RAF Bentwaters
Encyclopedia
RAF Bentwaters, now known as Bentwaters Parks, is a former Royal Air Force
station about 80 miles NE of London
, 10 miles ENE of Ipswich
, near Woodbridge
, Suffolk
in England
. The name was taken from two cottages (‘Bentwaters Cottages’) that had stood on the site of the main runway during its construction in 1943.
It was used by the RAF during World War II
, and by the United States Air Force
during the Cold War
, being the primary home for the 81st Fighter Wing under various designations from 1951 to 1993. For many years the 81st Fighter Wing also operated RAF Woodbridge
, with Bentwaters and Woodbridge airfields being known by the Americans as the "Twin Bases".
Bentwaters is also known as the location for the alleged December 1980 UFO incident in Rendlesham Forest
.
The site is now known as Bentwaters Parks. The Bentwaters Cold War Museum is located site, there are offices and warehouses to rent, and the site is also used for television and film making.
airfield. On 28 January 1943 the station was renamed Bentwaters RAF Station. It was opened for operational use in April 1944. In December it was transferred to RAF Fighter Command
11th Group. During World War II
, RAF squadrons at Butley were: 64, 118, 126, 129, 165, and 234.
In addition to its RAF use, United States Army Air Force fighters flew escort missions for RAF Bomber Command from Bentwaters beginning on 4 May 1945. The USAAF designation for Bentwaters was AAF Station 151.
During the postwar years, the RAF retained Bentwaters for flying various aircraft, including first-generation jet aircraft before finally closing the facility on 26 August 1949 when it was placed into 'care and maintenance' status.
on 16 March 1951 by the Ministry of Defence
, and the United States Air Forces in Europe
designated it a primary installation of HQ USAFE on 7 September 1951. Bentwaters was to play a key role in the defence of Western Europe during the Cold War
when large numbers of USAF aircraft were assigned as part of the air arm of NATO.
On 16 March 1951, the USAF 7506th Air Support Group was assigned to Bentwaters. Their mission was to bring the facility up to NATO standards. During most of 1951 and 1952 USAF construction upgraded the operational facilities, as well as the construction of support facilities. Early USAF units at Bentwaters were as follows:
The 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing became the new host unit at Bentwaters in September 1951. The 81st, in various designations, remained at RAF Bentwaters for over 40 years during the Cold War
era. The 81st FIW was an F-86A "Sabre"
equipped unit, being activated at Moses Lake AFB, Washington in May, 1950. In August 1951, the 81st flew initially into RAF Shepherds Grove
, then in September transferred its headquarters to RAF Bentwaters.
The 81st FIW's operational squadrons were:
Markings of the 81st FIW's F-86s consisted of a blue vertical stabilizer with three yellow lighting flashes, with the squadron color painted with a lightning flash along the fuselage.
The 116th FIS was an activated Washington Air National Guard
squadron that remained at Shephards Grove while assigned to the 81st. In November 1952 when the squadron was returned to state control, it was redesignated the 78th Fighter-Interceptor squadron.
The 78th FIS moved to RAF Sculthorpe
in May 1956. The 78th briefly returned to Shepherds Grove in May 1957 before being reassigned to RAF Woodbridge
in December 1958 when the USAF turned Shepherds Grove to the Ministry of Defense.
The mission of the 81st FIW was to provide air defence of the United Kingdom
. It performed this mission jointly with the RAF, working with No 11 Group RAF Fighter Command. The wing was the first unit of F-86's assigned to NATO and the first foreign air unit to participate in the peacetime air defense of Great Britain.
In October 1954 the mission of the 81st changed from fighter-interceptor to fighter-bomber operations, carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons. The wing was charged with tactical operations in support of USAFE and NATO, with air defense as a secondary mission. To reflect this change, the unit was redesignated the 81st Fighter-Bomber Wing and traded in its F-86s for the F-84F "Thunderstreak"
.
