of the eighth air forces strategic bombing campaign. I have been researching airfields and aviation memorials for a long time and i have. The accommodation for the airfield is located to the west of the airfield and has been recorded under nher 57400. I have been researching airfields and aviation memorials for a long time and i have a huge archive of photos going back a number of years.
The airfield that we did visit was at deopham green and was the home to the 452nd bomber group of the usaaf. Written in 1982, robert coles book on the history of beaulieu airfield was the first authoritative book to document the history of the 1910 new forest school of. When the 452nd bomb group arrived in january 1943 they found a main runway of 2,000 yards, two auxiliary runways, each 1400yards in length, two t2type hangars, 50 hardstandings and temporary buildings to accommodation nearly 3,000 men. A series of books on aviation history during the second world war. In 1933 a tiny provincial airport was built at gravesend. Mostly farm land now and remnants of the runways and hard standing. Vickers built aircraft at nearby crayford and erected and flew them from joyce green including the vimy. This is a remnant of the north runway and a runaway summer storm travelling across it. Deopham green airfields of britain conservation trust uk. User contributed article about, a photographic record of the airfield, the surviving buildings and the wall art contained therein geograph photograph every grid square raf deopham green usaaf station 142.
Kents forgotten airfield throwley 1917 1919 anthony j. Airfield research group to advance the education of the general public by carrying out research into, and maintaining records of, military and civilian airfields and related infrastructure, both current and historic, anywhere in the world. I would recommend this book for anyone who is interested in deopham green or the war in the european theater. The concreted road is still in place and some of the hardstandings can be seen from the public road traversing the airfield from bush green farm to stallard farm. Allocated to the eighth air force as a bomber base in 1942, old buckenham was built during 194243 with three concrete runways, 50 loop hardstandings and two dispersed t2 hangars. The purpose of the visit was to assess the airfield with a view to use for night flying. Including books on bomber command, ww2 airfields, raf pathfinders and victoria cross. It had four grass landing strips of varying lengths, they ranged between 1100 yards to 1450 yards.
I have no photographs of the airfield as i had neither a camera, nor permission from the station commander. First mission flown 05021944, last mission 21041945, flying a total of 250 missions, losing 158 b17s 110 in combat. Search genuki norfolk for a name or a place or a topic. Books about henstridge airfield area browse 42 photo books on henstridge airfield and the surrounding area.
Jan 23, 2016 a short flight over the old deopham green airfield. Gunn is a lecturer in history at further education college. Steeped in history for more than 85 years, north weald airfield is an ideal place to start your aviation heritage tour. Deophamgreenworldwartwoairfield norfolk heritage explorer. Sep 28, 2017 in 1933 a tiny provincial airport was built at gravesend. Deopham green was another air base constructed after americas entry into the war to class a standards for use by the b17 flying fortress heavy bomber.
The 452nd bombardment group heavy of the usaaf were based at raf deopham green. The aim of the dunsfold airfield history society dahs is to preserve those features of dunsfold airfield that have significant historic or architectural interest, in order to retain for posterity the unique contribution of the airfield to our national aerospace heritage. Aerial photograph of the south east end of deopham green airfield, looking north, the bomb dump and main runway are upper left, 9 july 1946. Two picketthamilton forts at honington airfield, 750m and. Since 1990, he has been a professional indexer of books and journals in history mainly. Originally built as an raf bomber command station 194142. How the green book helped africanamerican tourists navigate a. The airfield was opened on 3 january 1944 and was used by the united states army air forces eighth air force 452d bombardment group heavy, which arrived at deopham green from walla walla aaf washington. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of old buckenham airfield francis frith the uks leading publisher of local photographs since 1860. The green book, travel guide published 193667 during the segregation era in the u. An agreement was reached the following day, and the airfield was loaned cranwell for their use. The following organisations are either based at, use andor have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield as at 31122015. The firing butts were situated near the northeastern edge of the airfield which also had two fuel storage areas.
Buy world war ii raf airfields in norfolk aviation heritage trail by bowman, martin isbn. Although the installation originally bore the official title of pyote army airfield. The 452nd bombardment group heavy of the usaaf were based at raf deopham green, norfolk between january 1944 and august 1945. This book looks at the history and personalities associated with each base, what remains today and explores the favourite local wartime haunts where aircrew and ground crew would have sought welldeserved entertainment and relaxation. North wealds finest hour came in the summer of 1940, when it. Welcome to uk airfields, this website is to show my photography of airfields, aircraft and aviation related memorials around the uk and overseas. My father flew from there in the early months of 1944. A video of deopham green airfield that i took on 23 january 2016 this website is run entirely as a hobby and in my spare time, it is paid for out of my own pocket. The forgotten airfield at throwley, faversham, kent, which existed between 1917 and 1919, was created to aid britains coastal defence after the publics fearful outcry in response to zeppelin raids early in the.
