Royal air force station shipdham or more simply raf shipdham is a former royal air force station located 3 miles south of dereham, norfolk, england. The property is situated on the shipdham airfield industrial estate located to the east side of shipdham is situated approximately 6 miles from the a47 and 11 miles to the a11, which provides excellent access to norwich and the midlands. Today, it is still operated as a general aviation airfield, and it is also home to a museum telling the story of shipdham and the 44th bomb group. Raf shipdham airfield 44th bomb group 319th bomb group. Shipdham airfield museum american air museum in britain. Should you wish to leave a small donation towards the upkeep and ongoing running of. Station 115shipdham is the unique story of 600 acres of norfolk countryside in the center of the agricultural heartland of east anglia. Heritage quarters cottages luxury holiday cottages. The land was returned to agricultural use with private flying taking place from 1970 onwards. Francis frith the uks leading publisher of local photographs since 1860. Group during the second world war at what was shipdham airfield in. Check out airfield industrial estate, shipdham road map.
Shipdham was the first us heavy bomber base in norfolk during world war ii and was home to the famous b24 liberator bombers. It is a mere ten minutes flying time from norwich, between the market towns of dereham and watton. Map of airfield industrial estate, shipdham, ip25 7, uk. Nau aerial photography shows a number of features of linear form in southwest dispersal area which probably result from the airfield, but might possibly pre date it. Airfields are often believed to be haunted perhaps because of the volume of tragedy and activity that passed through them during the wars. Raf bircham newton has reports of an apparition of a.
Willem remembers as tom knows already for a long time, all this stuff is based, from the beginning from records collected via the public record office national archives now in london, from the deutsche dienststelle wast in berlin, from the bulletingroep 19401945, the historical research group of the koninklijke vereninging voor luchtvaart knvvl as far as now by. Shipdham flying club summer newsletter by lauren bean issuu. Royal air force shipdham or more simply raf shipdham is a former royal air force station located 3 miles south of dereham, norfolk, england. Perhaps the single biggest personal discovery i made in researching this book concerns the history of ballooning in the uk. It commemorates 29 local servicemen who fell in the first world war and 10 men who fell in the second world war. Interview with bryan jones, saaf b24 liberator navigator. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. This site is a former ww2 installation in a field about a grid square south of the former raf shipdham, adjacent to the village of high common. It was turned into a major second world war airfield in.
After the war the airfield was used for a short time as a repatriation centre for german pows returning to germany from the usa. Raf shipdham was the first us heavy bomber base in norfolk and was also the continuous host to consolidated b24 liberators longer than any other eighth air force combat airfield. Military history shipdham airfield description, history and pictures. In east anglia, where there was a saturation of airbases, these haunted sites include raf west raynham, raf bircham newton in norfolk and raf tibenham in norfolk among others. Welcome to uk airfields, this website is to show my photography of airfields, aircraft and aviation related memorials around the uk and overseas. A photographic archive and record of ramsgates municipal airport over three decades. A history of a former usaaf base in norfolk, a few tales of ghosts and an old recording recently copied from an analogue tape into digital format a slightly. Robena brown nee dodd, sue dewing nee head, marlene secker nee codling and helen crane.
Robena brown nee dodd, sue dewing nee head, marlene seckernee codling and helen crane nee abbot sharing the history of shipdham. A history of a former usaaf base in norfolk, a few tales of ghosts and an old recording recently copied from an analogue tape into digital format a slightly new format. The airfield was sold in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The village was struck by an f1t2 tornado on 23 november 1981, as part of the recordbreaking nationwide tornado outbreak on that day. Walthams ghostly airman the royal air force quickly abandoned many airfields after war, raf waltham, near grimsby is one such airfield. A history of the 44th bomb group fit for the 21st century.
The story of a usaf airfield tells of a 600 acre second world war airfield built on norfolk farmland in the early 1940s. We had a great welcome on our arriavl and were provided with hangarage for our motor glider overnight, having flown in from hintoninthehedges. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Shipdham airfield airport egsa located in shipdham, england, united kingdom. Only about one third of the book s 173 pages are dedicated to this. I have been researching airfields and aviation memorials for a long time and i have. Shipdham airfield, breckland local area information, map, walks and more. Shipdham war memorial was unveiled by the dean of norwich on 6 february 1921 and, like many norfolk war memorials, was situated within the churchyard. It was the first united states heavy bomber base in norfolk, used by the 44th bomb group of the 8th air force, as station 115.