On 8 July 1958 Bentwaters was operated as "twin base" with RAF Woodbridge
and as a single unit under the newly-designated 81st Tactical Fighter Wing. Along with the 91st and 92d squadrons, the 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron was transferred from RAF Shepherds Grove when the USAF returned Shepherds Grove to the Ministry of Defense. The 78th TFS operated from Woodbrige, while the 91st and 92d squadrons operated from Bentwaters.
Beginning in the fall of 1958, the 81st TFW was requipped with the McDonnell F-101A/C "Voodoo"
. The F-101 was configured as a fighter bomber, intended to carry a single nuclear weapon for use against battlefield targets such as airfields. The Voodos were equipped with Low Angle Drogued Delivery (LADD) and Low Altitude Bombing System (LABS) equipment for its primary mission of delivering nuclear weapons at extremely low altitudes. Pilots were trained for one-way missions into Soviet territory to increase effective range at some cost in negating pilot recovery.
In November 1965, the 81st received McDonnell F-4 "Phantom II"s
to replace the Voodoos. Initially receiving the F-4C this was later upgraded to the more capable F-4D during late 1972 and 1973. About 1970, two-letter Tail Codes were used initially for squadron identification. The tail codes for the 81st TFW F-4s were:
In 1972, squadron tail codes were abolished, and a standard "WR" was used for all aircraft assigned to the 81st TFW.
The 81st began conversion to the Republic A-10
in June 1979. The A-10 being a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft designed to provide close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets. With the A-10, the wing's mission changed to close air support and battlefield air interdiction in support of NATO ground forces.
It was decided to expand the 81st with six A-10 squadrons distributed over both Woodbridge and Bentwaters as follows:
This arrangement continued until June 1988 when the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at RAF Alconbury
became a Tactical Fighter Wing, and the 509th and 511th were transferred there on 1 June and 1 September, respectively.
With the transfer of the A-10s to Alconbury, the 527th Aggressor Squadron was transferred to Bentwaters. The mission of the 527th was to provide dissimiar air combat training for NATO pilots, using Soviet tactics. They flew the F-5 Freedom Fighter
at Alconbury, however after 12 years of intense flying, by 1988 the fleet of aggressor F-5Es was getting rather worn out as a result of sustained exposure to the rigors of air combat maneuvering. It was decided to re-equip the squadron with F-16C Fighting Falcons
when the squadron was assigned to Bentwaters.
The 527th AS flew its last F-5E sortie from Alconbury on 22 June 1988. On 14 July 1988 the squadron was transferred, transitioning to F-16Cs by mid-January 1989 at Bentwaters. However, in 1990 with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the decision was made to terminate the entire USAF aggressor program. The 527th AS was inactivated on 30 September 1990.
An A-10 forward operating location was established at Sembach Air Base West Germany
on 1 September 1978 when Det. 1, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing was activated. Revetments and a dozen hardened aircraft shelters were built and A-10A Single-seat forward air control versions began operations at Sembach during May 1979. Additional detachments were subsequently established at Leipheim, Alhorn and Norvenich Air Bases in West Germany
. A-10's and support resources routinely rotated to these Forward Operating Locations from RAF Bentwaters for training and Tactical Evaluations. The C-130 rotating to the detachments was affectionately called "The Klong". In the event of war in the 1980s, the Bentwater A-10's were to fight from Germany, and Bentwaters would host F-16's from Nellis AFB and from Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina.
The last A-10 aircraft departed Bentwaters on 23 March 1993, and the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing was deactivated on 1 July 1993. With the deactivation, the USAF returned control of Bentwaters to the Ministry of Defence
.
Currently, Bentwaters airfield is inactive as a military facility.
The 81st was reactivated as the 81st Training Wing at Keesler AFB Mississippi
on 1 July 1993 and is one of Air Education and Training Command
's largest technical training wings. The emphasis is on high-technology training in a number of fields, primarily in the electronics specialties. Avionics maintenance, radio and radar systems maintenance, communications-electronics, computer systems programming and maintenance, air traffic control, and weather training are but a few of the main specialties taught at Keesler.
