Former RAF Oulton | Second World War 1939-1945, RAF - Royal Air Force, closed / former military

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

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RAF Oulton opened as a grass airfield on the 31st July 1940 as a satellite for Horsham St. Faith (now Norwich Airport). During the first few years of its life it was used by a variety of light bombers including the Blenheim, Hudson and Ventura. Like many of the airfields in East Anglia, Oulton used a stately house as the station headquarters. Oultons headquarters was the Jacobean Mansion, Blickling Hall (those in the UK will have seen it as Sandringham in the BBC's All the Kings Men starring David Jason). The station commander reputedly slept in the same bed that Anne Boleyn used when she lived there in the 16th Century.

Between September 1943 and May 1944 Oulton underwent a major refit and returned to the war when the black B17 Fortresses of 214 Squadron began operating from there on special electronic countermeasures missions as part of the secret new 100 Group Bomber Command.

In their early days they were accompanied by a detachment of the Eigth Air Force, 803 Squadron, also operating the special B17's. These eventually left to be replaced by 223 Squadron RAF equipped with B24 Liberators for electronic countermeasure duties. The last mission flown from Oulton was on the night of 2/3rd May when elements of both squadrons joined a raid on Keil.

By August 1945 the airfield was dormant and after being used as a storage ground for Mosquitos it closed in late 1947.

Flying over Oulton today the main runway can still be seen although it has buildings on it, so to can some of the perimeter road and other runways. The control tower was demolished within the last 10 years and the odd building still remains on the farm that now occupies the site.

www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s26.html