RAF Attlebridge

Infobox Military Structure
name= Royal Air Force Station Attlebridge
USAAF Station 120
location= Located Near Norwich, Norfolk, England
coordinates=coord|52|41|32.06|N|001|06|37.44|E|


caption= Aerial Photo of Attlebridge Airfield - 15 April 1946
type= Military Airfield
code=AT
built=1941
builder=
materials=
height=
used=1941-1950
demolished=
condition=
ownership=
controlledby=Royal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
garrison=RAF Bomber Command
Eighth Air Force
commanders=
occupants=
battles= European Theatre of World War II
Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945 Location map|Norfolk
caption= RAF Attlebridge, shown within Norfolk
lat= 52.692
long= 1.121
width= 200

RAF Attlebridge is a former World War II RAF Station and airfield in England. The field is located near Attlebridge 8 miles NW of Norwich in Norfolk.

History

RAF Bomber Command use

Attlebridge was an early wartime station, laid out for use by No. 2 Group RAF light bombers, and was completed in August 1941. The airfield was used by No. 88 Squadron RAF from August 1941 to September 1942 using Blenheim IVs and Douglas Bostons.

USAAF Eighth Air Force use

Attlebridge was assigned to the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force's 2nd Bomb Wing on 30 September 1942. It was given USAAF designation Station 120.

The flying field had runways of 1,220, 1,120 and 1,080 yards length but, when the base was earmarked for USAAF use, these were extended and the airfield was enlarged to meet heavy bomber requirements. The main E-W runway was increased to 2,000 yards and the others to 1,400 yards each. The perimeter track was also extended and the number of hardstands was increased to fifty. In enlarging the airfield, several small, country roads were closed in the parish of Weston Longville, in which the larger part of the airfield was sited.

;319th Bombardment Group (Medium)The First American flying units at Attlebridge were squadrons of the 319th Bomb Group (Medium) flying B-25 Mitchells which arrived at Attlebridge on 12 September 1942 from Harding AAF Louisiana.

The airfield was then a satellite field for RAF Horsham St. Faith where the Group HQ and some personnel were stationed. These were the first squadrons flying this type of medium bomber to arrive in the UK from America.

The Mitchells moved out during November to St-Leu, Algeria as part of Twelfth Air Force, and Attlebridge was used by a training airfield with a few B-24 Liberator aircraft. No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron RAF, moved in during March 1943 flying B-25 Mitchells departing in February 1944.

;466th Bombardment Group (Heavy)

The airfield was opened on 7 March 1944 and was used by the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force 466th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arriving from Topeka AAF Kansas. The 466th was assigned to the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a "Circle-L". It's operational squadrons were:

* 784th Bomb Squadron (T9)
* 785th Bomb Squadron (2U)
* 786th Bomb Squadron (U8)
* 787th Bomb Squadron (6L)

The group flew the B-24 Liberator as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign.The 466th began operations on 22 March 1944 by participating in a daylight raid on Berlin. The group operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization, attacking such targets as marshalling yards at Liege, an airfield at St Trond, a repair and assembly plant at Reims, an airfield at Chartres, factories at Brunswick, oil refineries at Bohlen, aircraft plants at Kempten, mineral works at Hamburg, marshalling yards at Saarbrucken, a synthetic oil plant at Misburg, a fuel depot at Dulmen, and aero engine works at Eisenach.

Other operations included attacking pillboxes along the coast of Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944), and afterwards striking interdictory targets behind the beachhead; bombing enemy positions at St Lo during the Allied breakthrough in July 1944; hauling oil and gasoline to Allied forces advancing across France in September; hitting German communications and transportation during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945; and bombing the airfield at Nordhorn in support of the airborne assault across the Rhine on 24 March 1945.

The 466th flew last combat mission on 25 April 1945, striking a transformer station at Traunstein. The unit returned to Sioux Falls AAF South Dakota in July and was redesignated the 466th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in August 1945 and was equipped with B-29 Superfortresses.

Postwar use

After the war, Attlebridge was placed in "care and maintenance" status for a few years, eventually being closed in 1950. It was sold during 1959-62 and was chosen as a site for extensive poultry rearing operations.

Today, rows of turkey houses line the runways. isolated from each other because this is an important requirement in escaping the infectious diseases to which turkeys are prone. The runways, perimeter track, and a few of the hardstands remain as does the control tower, now extensively renovated and used as offices by the owners of the airfield site. The briefing room and HQ block still exist, the latter being used as a private house.

The T-2 hangars have long since gone but a few of the old Nissen huts and other structures remain on some of the dispersed sites, used for a variety of purposes.

In August 1977, during a visit by a group of veterans, an ornamental village sign was dedicated at Weston Longville commemorating the men who lost their lives serving with the 466th Bomb Group. All Saints Church at Weston Longville also contains a 466th Roll of Honor. During the 1992 reunion a new memorial was dedicated at a crossroads on Frans Green.

ee also

* List of RAF stations
* USAAF Eighth Air Force - World War II
* 319th Air Refueling Wing
* 466th Bombardment Group

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1978) Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913096
* Freeman, Roger A. (1991) The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record. Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35708-1
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/A/Attlebridge.htm www.controltowers.co.uk Attlebridge]
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present]

External links

* [http://www.web-birds.com/8th/466/466th.html 466th Bomb Group Website]
* [http://mighty8thaf.preller.us/gallery/Attlebridge Attlebridge Photo Gallery]
* [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=611000&Y=315000&scale=25000&width=700&height=400&gride=610550&gridn=315050&lang=&db=hcgaz&coordsys=gb Aerial Photo of RAF Attlebridge from Multimap.Com]