In 2003, work commenced on the Bentwaters Cold War Museum (BCWM). The museum had a successful public opening on Sunday 27 May 2007. The museum is located in the former USAF hardened command post, believed to be the only such building open to the public in the UK. The main “war operations room” and “Battle cabin” have been restored to their original condition; the BT telephone exchange room, decontamination showers, and airlock have been similarly restored. Other rooms within the building have been turned into exhibition rooms, covering the history of RAF Bentwaters from World War II until the station closed in 1993. Included in this are histories of the units that operated from the airfield, particularly the 81 TFW. Another room is dedicated to the history of the other airfield which was part of the “twin base” complex, RAF Woodbridge
, again covering the period from World War II until the present day. Other exhibition rooms featuring information on the “Special Operations/Rescue Squadrons” that were based at RAF Woodbridge, and also the “Aggressor” Squadron based at Bentwaters.
The museum is run by volunteers from Bentwaters Aviation Society, further information on the society and museum project can be found on their web site.
Later series of Channel 4's
consumer motoring programme Driven
were based in one of the hangars.
Additionally, in 2005, Bentwaters was used for the Space Cadets TV programme, where it played the part of a fake Russian space training and launch base.
In 2008, an episode of UFO Hunters
(History Channel), entitled "Military vs. UFOs", was aired. The episode focused on RAF Bentwaters' 1956 and 1980 UFO incidents.
It is the site used for the BBC
television programme "Dog Borstal", and more recently for "Top Gear
" stunts.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
station about 80 miles NE of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 10 miles ENE of Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, near Woodbridge
Woodbridge, Suffolk
Woodbridge is a town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. It is in the East of England, not far from the coast. It lies along the River Deben, with a population of about 7,480. The town is served by Woodbridge railway station on the Ipswich-Lowestoft East Suffolk Line. Woodbridge is twinned with...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The name was taken from two cottages (‘Bentwaters Cottages’) that had stood on the site of the main runway during its construction in 1943.
It was used by the RAF during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, being the primary home for the 81st Fighter Wing under various designations from 1951 to 1993. For many years the 81st Fighter Wing also operated RAF Woodbridge
RAF Woodbridge
Royal Air Force Station Woodbridge, more commonly referred to as RAF Woodbridge, is a former Royal Air Force military airbase situated to the east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, England...
, with Bentwaters and Woodbridge airfields being known by the Americans as the "Twin Bases".
Bentwaters is also known as the location for the alleged December 1980 UFO incident in Rendlesham Forest
Rendlesham Forest Incident
The Rendlesham Forest Incident is the name given to a series of reported sightings of unexplained lights and the alleged landing of a craft or multiple craft of unknown origin in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, England, in late December 1980, just outside RAF Woodbridge, used at the time by the U.S....
.
The site is now known as Bentwaters Parks. The Bentwaters Cold War Museum is located site, there are offices and warehouses to rent, and the site is also used for television and film making.
World War II
Bentwaters airfield's origins goes back to 1942 when construction began on RAF Butley as an RAF Bomber CommandRAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
airfield. On 28 January 1943 the station was renamed Bentwaters RAF Station. It was opened for operational use in April 1944. In December it was transferred to RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
11th Group. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, RAF squadrons at Butley were: 64, 118, 126, 129, 165, and 234.
In addition to its RAF use, United States Army Air Force fighters flew escort missions for RAF Bomber Command from Bentwaters beginning on 4 May 1945. The USAAF designation for Bentwaters was AAF Station 151.
During the postwar years, the RAF retained Bentwaters for flying various aircraft, including first-generation jet aircraft before finally closing the facility on 26 August 1949 when it was placed into 'care and maintenance' status.
USAF use
Control of Bentwaters was transferred to the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
on 16 March 1951 by the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, and the United States Air Forces in Europe
United States Air Forces in Europe
The United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
designated it a primary installation of HQ USAFE on 7 September 1951. Bentwaters was to play a key role in the defence of Western Europe during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
when large numbers of USAF aircraft were assigned as part of the air arm of NATO.
