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The 1931 Duty Pilots Office at Mildenhall 1940s (© via Paul Francis)
RAF Mildenhall airfield
Airfield Today:
100 Air Refuelling Wing, United States Air Force
Tower Type:
1. Duty Pilots Office 2072/26, built in 1931
2. Watch Office with Tower (Fort type) 1959/34 (brick)
3. Watch Office with Met Section, 5845/39 (brick)
4. Control tower 5223a/51 built in 1952
5. New control tower under construction
Tower:
1. 2. 3. Demolished during USAF rebuilding 1951-54
4. Demolished 2004
5. Operational in 2004
Other Buildings:
Not Known
History:
Opened 16/10/1934 as Britain's number one bomber station. Originally planned in 1922, construction did not begin until 1933. 11/34, No.99 Squadron with Handley Page Heyford bombers were the first of many squadrons. 99 Squadrons 'B' Flight became No.38 Squadron.
 09/1935, The new 'B' Flight became No.149 Squadron. 04/37, No.38 Squadron moved to Marham. 1938/9, 99 and 138 Squadrons converted to Wellington bombers then Stirlings 11/41.
09/39, No.99 Squadron moved to Newmarket Heath.
12/41 to 03/42, No.419 Royal Canadian Air Force Squadron formed here with Wellington bombers.
1942 to 11/42, No.75 and 115 Squadrons moved here with Wellingtons. 1943, The grass landing surface was replaced with concrete runways.
04/43 to /46, No.15 Squadron with Stirlings, then Lancasters.
08/43 to 08/45, No.622 Squadron formed here with Stirlings then Lancasters.
08/45 to 08/46, No.44 Sqn.
108 Wellingtons, 56 Stirlings and 96 Lancasters were lost on operations from Mildenhall during the war.
/46, No.15 and 44 Sqnuadrons moved to Wyton when the runways were extended.
02/49 to /50, No.35, 115, 149 and 207 Squadrons with Lancasters then Lincolns.
 /50 to /59, USAF B-50Ds of 93rd Bomb Wing, Strategic Air Command, the first of many SAC units. Then Military Airlift Command and SAC tankers.
RAF Mildenhall airfield
Watch Office with Tower (Fort type) 1959/34 (brick)
RAF Mildenhall airfield - U.S.A.F. -
Control tower 5223a/51 built in 1952 1971 (© via Paul Francis)
c.1985 (© Paul Francis)
RAF Mildenhall airfield
Airfield:
R.A.F. Operational Bomber, U.S.A.F. S.A.C., M.A.C.
Opened:
1934
Closed:
N/A
ID Code:
MI
USAAF Station:
N/A
Runways:
grass, then 3 concrete, then single 3,090 yards
Hangars:
3x - C Type, 2x - A, 2x - T2
County:
Suffolk
Location:
12 miles NW of Bury St Edmunds
OS Ref:
TL690767
Links:
©:
Photos © copyright as statedvia 2Lt Rosaire Bushey, U.S.A.F.
RAF Mildenhall
Control tower 5223a/51 2003 (© via 2Lt Rosaire Bushey, U.S.A.F.)
RAF Mildenhall airfield
The new Mildenhall USAF control tower under construction 2003 (© via 2Lt R. Bushey, U.S.A.F.)
RAF Mildenhall airfield - U.S.A.F. -
RAF Mildenhall airfield + control tower = www.controltowers.co.uk
© robert truman 2003 - updated 21/05/2013- Mildenhall -