Flying b17 bombers, the group flew a total of 250 missions from deopham green between feb 1942 and april 1945 and lost 110 aircraft in the process. Until the civil rights act passed in 1964, the green book was critical for. It initially served to protect london from the zeppelin raids in the first world war. For some reason, presumably because the airfield was now too small and couldnt be easily expanded, vickers were also happy to see the aerodrome closed. Deopham green uk airfield guide a guide to the history. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of henstridge airfield. Most of the sites described above can be seen by travelling along the minor road which traverses the airfield from bush green farm in the south to stallard farm at stalland common in the northwest, and by following the minor road leading northeast to deopham stalland which was built on the main. By frank beckley the advanced landing ground at kingsnorth near ashford, kent was built in june 1943. The bloody hundredth, and finally the permanent home of the now famed 92nd b. Hawkers secret cold war airfield hardback pen and sword books. Royal air force deopham green or more simply raf deopham green is a former royal air force station located near deopham. On a bright and chilly february morning, we were once again thrilled to have a fantastic turn out of people as we led a community walk through the historic airfield at nuthampstead, home to the 55th fighter group and the 398th bomb group of the 8th usaaf during world war two. Should you wish to leave a small donation towards the upkeep and ongoing running of the website, it is really appreciated. To quote ron smith again, the last aircraft to be built at joyce green was the vickers vellore gaasw which was flown at brooklands in 1930.
Raf deopham green usaaf station 142 geograph britain and. As with most airfields built during this time period, blyton was built to the standard class a pattern. Rednal is the most northerly of the 11 townships of ruyton xi towns, and the only one which shares a first letter. This dvd was more of two peoples stories and memories when they were at deopham green. Great yarmouth library great yarmouth local history and archaeological society. A walk through history nuthampstead airfield 8th in. We look at a brief history of some of the squadrons that fought here. North weald airfield was first established in 1916, only years after the wright brothers made the worlds first powered flight. It was used as a rfc airfield throughout ww1 and closed in 1919.
Old buckenham airfield photos, maps, books, memories. This page was last edited on 9 february 2019, at 14. A video of deopham green airfield that i took on 23 january 2016. For nearly 30 years, a guide called the negro motorist green book provided african americans with advice on safe places to eat and sleep. At the outbreak of world war i in 1914, the rfc followed and established a base. History the 452nd bomb group association station 142. Shortly after, the first aircraft arrived at the airfield in the shape of the airspeed oxfords on the 6th april 1943. Deopham green world war two airfield summary sometimes known locally as ellingham airfield, this was from 1943 home to the 452nd bombardment group of the united states 8th army air force, equipped with b17 flying fortresses and flying missions over europe. Raf caistor was a grasssurfaced airfield and served its time during the war as a relief landing ground rlg for a number of stations in the area.
We would like to thank our customers for continued support in these difficult times. I was 14 years old and lived about half a mile away from the airfield. The 452nd was assigned to the 45th combat bombardment wing, and the group tail code was a squarel. It gives a good insight of what the training was and how life was there. Our museum is open to the public on various dates during the year. Vickers had factories at crayford and erith and used joyce green airfield for test flying before moving to brooklands in surrey. World war ii raf airfields in norfolk aviation heritage.
Jun 23, 2009 steeped in history for more than 85 years, north weald airfield is an ideal place to start your aviation heritage tour. Aug 16, 2007 buy world war ii raf airfields in norfolk aviation heritage trail by bowman, martin isbn. Since childhood he has been fascinated by all aspects of aviation history. The power of the guide, says ramsey, also the author of a childrens book and a play focused on greenbook history, was that it created a safety net. Lessons from the jim crowera travel guide for africanamerican elites. Since passing his gft for a private pilots license on the 30th june 1989 in the cessna 152 gwacb at wycombe air park the gates of opportunity opened and he has, for example, flown an aircraft in every country in western europe registered in each country. The first plans for an airfield were drawn up in early 1941, with construction swiftly starting soon after.