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Bodney
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The
original RAF Watch Office at Bodney c.1943
(© USAAF via Peter Randall)
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RAF
Bodney airfield control tower 1940-45 - 352nd Fighter Group -
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Airfield Today:
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Agriculture
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Tower Type:
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1. Watch Office with
Ops room for Bomber Satellite Stations, 15898/40
2. Watch Office for All Commands, 343/43 |
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Tower:
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1.
Demolished
2. Derelict, this control tower was repaired after being hit by a P-51D on D-Day |
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Other
Buildings:
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Not
known
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History:
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03/1940 to 05/1943, opened as a satellite to Watton.
RAF Bomber Command No. 21, 82 and 105 Squadrons based here for short time.05/1941, No.90 Squadron, the first RAF Squadron to fly the new Boeing Fortress Mk1s on operations. 
05/1943,
Transferred to 8th USAAF.07/1943 to 02/1945 and 04/1945 to 11/1945, 328th, 486th and 487th Fighter Squadrons of the 352nd Fighter Group 'The Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney' with P-47D Thunderbolts, started operations 09/1943, converted to P-51D Mustang 04/1944. Major George Preddy, the 8th USAAF top scoring P-51 ace (27 victories) was based here until his death by 'friendly' US A.A. fire on Christmas day 1944. 12/1944 to 04/1945, 352nd FG was temporarily based in Belgium. Lost 118 aircraft in combat, claimed 519 air and 287 ground kills. 352nd FG awarded Distinguished Unit Citation 08/04/1944 for Brunswick escort mission, 487th FS awarded DUC 01/01/1945 for the destruction of 23 enemy aircraft, the only 8th AAF Squadron to be independently awarded a DUC. 11/1945, Group left for the USA and the station closed. |
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RAF
Bodney airfield control tower 1940-45 - 352nd Fighter Group -
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c.1943
(© USAAF via Russell Abbey)
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RAF
Bodney airfield control tower 1940-45 - 352nd FG -
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Rear
view of Bodney's first Watch Office c.1944
(© USAAF via Adam Smith)
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RAF
Bodney airfield control tower 1940-45 - 352nd Fighter Group -
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Top,
the second control tower 06/45
(© 352nd FG, USAAF via P. Randall), 2002
(©
M. Brotherton)
In the pre-dawn darkness of D-Day, Lt. Robert Frascotti was killed when his P-51 Mustang collided with the control tower on take-off |
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RAF
Bodney airfield control tower 1940-45 - 352nd Fighter Group -
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Airfield:
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Operational Fighter
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Opened:
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03/1940
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Closed:
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11/1945
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ID Code:
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BO
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USAAF Station:
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141
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Runways:
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3x - grass, steel mat
laid by USAF 1943
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Hangars:
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2x - T2, 5x - Blister
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County:
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Norfolk
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Location:
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4-1/2 miles west of
Watton
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OS Ref:
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TL840995
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Links:
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©:
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Photographs
© copyright as stated
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RAF
Bodney airfield control tower 1940-45 - 352nd Fighter Group - |
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352nd
FG memorial 1993 (© Steve
Bond)
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1969
(© Steve Bond)
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RAF
Bodney airfield control tower 1940-45 - 352nd Fighter Group -
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1977 (© Don Gilham) |
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RAF
Bodney airfield control tower 1940-45 - 352nd Fighter Group - |
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2002
(© Rob Pritchard)
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RAF
Bodney airfield control tower 1940-45 - 352nd Fighter Group -
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RAF
Bodney, 352nd FG, airfield & control tower = www.controltowers.co.uk
© robert truman 2002
- Bodney, 352nd FG - updated 03/04/2014 - 04/03/2021 - |