RAF Mildenhall airfield

RAF Mildenhall airfield

100 Air Refuelling Wing, United States Air Force

1. Duty Pilots Office 2072/26
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 1952
5. New control tower under construction

1. 2. 3. Demolished during USAF rebuilding 1951-54
4. Demolished 2004
5. Due to be operational in 2004

Other Buildings:

Opened 16/10/34 as Britain's number one bomber station. Originally planned in 1922, construction did not begin until 1933. 11/34, 99 Sqn with Heyfords were the first of many squadrons. 99 Sqns B Flight became 38 Sqn 09/35. The new B Flight then became 149 Sqn 04/37, 38 Sqn moving to Marham. 99 and 138 Sqn converted to Wellingtons 1938/9 then Stirlings 11/41. 09/39, 99 Sqn moved to Newmarket Heath. 12/41 to 03/42, 419 RCAF Sqn formed here with Wellingtons.
1942 to 11/42, 75 and 115 Sqns moved here with Wellingtons. In 1943 the grass landing surface was replaced by concrete runways.
04/43 to /46, 15 Sqn with Stirlings, then Lancasters.
08/43 to 08/45, 622 Sqn formed here with Stirlings then Lancasters.
08/45 to 08/46, 44 Sqn.
108 Wellingtons, 56 Stirlings and 96 Lancasters were lost on operations from Mildenhall during the war.
/46, 15 and 44 Sqns moved to Wyton when the runways were extended.
02/49 to /50, 35, 115, 149 and 207 Sqns 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

The new Mildenhall USAF control tower under construction 2003 (© USAF)

RAF and USAF Station

Operational Bomber, SAC, MAC

grass, then 3 concrete, then single 3,090 yards

3x - C Type, 2x - A, 2x - T2

12 miles NW of Bury St Edmunds

RAF Mildenhall airfield

RAF and USAF Station
Airfield:		Operational Bomber, SAC, MAC
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:
©:		All photos © via 2Lt Rosaire Bushey, USAF

RAF Mildenhall airfield
Airfield Today:	100 Air Refuelling Wing, United States Air Force
Tower Type:	1. Duty Pilots Office 2072/26 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 1952 5. New control tower under construction
Tower:	1. 2. 3. Demolished during USAF rebuilding 1951-54 4. Demolished 2004 5. Due to be operational in 2004
Other Buildings:	Not Known
History:	Opened 16/10/34 as Britain's number one bomber station. Originally planned in 1922, construction did not begin until 1933. 11/34, 99 Sqn with Heyfords were the first of many squadrons. 99 Sqns B Flight became 38 Sqn 09/35. The new B Flight then became 149 Sqn 04/37, 38 Sqn moving to Marham. 99 and 138 Sqn converted to Wellingtons 1938/9 then Stirlings 11/41. 09/39, 99 Sqn moved to Newmarket Heath. 12/41 to 03/42, 419 RCAF Sqn formed here with Wellingtons. 1942 to 11/42, 75 and 115 Sqns moved here with Wellingtons. In 1943 the grass landing surface was replaced by concrete runways. 04/43 to /46, 15 Sqn with Stirlings, then Lancasters. 08/43 to 08/45, 622 Sqn formed here with Stirlings then Lancasters. 08/45 to 08/46, 44 Sqn. 108 Wellingtons, 56 Stirlings and 96 Lancasters were lost on operations from Mildenhall during the war. /46, 15 and 44 Sqns moved to Wyton when the runways were extended. 02/49 to /50, 35, 115, 149 and 207 Sqns 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


2003 (© USAF)