The other two thirds of the book are in my opinion, needlessly padded out. Raf shipdham usaaf station 115 geograph britain and. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of shipdham airfield. Discovering our aviation history, and double listings. The story of a usaaf airfield peter bodle fraes on.
This series of books provides a fresh userfriendly look at the military airfields of the british isles. Shipdham flying clubs summer edition of the club newsletter. The story of a usaaf airfield paperback station 115 shipdham is the unique story of 600 acres of norfolk countryside in the center of the agricultural heartland of east anglia. Station 115 shipdham is the unique story of 600 acres of norfolk countryside in the center of the agricultural heartland of east anglia. Shipdham airfield at norfolk was assigned to the 44th bombardment group heavy, arriving from will rogers field, oklahoma on 10 october 1942.
Raf shipdham was the first us heavy bomber base in. The airfield was busy with visiting aircraft as it was shipdhams air day open day. Medal of honor ceremony for col leon johnson at shipdham airfield, 1943. London, george eyre and andrew strahan, 1807 see also norfolk parish links. Raf shipdham usaaf station 115 in the second world war, the wartime memories project. A video of the control tower that i took on 15 october 2011. The american poet hyam plutzik was stationed at shipdham c.
In the second world war airfields in norfolk were used by the raf and united states air forces. A mural depicting a map of the us, found at what was flixton airfield in. Royal air force station shipdham or more simply raf shipdham is a former royal air force station located 3 miles south of dereham, norfolk, england the airfield now operates as shipdham airfield. An established author, he also lectures on raf history. Navigate to the global search form search landmark. Raf shipdham usaaf station 115 in the second world war. A mural by a member of the 44th319th bombardment group, painted during the second world war at what was shipdham airfield, norfolk. Raf shipdham high common site, norfolk dereliction in. This website is run entirely as a hobby and in my spare time, it is paid for out of my own pocket. The club was formed in early 2000 to reopen shipdham airfield. An act for inclosing lands, in the parish of shipdham, in the county of norfolk. Shipdham airfield is strictly for shipdham flying club and ufy4fun members only and others are strictly ppr via the clubhouse telephone 062 820709 or via barry cator 01953 882187 or 07785 187827. A former world war two military airfield, opened in 1942 and closed in 1945, later a civilian airfield.
Shipdham flying club is a group of flyers and friends who operate at shipdham airfield. Airport information including flight arrivals, flight departures, instrument approach procedures, weather, location, runways, diagrams, sectional charts, navaids, radio communication frequencies, fbo and fuel prices, hotels, car rentals, sunrise and sunset times, aerial photos, terminal maps, and destination travel. In 19461947, the airfield was used as a transit camp for german prisoners of war. The airfield was the wartime base of the 44th bombardment group, known as the flying eight balls.
Raf shipdham was the first us heavy bomber base in norfolk and was also the continuous host to consolidated b24 liberators longer than any other eighth air force combat airfield in britain from october 1942 to late 1945. Land and property maps modern and historical maps maps of the parish. Circuit is to the east, please avoid the west side. The 44th was assigned to the 14th combat bombardment wing, and the group tail code was a circlea. It really is a most fascinating period in the 19th century, and has continued ever since. Raf shipdham was the first us heavy bomber base in norfolk and was also the continuous host to b24 liberators longer than any other eighth air force combat airfield in britain from october 1942 to late 1945. Lincolnshires haunted airfields weird history with. It was turned into a major second world war airfield in ultraquick order shortly after the start of hostilities in the early 1940s. Constructed in 194142, shipdham airfield was the first us heavy bomber base in norfolk, and from september 1942 to june 1945 it was also the location of the headquarters of the 14th combat bombardment wing, 2nd air division, viii bomber command later the eighth army air force. Shipdham airfield, breckland area information, map. Should you wish to leave a small donation towards the upkeep and ongoing running of the website, it is really appreciated. Elsewhere, the seach will be visibly opened after this button is selected.
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