RAF Lakenheath airfield

First used in early 1941 by 9 Sqn Wellingtons from Honington.
11/41 to 01/42, Officially opened as a Bomber Satellite Station and used by 20 OTU Wellingtons from Lossiemouth.
01/42 to 05/44, 149 Sqn Stirlings from Mildenhall trained by 149 Conversion Flight. 149 Sqn flew 350 operations from here before moving to Methwold.
06/43 to 05/44, 199 Sqn with Wellingtons then Stirlings, flew 69 ops before moving to North Creake. 116 Stirlings were lost by 149 and 199 Sqns while flying from Lakenheath.
06/44, Airfield closed for rebuilding as a Very Heavy Bomber Station for use by 8th USAAF B-29 Superfortress. Planned to take a year it eventually took two and a half years by which time the war had ended. Airfield remained unused until the Berlin Airlift of 1948.
07/48 to present, First used by B-29s of the 2nd Bomb Group, detached here for 90 days. Many units and aircraft types followed including B-50, B-47, B-36, F-100, F-4, F-111 and F-15.

RAF Lakenheath airfield
Airfield Today:		USAF
Tower Type:		1. Wartime RAF watch office - type unknown 2. Control Tower for Very Heavy Bomber Stations 294/45 3. Multi storey USAF tower
Tower:		1. Demolished 2. Demolished 3. In use
Other Buildings:		Not known
History:		First used in early 1941 by 9 Sqn Wellingtons from Honington. 11/41 to 01/42, Officially opened as a Bomber Satellite Station and used by 20 OTU Wellingtons from Lossiemouth. 01/42 to 05/44, 149 Sqn Stirlings from Mildenhall trained by 149 Conversion Flight. 149 Sqn flew 350 operations from here before moving to Methwold. 06/43 to 05/44, 199 Sqn with Wellingtons then Stirlings, flew 69 ops before moving to North Creake. 116 Stirlings were lost by 149 and 199 Sqns while flying from Lakenheath. 06/44, Airfield closed for rebuilding as a Very Heavy Bomber Station for use by 8th USAAF B-29 Superfortress. Planned to take a year it eventually took two and a half years by which time the war had ended. Airfield remained unused until the Berlin Airlift of 1948. 07/48 to present, First used by B-29s of the 2nd Bomb Group, detached here for 90 days. Many units and aircraft types followed including B-50, B-47, B-36, F-100, F-4, F-111 and F-15.
RAF Lakenheath airfield

RAF and USAF Station
Airfield:		Operational bomber
Opened:		/1941
Closed:		N/A
ID Code:		?
USAAF Station:		N/A
Runways:		3x - concrete
Hangars:		1x - B1, 5x - T2 (3 for Horsa glider storage),
County:		Suffolk
Location:		5 miles N of Newmarket
OS Ref:		TL740820
Links:		-
©:		All photos © via MSgt Gregory S. Henneman, USAF
Lakenheath airfield