On 16 March 1951, the USAF 7506th Air Support Group was assigned to Bentwaters. Their mission was to bring the facility up to NATO standards. During most of 1951 and 1952 USAF construction upgraded the operational facilities, as well as the construction of support facilities. Early USAF units at Bentwaters were as follows:
- 9th Air Rescue Squadron (July 1951 - November 1952) (Boeing SB-29 'Super Dumbo'B-29 Superfortress variantsThe Boeing B-29 Superfortress was produced in a large number of experimental and production models.-XB-29:The XB-29, Boeing Model 345, was the first accepted prototype or experimental model delivered to the Army Air Corps, incorporating a number of improvements on the design originally submitted,...
). This unit flew air-sea rescueAir-sea rescueAir-sea rescue is the coordinated search and rescue of the survivors of emergency water landings as well as people who have survived the loss of their sea-going vessel. ASR can involve a wide variety of resources including seaplanes, helicopters, submarines, rescue boats and ships...
missions with aging B-29 aircraft adapted to drop airborne lifeboatAirborne lifeboatAirborne lifeboats were powered lifeboats that were made to be dropped by fixed-wing aircraft into water to aid in air-sea rescue operations. An airborne lifeboat was to be carried by a heavy bomber specially modified to handle the external load of the lifeboat...
s. It received its nickname from earlier "Dumbo"Dumbo (air-sea rescue)Dumbo was the code name used by the United States Navy during the 1940s and 1950s to signify search and rescue missions, conducted in conjunction with military operations, by long-range aircraft flying over the ocean. The purpose of Dumbo missions was to rescue downed American aviators as well as...
missions that picked airmen up when they crashed at sea. The unit departed in November 1952 for RAF BurtonwoodRAF BurtonwoodRAF Burtonwood was a Royal Air Force station in England, 2 miles north-west of Warrington, Lancashire. During World War II and the Cold War it was used by the United States Air Force and was also known as USAAF station 590.- Overview :...
.
- 7554th Target Tow Flight (March - December 1952) (Stinson L-5E, Douglas TB-26CA-26 InvaderThe Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
). This unit flew aerial targets for gunnery practice by NATO aircraft.
81st Tactical Fighter Wing
McDonnell F-101C-45-MC Voodoo, AF Serial No 56-0014 of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, taken on a rainy day at Bentwaters. Note the three colour (Red, Yellow, Blue) tail markings, signifying this as the Wing Commander's Aircraft with the colors signifying each of the three fighter squadrons assigned to the 81st TFW. After its service in the UK ended in 1965, this aircraft was withdrawn from active USAF service. It was converted to an RF-101H unarmed reconnaissance aircraft and assigned to Air National Guard duty.]]Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
era. The 81st FIW was an F-86A "Sabre"
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
equipped unit, being activated at Moses Lake AFB, Washington in May, 1950. In August 1951, the 81st flew initially into RAF Shepherds Grove
RAF Shepherds Grove
RAF Shepherds Grove is a former Royal Air Force base in Suffolk England 9 miles NE of Bury St Edmunds.The base was built for the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force during World War II. However the facility was not used by the USAAF and was opened by 3 Group, RAF on 3 April 1944...
, then in September transferred its headquarters to RAF Bentwaters.
The 81st FIW's operational squadrons were:
- 91st Fighter-Interceptor (Blue)
- 92d Fighter-Interceptor (Yellow)
- 116th Fighter-Interceptor (Red)
Markings of the 81st FIW's F-86s consisted of a blue vertical stabilizer with three yellow lighting flashes, with the squadron color painted with a lightning flash along the fuselage.
The 116th FIS was an activated Washington Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
squadron that remained at Shephards Grove while assigned to the 81st. In November 1952 when the squadron was returned to state control, it was redesignated the 78th Fighter-Interceptor squadron.
