RAF Thorpe Abbots.. Norfolk Dec 2011

[Black Shuck]

Thorpe Abbotts airfield was built during 1942 and early 1943 for the RAF as a satellite airfield for RAF Horham but the rapid buildup of the 8th Air Force resulted in both airfields being handed over to the Americans. The thirty-six hardstandings originally planned were increased to fifty. Two T-2 hangars were erected, one on the east side of the flying field and one on the south side adjacent to the technical site. This and several of the domestic sites were in woodland stretching south and bordering the A143 Diss to Harleston road. The group flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign. In combat, the 100th operated chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization until the war ended. The group gained the nickname "The Bloody Hundredth" due to its heavy losses during eight missions to Germany when the group experienced several instances where it lost a dozen or more aircraft on a single mission, whereas most units suffered losses in consistent small amounts.

From June 1943 to January 1944, the 100th Bomb Group concentrated its efforts against airfields in France and naval facilities and industries in France and Germany. The 100th BG received a Distinguished Unit Citation for seriously disrupting German fighter plane production with an attack on an aircraft factory at Regensburg on 17 August 1943.

The unit bombed airfields, industries, marshalling yards, and missile sites in western Europe, January-May 1944. Operations in this period included participation in the Allied campaign against enemy aircraft factories during "Big Week", 20-25 February 1944. The group completed a series of attacks against Berlin in March 1944 and received a second Distinguished Unit Citation for the missions.

Beginning in the summer of 1944, oil installations became major targets. In addition to strategic operations, the group engaged in support and interdictory missions, hitting bridges and gun positions in support of the Invasion of Normandy in June 1944. The unit bombed enemy positions at Saint-Lô in July and at Brest in August and September Other missions were striking transportation and ground defenses in the drive against the Siegfried Line, October-December 1944; attacking marshalling yards, defended villages, and communications in the Ardennes sector during the Battle of the Bulge, December 1944-January 1945; and covering the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945. The Pics.....

[KingElvis]

Excellent work there that man.

[Black Shuck]

Thanks Elvis. Loved this airfield big style.

[simonix]

Nice one, this is one of my favourite airfields, if you know where to look there is still so much surviving.
Well done, nice shots there. That was my first BHQ!

[Tankman]

Excellent report First photo is of the airfields Battle headquarters, its role was the coordination of an airfield defence. The building was only intended to be occupied during an attack.

[Black Shuck]

That's right Tankman. I think it was a bunker for the station commander to oversee defence of the airfield.

[KingElvis]

Thanks Elvis. Loved this airfield big style.

I was born just a mile or so away in the fine village of Dickleburgh and when I was a kid, the control tower was a ruin and there were at least two derelict planes up there. When it was restored and turned in the the bomb group museum, the old planes were carted away. In the 1990s, lots of the main runway was torn up and many building in the woods near the tower were demolished. I learned to drive on the airstrip.

Up until the late 80s and early 90s, all the old original MOD signs, reflectors and other stuff was still in situ.

[simonix]

When oneandsix and I called in they were rebuilding the glass room on top of the tower, when they had lunch they let us go up and have a look, it was great to see over the old airfield, I will dig out my photos taken from up there.

[Black Shuck]

Ok would be interesting to see them.

[Black Shuck]

That's right.. there's an awful lot still left if you know where to look. I had to study some really old airfiled maps from back in 1942 to find exactly where the Techical Site and Living ablutions were situated. I had a feeling they were in two sets of woodland to the south of the airfield in Billingford Woods and in another unnamed copse the other side of Wood Lane. There's also a sewage site that is still extant but we didn't have time to have a look over that. Makes a good excuse for a return visit however.