Former RAF Bungay (aka Flixton)

 Second World War 1939-1945, abandoned / shut down, RAF - Royal Air Force, Army Air Field US, historical layer / disappeared object

 Upload a photo

USAAF Station 125

RAF Bungay (also known as RAF Flixton) is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 2 miles SW of Bungay in Suffolk on the south bank of the Waveney River close to the B1062 Harleston to Bungay road. The airfield is also known after the village of Flixton, near which it was built.

Bungay airfield was originally planned as a satellite base for RAF Hardwick and was constructed by Kirk & Kirk Ltd., during 1942 with a main runway of 6,000 feet in length and two intersecting secondary runways, one of 4220 feet and the other of 4,200 feet. In common with other airfields of the period, the technical, administrative and domestic buildings were dispersed to lessen the impact of any enemy air attack. The buildings were all of a temporary nature and the various sites were chiefly to the west of the airfield.

USAAF use

The airfield was turned over to the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force and designated Station 125.

428th Bombardment Squadron
Bungay was still unfinished when the Twelfth Air Force 428th Bombardment Squadron, 310th Bombardment Group (Medium) at RAF Hardwick arrived with fourteen B-25 Mitchell medium bombers in October 1942. The squadron moved on to Médiouna Airfield, French Morocco on 18 November. A 12th Air Force film clip indicates that the 310th Bombardment Group was the first 12th Air Force group to fly the northern transport route from the United States to Europe and initially arrived at Prestwick, Scotland in October, 1942.

329th Bomb Squadron
In December 1942, eight B-24 Liberators of the 329th Bombardment Squadron, 93d Bombardment Group (Heavy) at RAF Hardwick were sent to Bungay to prepare for special intruder operations. These aircraft conducted raids in bad weather with the mission of harassing the German air raid warning system. The 329th flew these missions until March 1943 when they rejoined the 93d at Hardwick.

446th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Additional construction was performed at Bungay until November 1943 when the airfield received the Eighth Air Force 446th Bombardment Group (Heavy) from Lowry AAF, Colorado. The 446th was assigned to the 20th Combat Bombardment Wing and the group tail code was a "Circle-H". It's operational squadrons were:

704th Bombardment Squadron (FL)
705th Bombardment Squadron (HN)
706th Bombardment Squadron (RT)
707th Bombardment Squadron (JU)

HMS Europa
After the war, the field was turned over to the Royal Navy and the station became HMS Europa, being the satellite of HMS Sparrowhawk (RNAS Hatston) where three Fleet Air Arm squadrons were based.

In 1946 it was returned to RAF control and was assigned to No. 53 Maintenance Unit and became a maintenance sub-unit of 94 MU which had its HQ at RAF Great Ashfield. Stored on the runways and in the buildings, were 250 lb., 500 lb., 2000 lb., and 4000 lb. bombs, balloon cable cutting cartridges, depth charges, 7-inch parachute flares and German ammunition.

With the end of military control Bungay airfield was the base of the Martlesham Heath Parachute Club, with Cessna 182 G-ATNU and crop sprayers, including Pawnee D G-BFRY. In 1981-82, the Flixton Church Roof Restoration Fund held mini air shows. Until 1983, the main runway and peritrack were in good condition, but the following year work started on breaking them up.

www.aviationmuseum.net/the%20airfield.htm
mighty8thaf.preller.us/php/1Loc.php?Base=Bungay