The 78th FIS moved to RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe
RAF Sculthorpe is a military training facility for the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence, situated about west of Fakenham in Norfolk, England...
in May 1956. The 78th briefly returned to Shepherds Grove in May 1957 before being reassigned to RAF Woodbridge
RAF Woodbridge
Royal Air Force Station Woodbridge, more commonly referred to as RAF Woodbridge, is a former Royal Air Force military airbase situated to the east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, England...
in December 1958 when the USAF turned Shepherds Grove to the Ministry of Defense.
The mission of the 81st FIW was to provide air defence of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It performed this mission jointly with the RAF, working with No 11 Group RAF Fighter Command. The wing was the first unit of F-86's assigned to NATO and the first foreign air unit to participate in the peacetime air defense of Great Britain.
In October 1954 the mission of the 81st changed from fighter-interceptor to fighter-bomber operations, carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons. The wing was charged with tactical operations in support of USAFE and NATO, with air defense as a secondary mission. To reflect this change, the unit was redesignated the 81st Fighter-Bomber Wing and traded in its F-86s for the F-84F "Thunderstreak"
F-84 Thunderjet
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 flew in 1946...
.
On 8 July 1958 Bentwaters was operated as "twin base" with RAF Woodbridge
RAF Woodbridge
Royal Air Force Station Woodbridge, more commonly referred to as RAF Woodbridge, is a former Royal Air Force military airbase situated to the east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, England...
and as a single unit under the newly-designated 81st Tactical Fighter Wing. Along with the 91st and 92d squadrons, the 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron was transferred from RAF Shepherds Grove when the USAF returned Shepherds Grove to the Ministry of Defense. The 78th TFS operated from Woodbrige, while the 91st and 92d squadrons operated from Bentwaters.
Beginning in the fall of 1958, the 81st TFW was requipped with the McDonnell F-101A/C "Voodoo"
F-101 Voodoo
The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic military jet fighter which served the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force...
. The F-101 was configured as a fighter bomber, intended to carry a single nuclear weapon for use against battlefield targets such as airfields. The Voodos were equipped with Low Angle Drogued Delivery (LADD) and Low Altitude Bombing System (LABS) equipment for its primary mission of delivering nuclear weapons at extremely low altitudes. Pilots were trained for one-way missions into Soviet territory to increase effective range at some cost in negating pilot recovery.
In November 1965, the 81st received McDonnell F-4 "Phantom II"s
F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft. It first entered service in 1960 with the U.S. Navy. Proving highly adaptable,...
to replace the Voodoos. Initially receiving the F-4C this was later upgraded to the more capable F-4D during late 1972 and 1973. About 1970, two-letter Tail Codes were used initially for squadron identification. The tail codes for the 81st TFW F-4s were:
- 78th Tactical Fighter - WR (Red tail stripe)
- 91st Tactical Fighter - WS (Blue tail stripe)
- 92d Tactical Fighter - WT (Yellow tail stripe)
In 1972, squadron tail codes were abolished, and a standard "WR" was used for all aircraft assigned to the 81st TFW.
The 81st began conversion to the Republic A-10
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
in June 1979. The A-10 being a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft designed to provide close air support (CAS) of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles, and other ground targets. With the A-10, the wing's mission changed to close air support and battlefield air interdiction in support of NATO ground forces.
It was decided to expand the 81st with six A-10 squadrons distributed over both Woodbridge and Bentwaters as follows:
- 78th Tactical Fighter (Woodbridge)
(Received A-10s 3 June 1979) - 91st Tactical Fighter (Woodbridge)
(Received A-10s 24 August 1979) - 92d Tactical Fighter (Bentwaters)
(Received A-10s 25 June 1979) - 509th Tactical Fighter (Activated 1 October 1979) (Woodbridge) (Grey tail stripe)
(Received A-10s 1 October 1979) - 510th Tactical Fighter510th Fighter SquadronThe 510th Fighter Squadron is part of the 31st Operations Group at Aviano Air Base, Italy. It is a combat-ready F-16CM fighter squadron prepared to deploy and fly combat sorties as tasked by NATO and US combatant commanders...
