RAF Rattlesden
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RAF Rattlesden USAAF Station 126 |
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Royal Air Force Rattlesden or more simply RAF Rattlesden is a former Royal Air Force station located 9 miles (14 km) south east of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England.
History
USAAF use
Rattlesden airfield was built in 1942 as a Class A bomber airfield. The airfield had three intersecting concrete runways, perimeter track and, for USAAF use, hardstands for fifty aircraft and two dispersed, black-painted T-2 hangars. Living and messing sites were on the east side of the field. Situated four miles south of the A14 highway between Stowmarket and Bury St. Edmunds
The airfield was opened in 1942 and was used by the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force. Rattlesden was given USAAF designation Station 126 (RS).
322d Bombardment Group (Medium)
Rattlesden was originally designated as a satellite for
447th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
In June 1943, it was decided that the B-26 groups would be better placed to conduct operations from airfields further south. and an exchange of bases with the B-17-equipped 4th Bombardment Wing in
- 708th Bombardment Squadron (CQ)
- 709th Bombardment Squadron(IE)
- 710th Bombardment Squadron(IJ)
- 711th Bombardment Squadron(IR)
The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign and served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization. The 447th's first mission from Rattlesden was despatched on Christmas Eve and, during the course of hostilities, another 256 missions were flown from the base.
The group helped to prepare for the
The 447th turned to strategic targets in Germany in October 1944, placing emphasis on sources of oil production until mid-December. 2nd Lt Robert Edward Femoyer, navigator, won the Medal of Honor for action on 2 November 1944. While on a mission over Germany, his B-17 was damaged by flak and Femoyer was severely wounded by shell fragments. Determined to navigate the plane out of danger and save the crew, he refused a sedative and, for more than two hours, directed the navigation of the bomber so effectively that it returned to base without further damage. Femoyer died shortly after being removed from the plane.
During the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944-January 1945, the group assaulted marshalling yards, railroad bridges, and communications centers in the combat zone. Then resumed operations against targets in Germany, attacking oil, transportation, communications, and other objectives until the war ended. During this period, also supported the airborne assault across the Rhine in March.
The group returned to Drew AAF Florida in August 1945, its personnel relieved from active duty and aircraft sent to storage. At Drew AAF the 447th was redesignated as the "447th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy)" and allocated to Strategic Air Command w/o/p/e as a reserve unit.[1][2]
Postwar Governmental use
After the war, the field was transferred to the RAF on 10 October 1945. For a short while it was used by the RAF for basic training and then as a
Current use
With the end of military control the land was returned to agricultural use.
Today there is not much left of the living and mess sites of the airfield, only part of the main runway and the south & eastern part of the perimeter track still exist plus a few of the hardstands. The most complete area of the airfield today is the Technical No. 1, east of the airfield which still has around 20 buildings left including the large T-2 hangar. The Rattlesden Gliding Group uses the southwest end of the former main runway, with one lane of the former southwest perimeter track being used as a taxiway. The control tower is their club house.
See also
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
Citations
- ^ Freeman 2001, p. 00.
- ^ Maurer 1980, p. 00.
Bibliography
- Freeman, R. Airfields of the Eighth - Then and Now. After the Battle. London, UK: Battle of Britain International Ltd., 2001. ISBN 0-9009-13-09-6.
- Maurer, M. Air Force Combat Units of World War II. USAF Historical Division. Washington D.C., USA: Zenger Publishing Co., Inc, 1980. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
- Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9.
- www.controltowers.co.uk Rattlesden
- mighty8thaf.preller.us Rattlesden
- USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present
External links
- 447th Bomb Group website
- Rattlesden Airfield photo album
- Rattlesden Gliding Club (Current airfield users)
- 447th Bomb Group Association