Former RAF Attlebridge

 Second World War 1939-1945, farm, RAF - Royal Air Force, draw only border, closed / former military

USAAF Station 120

Attlebridge was an early wartime station, laid out for use by RAF No. 2 Group 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 A-20 Bostons prior to being assigned to the Eighth Air Force's 2nd Bomb Wing on 30 September 1942.

Attlebridge 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)

flying B-25 Mitchells

Attlebridge was used by a training airfield with a few B-24 aircraft.

466th Bombardment Group (Heavy)

flying B-24 Liberator

466th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in August 1945 and was equipped with B-29 Superfortresses. With the end of the war, the unit was inactivated on 17 October 1945.

After the war, the field 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 (Possibly part of the Bernard Matthews Site Just to the north), 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.

www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s19.html