Former RAF Hardwick

 Second World War 1939-1945, abandoned / shut down, RAF - Royal Air Force, draw only border, Army Air Field US

USAAF Station 104

Hardwick Airfield was one of the early heavy bomber airfields which was constructed for the RAF during 1941-42 in the East Anglian area. Like other heavy bomber fields originally planned for RAF needs and begun at the same time, this airfield had three T-2 hangars grouped together on the administrative and technical site, in this case on the eastern side of the airfield. The technical site was adjacent to the hangars and bordered the country road running from Hempnall to Alburgh.

On the eastern side of this road lay the major part of the camp with domestic sites hidden amongst woodland. One site was located at Topcroft Street. All accommodation was of the temporary type, mostly Nissen huts. The bomb dump was situated off the north-west corner of the airfield in and adjacent to Spring Wood. Thirty hardstands were originally planned, sufficient for RAF requirements, but these were increased to fifty for the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force, thirty-nine being of the early 'frying-pan' type and the remainder loops.

When assigned to the USAAF, Hardwick was designated as Station 104. From 7 November 1943 though 12 June 1945, Hardwick served as headquarters for the 20th Combat Bombardment Wing of the 2d Bomb Division.

310th Bombardment Group (Medium)
Flying the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber

93rd Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Flying Consolidated B-24

The 93d Bomb Group ceased combat operations in April 1945, and returned to Sioux Falls AAF South Dakota during May/June.

In preparation for the Invasion of Japan, the group was redesignated the 93rd Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) in July and converted to B-29 Superfortresses,

The 93d Bomb Wing was a front-line unit of SAC during the Cold War until its deactivation on 30 September 1995 with the closure of Castle Air Force Base. The unit exists today as the 116th Air Control Wing at Robins AFB, Georgia, being the first United States Air Force wing "blended" from active duty and Air National Guard airmen. The 93d was designated as such on 1 October 2002 following the blending of the active duty 93d Air Control Wing and the ANG 116th Bomb Wing. The wing flies the E-8 Joint STARS aircraft and remains assigned to Eighth Air Force under Air Combat Command.

After the war, the field was turned over to the RAF on 25 June 1945. The station was immediately put into care and maintenance status, and was eventually closed in 1962. The main airfield buildings, hangars, control tower, etc, were demolished many years ago. However, on some of the dispersed sites to the east of the airfield quite a number of the buildings remain and are used by a farmer for a variety of purposes.

Most of the hardstands have gone. The main runways (with the exception of one which remains almost complete) and taxiways have now been broken up for aggregate and used for various construction projects.

A stone memorial plaque was dedicated during a veterans' reunion in 1987. It stands in a small plot on one of the old barrack sites just off the lane from Hempnall which runs to the east of the airfield.

A small private museum has been established in some of the remaining Nissen huts on one of the dispersed sites on Airfield Farm. It contains general 8th A.F. memorabilia, material on the 93rd B.G., and items recovered by the East Anglian Aircraft Research Group. There is also a 489th BG and RAF Museum on this site.

www.93rdbombardmentgroup.com/