List of Norfolk airfields
This is a list of current or former military airfields within the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia. They may have been used by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), Royal Air Force (RAF), Army Air Corps (AAC), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) or the United States Air Force (USAF).
For a list of current RAF stations in the UK and abroad, see List of Royal Air Force stations and for former stations see List of former Royal Air Force stations.
| Name | Alt Name | Used by | Dates | Current use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAF Attlebridge | USAAF Station 120 (Eighth Air Force) | RAF, USAAF | June 1941 – 5 August 1956 | Farmland | [1] |
| RAF Bacton | RNAS Bacton | RNAS, RAF | 1915 – March 1919 | Farmland | First World War Landing Ground.[2] |
| RAF Barton Bendish | RAF | September 1939 – October 1942 | Farmland | Second World War Landing Ground (satellite to Marham).[3] | |
| RAF Bircham Newton | RAF, FAA | May 1918 – December 1962 | Now a training establishment to the civil Construction Industry Training Board | Second World War Landing Ground.[4] | |
| RAF Bodney | USAAF Station 141 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | March 1940 – November 1945 | Farmland | Second World War Landing Ground.[5] |
| RAF Burgh Castle | RNAS Burgh Castle | RNAS, RAF | 1915–1919 | Open Land | First World War Landing Ground.[6] |
| RAF Bylaugh Hall | RAF | 1943–1945 | Private ownership | Headquarters of No. 100 Group RAF. | |
| RAF Coltishall | USAAF Station 355 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | May 1940 – November 2006 | HMP Bure | The last operational WW2 airfield, closed in 2006, known as MoD Coltishall until its disposal.[7] |
| RAF Deopham Green | USAAF Station 142 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | January 1944 – January 1948 | Farmland | Second World War Landing Ground.[8] |
| RAF Docking | RAF | July 1940 – September 1946 | Farmland | [9] | |
| RAF Downham Market | RAF | 1942 – October 1946 | Bexwell Industrial Estate | [10] | |
| RAF East Wretham | USAAF Station 133 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1940 – July 1948 | British Army use | [11] |
| RAF Feltwell | RFC, RAF, USAF | November 1917 – Present | Housing and education for USAF personnel | [12] | |
| RAF Fersfield | USAAF Station 140 / 554 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1944 – March 1946 | Farmland | [13] |
| RAF Foulsham | RAF | May 1942 – June 1962 | Farmland/Industry | [14] | |
| RAF Great Massingham | RAF | July 1940 – November 1950 (closed to flying) | Farmland/Limited Flying | Bomber station.[15] | |
| RAF Great Yarmouth | RNAS Great Yarmouth[16] | RNAS, RAF | April 1913 – November 1920 | Camp Site[17] | Land and seaplane base during WWI.[18] In WW2 used by No. 16 Recruits Centre from 1941–1946 (AIR 29/504)[19] |
| RAF Hardwick | USAAF Station 104 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | September 1942 – August 1946 | Farmland/Limited Flying | [20] |
| RAF Harling Road | RFC Harling Road | RFC, RAF | December 1916 – March 1920 | Industry | First World War.[21] |
| RAF Hethel | USAAF Station 114 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1942 – June 1948 | Lotus Cars/Hethel Engineering Centre | [22] |
| RNAS Hickling Broads | RAF | August 1918 – September 1919 | Moorings | [23] | |
| RAF Hingham | RFC Hingham | RFC, RAF | 1916–1919 | Farmland | First World War Landing Ground.[24] |
| RAF Holt | RNAS Holt | RNAS, RAF | November 1915 – 1920s | Farming/ Open land | First World War Landing Ground.[25] |
| RAF Horsham St Faith | USAAF Station 123 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1940–1967.[26] | Norwich International Airport | [27] |
| RAF Knettishall | USAAF Station 136 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | January 1943 – 1957 | Farmland | [28] |
| RAF Langham | RAF, FAA | 1940–1961 | Turkey farm/Heritage site | Joint Fleet Air Arm/RAF.[29] | |
| RAF Little Snoring | RAF | 1943–1958 | Private airfield | Bomber station.[30] | |
| RAF Ludham | RNAS Ludham (HMS Flycatcher) | RAF, RNAS | November 1941 – April 1946 | Farmland/housing/landing strip | Allocated to US 8th AF as Station 177, but not used.[31][32] |
| RAF Marham | RFC Marham | RFC, RAF | 1916–1919, 1935–present | Current home to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II | [33] |
| RAF Matlaske | USAAF Station 178 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1940–1946 | Farmland | [34] |
| RAF Mattishall | RFC Mattishall | RFC, RAF | November 1915 – May 1919 | Farmland | First World War.[35] |
| RAF Methwold | RAF | 1938–1958 | Farmland/industry | [36] | |
| RAF Mousehold Heath | RFC Mousehold Heath, Norwich Municipal Airport | RFC, Civil, RAF | 1914–1933 | Housing Estate & Light Industry | [37] |
| RAF Narborough | RNAS Narborough, RFC Narborough | RNAS, RFC, RAF | August 1915 – December 1919 | Farmland | [38] |
| RAF North Creake | Code Name: WORKER | RAF (No. 100 Group, 199 & 171 Sqns) | 1943–1947 | Farmland/housing/industry | The Control Tower is now a bed and breakfast,[39] with the rest of the site in agricultural use with some light industry in the former airfield buildings.[40] |
| RAF North Pickenham | USAAF Station 143 | RAF, USAAF | 1944–1963 | Runways used by Bernard Matthews as bases for turkey sheds. Thor IRBM site now used by Anglia Karting. | Thor IBRM station 1958–1963.[41] |
| RAF Old Buckenham | USAAF Station 144 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1943–1960 | Old Buckenham Airport | [42] |
| RAF Oulton | RAF | July 1940 – August 1952 | Farmland | [43] | |
| RAF Pulham | RNAS Pulham | RNAS, RAF | 1915–1948 | Farmland | Used for the development of British airships between the wars, hangar moved to Cardington (Bedfordshire), used as crashed aircraft dump in WW2.[44] |
| RAF Rackheath | USAAF Station 145 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1944–1945 | Farmland/industrial | [45] |