(Activated 1 October 1978) (Bentwaters) (Purple tail stripe)
(Received A-10s 1 October 1979) - 511th Tactical Fighter (Activated 1 January 1980) (Bentwaters) (Black tail stripe)
(Received A-10s 1 January 1980)
This arrangement continued until June 1988 when the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at RAF Alconbury
RAF Alconbury
RAF Alconbury is an active Royal Air Force station in Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is adjacent to the Stukeleys [Great and Little] and located about northwest of Huntingdon; about north of London....
became a Tactical Fighter Wing, and the 509th and 511th were transferred there on 1 June and 1 September, respectively.
With the transfer of the A-10s to Alconbury, the 527th Aggressor Squadron was transferred to Bentwaters. The mission of the 527th was to provide dissimiar air combat training for NATO pilots, using Soviet tactics. They flew the F-5 Freedom Fighter
F-5 Freedom Fighter
The Northrop F-5A/B Freedom Fighter and the F-5E/F Tiger II are part of a family of widely-used light supersonic fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop...
at Alconbury, however after 12 years of intense flying, by 1988 the fleet of aggressor F-5Es was getting rather worn out as a result of sustained exposure to the rigors of air combat maneuvering. It was decided to re-equip the squadron with F-16C Fighting Falcons
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
when the squadron was assigned to Bentwaters.
The 527th AS flew its last F-5E sortie from Alconbury on 22 June 1988. On 14 July 1988 the squadron was transferred, transitioning to F-16Cs by mid-January 1989 at Bentwaters. However, in 1990 with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the decision was made to terminate the entire USAF aggressor program. The 527th AS was inactivated on 30 September 1990.
An A-10 forward operating location was established at Sembach Air Base West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
on 1 September 1978 when Det. 1, 81st Tactical Fighter Wing was activated. Revetments and a dozen hardened aircraft shelters were built and A-10A Single-seat forward air control versions began operations at Sembach during May 1979. Additional detachments were subsequently established at Leipheim, Alhorn and Norvenich Air Bases in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. A-10's and support resources routinely rotated to these Forward Operating Locations from RAF Bentwaters for training and Tactical Evaluations. The C-130 rotating to the detachments was affectionately called "The Klong". In the event of war in the 1980s, the Bentwater A-10's were to fight from Germany, and Bentwaters would host F-16's from Nellis AFB and from Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina.
Post Cold War
With the end of the Cold War, the USAF presence at Bentwaters was gradually phased down. It was announced that the station would be closed and the 81st TFW would be deactivated. The Bentwaters-based squadrons were phased-down as follows:- 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron510th Fighter SquadronThe 510th Fighter Squadron is part of the 31st Operations Group at Aviano Air Base, Italy. It is a combat-ready F-16CM fighter squadron prepared to deploy and fly combat sorties as tasked by NATO and US combatant commanders...
was transferred to the 52d Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air BaseSpangdahlem Air BaseSpangdahlem Air Base is a United States Air Force base located near the small German town of Spangdahlem, approximately 30 km NNE of the city of Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate.-Units:...
GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on 4 January 1993. On 1 February 1994 it was inactivated at Spangdahlem, but it was reactivated on 23 March 1994 as a Block 40 F-16C/D squadron at Aviano Air BaseAviano Air BaseAviano Air Base is a NATO Air Base under U.S. Air Force administration in northeastern Italy, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. It is located in Aviano municipality, at the foot of the Carnic Pre-Alps, or Southern Carnic Alps, about 15 kilometers from Pordenone.-Units:Aviano is hosted by the...
ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
- 92d Tactical Fighter Squadron was inactivated on 31 March 1993. Its aircraft were sent back to the United States to various Air National GuardAir National GuardThe Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
squadrons.
