RAF Honington airfield - 364th Fighter Group -

War Weary P-51 Mustang 324806 from the 384th FS at Honington 15/07/1945 (© USAAF)
The second control tower can be seen in the background

RAF Honington airfield

1. Watch Office with Tower (Fort type) 207/36, concrete
2. Watch Office for all Commands 343/43
3. Control Tower 2548c/55W

1. Demolished
2. Not known
3. Not known

Other Buildings:

07/37 to /38, 77 Sqn with Audax and Wellesley, 102 Sqn with Heyford bombers, moved to Driffield.
07/38 to 07/39, 75 Sqn with Harrow then Wellington bombers, moved to Stradishall.
07/38 to 09/39, 215 Sqn with Harrow then Wellington bombers, moved to Bassingbourn.
07/39 to 09/42, IX Sqn with Wellington bombers. 4/9/39, they flew the first RAF bombing raid of WW2 against the Kriegsmarine in the Baltic resulting in the loss of two Wellingtons. 9 Sqn lost 79 Wellingtons flying from Honington before moving to Waddington.
07/40 to 11/40, 311 (Czech) Sqn formed here with Wellingtons, moved to East Wretham.
06/42, the airfield was transferred to the USAAF and was upgraded to a Class A bomber base.
09/42 to 02/46, VIII Air Service Command set up an Air Depot to service and repair B-17's, became 1st Strategic Air Depot. Built to the west of the main airfield it was called Troston and was the last USAAF station to be returned to the RAF.
02/44 to 11/45, 383rd, 384th and 385th Fighter Squadrons of the 364th Fighter Group with P-38 Lightning then P-51 Mustang fighters.
02/46 to /49, became a major servicing centre for RAF Transport Command aircraft. Transferred to RAF Bomber Command /49 then 3/50 to 9/56 transferred to Maintenance Command for bomb storage. The airfield was upgraded during this time to include a 9,000' concrete runway.
02/55 to /57, 10, XV, 44 and 57 Sqns with EE Canberra bombers, 10 and XV Sqns took part in the 'Suez Crisis' of 1956.
11/56 to /65, bacame a major airfield for Sqns of the 'V-Force' with Valiant and Victor bombers of 7, 55, 57, 90 and 199 Sqns. /65 to /69 airfield was disused.
10/69 to 10/84, became a shore base for Strike Command Buccaneer Sqns including 12, 208, 216, 237 OCU and Navy 809 Sqns.
06/82 to 02/94, BAC Tornado bombers of IX, XV and 13 Sqns, airfield then transferred to the RAF Regiment.

RAF Honington airfield - 364th Fighter Group - Troston 1 SAD

B-17G Flying Fortress '5 Grand' serial no. 337716 of the 303rd BG at Honington, note damaged props c.1945 (© via Russell Abbey)

The second control tower in 1999 (© John Nicholls)

RAF Honington airfield - 364th Fighter Group - Troston 1st SAD

Operational bomber, fighter, Air Depot

Honington - 375, Troston - 595

2x Grass, steel plank laid 1942, concrete

Honington 4x - C Type, 9x - Blister, Troston 1x - T2

6 miles S of Thetford

RAF Honington airfield - 364th Fighter Group - Troston 1st SAD

RAF Honington airfield - 364th Fighter Group - Troston, 1st SAD

RAF Honington airfield + control tower = www.controltowers.co.uk © robert truman 2006 - Honington - Troston Air Depot -

RAF Honington airfield - 364th Fighter Group - Troston 1st SAD
Airfield:	Operational bomber, fighter, Air Depot
Opened:	5/37
Closed:	N/A
ID Code:	HT
USAAF Station:	Honington - 375, Troston - 595
Runways:	2x Grass, steel plank laid 1942, concrete
Hangars:	Honington 4x - C Type, 9x - Blister, Troston 1x - T2
County:	Suffolk
Location:	6 miles S of Thetford
OS Ref:	TL891754
Links:
©:	Photographs © copyright as stated
RAF Honington airfield - 364th Fighter Group - Troston 1st SAD

RAF Honington airfield
Airfield Today:	RAF Station
Tower Types:	1. Watch Office with Tower (Fort type) 207/36, concrete 2. Watch Office for all Commands 343/43 3. Control Tower 2548c/55W
Tower:	1. Demolished 2. Not known 3. Not known
Other Buildings:	Not known
History:	07/37 to /38, 77 Sqn with Audax and Wellesley, 102 Sqn with Heyford bombers, moved to Driffield. 07/38 to 07/39, 75 Sqn with Harrow then Wellington bombers, moved to Stradishall. 07/38 to 09/39, 215 Sqn with Harrow then Wellington bombers, moved to Bassingbourn. 07/39 to 09/42, IX Sqn with Wellington bombers. 4/9/39, they flew the first RAF bombing raid of WW2 against the Kriegsmarine in the Baltic resulting in the loss of two Wellingtons. 9 Sqn lost 79 Wellingtons flying from Honington before moving to Waddington. 07/40 to 11/40, 311 (Czech) Sqn formed here with Wellingtons, moved to East Wretham. 06/42, the airfield was transferred to the USAAF and was upgraded to a Class A bomber base. 09/42 to 02/46, VIII Air Service Command set up an Air Depot to service and repair B-17's, became 1st Strategic Air Depot. Built to the west of the main airfield it was called Troston and was the last USAAF station to be returned to the RAF. 02/44 to 11/45, 383rd, 384th and 385th Fighter Squadrons of the 364th Fighter Group with P-38 Lightning then P-51 Mustang fighters. 02/46 to /49, became a major servicing centre for RAF Transport Command aircraft. Transferred to RAF Bomber Command /49 then 3/50 to 9/56 transferred to Maintenance Command for bomb storage. The airfield was upgraded during this time to include a 9,000' concrete runway. 02/55 to /57, 10, XV, 44 and 57 Sqns with EE Canberra bombers, 10 and XV Sqns took part in the 'Suez Crisis' of 1956. 11/56 to /65, bacame a major airfield for Sqns of the 'V-Force' with Valiant and Victor bombers of 7, 55, 57, 90 and 199 Sqns. /65 to /69 airfield was disused. 10/69 to 10/84, became a shore base for Strike Command Buccaneer Sqns including 12, 208, 216, 237 OCU and Navy 809 Sqns. 06/82 to 02/94, BAC Tornado bombers of IX, XV and 13 Sqns, airfield then transferred to the RAF Regiment.
RAF Honington airfield - 364th Fighter Group - Troston 1 SAD