| RAF Sculthorpe | RAF, USAAF, USAF | January 1943 – October 1992 | Housing/industry/MoD training area | [46] | |
| RAF Sedgeford | RNAS Sedgeford, RFC Sedgeford | RNAS, RFC, RAF | 1915–1919, 1940–1944 | Farmland | Used as decoy airfield during WWII.[47] |
| RAF Seething | USAAF Station 146 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1943–1945 | Seething Airfield | [48] |
| RAF Shipdham | USAAF Station 115 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1942–1957 | Shipdham Airfield | [49] |
| RAF Snetterton Heath | USAAF Station 138 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1943–1952 | Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit | [50] |
| RAF Swannington | RAF | April 1944 – November 1947 | Farmland/industry | [51] | |
| RAF Swanton Morley | Robertson Barracks | RAF, Army | 1940–present | Robertson Barracks | [52] |
| RAF Thetford | RFC Thetford | RFC, RAF | 1915–1920, 1940–1942 | Farmland | Used as decoy airfield during WWII.[53] |
| RAF Thorpe Abbotts | USAAF Station 139 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1943–1956 | Farmland/civil aviation | Home of 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum.[54] |
| RAF Tibenham | RFC Tibenham, USAAF Station 124 (8th AF) | RFC, RAF, USAAF | 1916–1920, 1942–1959 | Airfield | Now owned by Norfolk Gliding Club.[55] |
| RAF Watton | USAAF Station 376 / 505 | RAF, USAAF | 1939–1992 | Housing/civil aviation/army training/HM Prison Wayland | [56] |
| RAF Wendling | USAAF Station 118 (8th AF) | RAF, USAAF | 1943–1961 | Farmland | [57] |
| RAF West Raynham | RAF, FAA | May 1939 – June 1994 | Farmland/housing | [58] |
References
[edit]- ^ "Attlebridge". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Bacton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Barton Bendish". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Bircham Newton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Bodney". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Burgh Castle". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Coltishall". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Deopham Green". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Docking". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Downham Market (Bexwell)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "East Wretham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Feltwell". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Fersfield (Winfarthing)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Foulsham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Great Massingham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ This aerodrome is usually known as South Denes Royal Naval Air Service aerodrome or RNAS South Denes
- ^ Great Yarmouth’s air aces who took on the Zeppelins; Trevor Heaton; Article in the Eastern Daily Press; 16 December 2017
- ^ "Great Yarmouth I (South Denes) (Yarmouth)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "AIR 29/504". The National Archives. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Hardwick, Norfolk". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Harling Road (Roudham)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Hethel". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Hickling Broad". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Hingham – an airfield fallen into obscurity". Aviation Trails. 11 September 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Holt". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "RAF Horsham St Faith airfield". Control Towers. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Horsham St Faith (Norwich)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Knettishall". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
- ^ "Langham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "About the Airfield". McAully Flying Group. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Ludham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Ludham, Norfolk". The MONAB Story. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Royal Air Force Marham". raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ "Matlaske". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Mattishall". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Methwold". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Mousehold Heath". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Narborough Aerodrome". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "The Control Tower History". Control Tower Stays. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "North Creake". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "North Pickenham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Old Buckenham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Oulton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Pulham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Rackheath". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Sculthorpe". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Sedgeford". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "About Seething Airfield". Seething Flying Club. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Shipdham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Snetterton Heath". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Swannington". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Swanton Morley". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Thetford (Snarehill)". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Thorpe Abbotts". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "About Tibenham Airfield". Norfolk Gliding Club. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Watton". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "Wendling". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
- ^ "West Raynham". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 23 November 2016.