The last A-10 aircraft departed Bentwaters on 23 March 1993, and the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing was deactivated on 1 July 1993. With the deactivation, the USAF returned control of Bentwaters to the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
.
Currently, Bentwaters airfield is inactive as a military facility.
The 81st was reactivated as the 81st Training Wing at Keesler AFB Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
on 1 July 1993 and is one of Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
's largest technical training wings. The emphasis is on high-technology training in a number of fields, primarily in the electronics specialties. Avionics maintenance, radio and radar systems maintenance, communications-electronics, computer systems programming and maintenance, air traffic control, and weather training are but a few of the main specialties taught at Keesler.
Current uses
With the handover of Bentwaters back to the UK Ministry of Defence in 1993, the facility was closed. I t is now known as "Bentwaters Parks".Bentwaters Cold War Museum
RAF Woodbridge
Royal Air Force Station Woodbridge, more commonly referred to as RAF Woodbridge, is a former Royal Air Force military airbase situated to the east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, England...
, again covering the period from World War II until the present day. Other exhibition rooms featuring information on the “Special Operations/Rescue Squadrons” that were based at RAF Woodbridge, and also the “Aggressor” Squadron based at Bentwaters.
The museum is run by volunteers from Bentwaters Aviation Society, further information on the society and museum project can be found on their web site.
Television and media
In 2001 many of the missions in paintballing game show X-Fire took place in and around the facilities in Bentwaters.Later series of Channel 4's
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
consumer motoring programme Driven
Driven (TV)
driven was a motoring television programme launched by Channel 4 in 1998 as a rival to the successful and long-running BBC series Top Gear....
were based in one of the hangars.
Additionally, in 2005, Bentwaters was used for the Space Cadets TV programme, where it played the part of a fake Russian space training and launch base.
In 2008, an episode of UFO Hunters
UFO Hunters
UFO Hunters is an American television series that premiered on January 30, 2008 on The History Channel, produced by Motion Picture Production Inc., and ran for three seasons....
(History Channel), entitled "Military vs. UFOs", was aired. The episode focused on RAF Bentwaters' 1956 and 1980 UFO incidents.
It is the site used for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television programme "Dog Borstal", and more recently for "Top Gear
Top Gear (current format)
Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
" stunts.
See also
- List of RAF stations
- United States Air Forces in EuropeUnited States Air Forces in EuropeThe United States Air Forces in Europe is the United States Air Force component of U.S. European Command, a Department of Defense unified command, and is one of two Air Force Major Commands outside of the continental United States, the other being the Pacific Air Forces...
- United States Air Force in the United KingdomUnited States Air Force in the United KingdomSince 1941 the United States has maintained air bases in the United Kingdom. Major Commands of the USAF having bases in the United Kingdom were the United States Air Forces in Europe , Strategic Air Command , and Air Mobility Command .-Origins:...
- RAF WoodbridgeRAF WoodbridgeRoyal Air Force Station Woodbridge, more commonly referred to as RAF Woodbridge, is a former Royal Air Force military airbase situated to the east of Woodbridge in the county of Suffolk, England...
- Rendlesham Forest IncidentRendlesham Forest IncidentThe Rendlesham Forest Incident is the name given to a series of reported sightings of unexplained lights and the alleged landing of a craft or multiple craft of unknown origin in Rendlesham Forest, Suffolk, England, in late December 1980, just outside RAF Woodbridge, used at the time by the U.S....
External links
- Bentwaters Air Base Cold War Pictures
- 527th TFAS At Bentwaters Website
- Bentwaters Aviation Society
- Bentwaters Cold War Museum
- Bentwaters-Woodbridge page - "Thousands of pictures, names, memories, links, past and present from RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge"
- Space Cadets at Bentwaters - precise filming locations using online maps and aerial photos
- Photographs of Bentwaters in use as a trackday venue
- the UnOfficial 81st SPS RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge Site - the UnOfficial gathering place for the men & women who served in the USAF 81st Security (Air) Police Squadron at RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge.