RAF Fersfield
Encyclopedia
RAF Fersfield is a former World War II
airfield located 16 miles (25.7 km) southwest of Norwich, Norfolk.
Built in 1943/1944, the airfield was originally a satellite of RAF Knettishall
. It was constructed to Class-A bomber specifications, with a main 6000 ft (1,828.8 m) runway (07/25), and two secondary runways (01/19, 13/31) of 4200 ft (1,280.2 m). Accommodation for about 2,000 personnel were in Nissen hut
s along with an operations block and two T-2 hangars. Winfarthing was assigned USAAF station number 140; Fersfield was reassigned 554.
, a secret plan for remote controlled Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers (redesignated as BQ-7s) to be used against German V-1 flying bomb
sites, submarine pen
s, or deep fortifications that had resisted conventional bombing.
From July 1944 to January 1945, approximately 25 high-time Fortresses (mainly B-17Fs) were assigned to the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group
stationed at RAF Knettishall
, along with two Consolidated B-24 Liberators from the United States Navy
(PB4Y-1), to be used in Aphrodite missions. Originally RAF Woodbridge
was going to be used, however Fersfield was chosen as a better location due to its relative remoteness. The plan was to use these stripped down war weary bombers as explosive packed, radio controlled flying bombs. Pilots would take-off manually and then parachute to safety leaving the bomber under the control of another aircraft and then flown to its target in Europe.
The first mission took place on 4 August 1944 The target was a V-1 site in Pas-de-Calais. In the first phase of the mission, two motherships and two drones took off. Unfortunately, one of the drones went out of control shortly after the first crewman had bailed out. It crashed near the coastal village of Orford
, destroying 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) of trees and digging an enormous crater. The body of the other crewman was never found. The second drone was successfully dispatched toward the Pas-de-Calais. However, clouds obscured the television view from the nose just as the drone approached the target site, and the plane missed the target by 500 ft (152.4 m). The second phase of the mission fared little better. One robot BQ-7 had a control malfunction before it could dive onto its target and was shot down by German flak. The other one missed its target by 500 yd (457.2 m).
Several subsequent missions were attempted, one of them being a Navy PB4Y-1 which exploded over the village of Blythburgh, Suffolk, killing Lt. Joseph P Kennedy Jnr the brother of future President John F Kennedy
.
The last Aphrodite mission was on 20 January 1945, against a power station at Oldenburg
. Both drones missed their targets by several miles. After this last effort, the Aphrodite concept was abandoned as being unfeasible, and the USAAF scrapped the effort. The reality was that 1944 technology was simply not good enough to do the kind of job that was required.
, was launched from Fersfield on 21 March 1945. The target was the Gestapo
HQ in Copenhagen
. de Havilland Mosquito
s from No 21 Sqn, No 464 Sqn RAAF and No 487 Sqn RNZAF made the trip across the North Sea
and back. The raid was led by Group Captain R.N. Bateson, and was ranked as a success in spite of many civilian casualties, mostly children.
in February 1946. For several years, the airfield was used as a 2 miles (3.2 km) long racing circuit first used on 22 April 1951. Meetings were held through to 1952, but at the end of the year the RAC requested changes be made which were beyond the means of the Eastern Counties Motor Club, which organised the events. The club moved on to Snetterton
instead.
Today, much of the concreted areas of the airfield have been removed for hardcore, with the airfield area being returned to agricultural uses. A surprising number of buildings exist, some on the former airfield, which are being used by agriculture, along with both T-2 hangars. Others are in the wooded areas south of the former airfield in various states of decay. The perimeter track and runways still exist, although greatly reduced in width, being used as agricultural farm roads. Other roads in the area, identified by "Airfield Road" signs, are the last vestiges of the former airfield.
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...
airfield located 16 miles (25.7 km) southwest of Norwich, Norfolk.
Built in 1943/1944, the airfield was originally a satellite of RAF Knettishall
RAF Knettishall
RAF Knettishall is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 6 miles SE of Thetford in Suffolk between the villages of Knettishall and Coney Weston, which lies to the south...
. It was constructed to Class-A bomber specifications, with a main 6000 ft (1,828.8 m) runway (07/25), and two secondary runways (01/19, 13/31) of 4200 ft (1,280.2 m). Accommodation for about 2,000 personnel were in Nissen hut
Nissen hut
A Nissen hut is a prefabricated steel structure made from a half-cylindrical skin of corrugated steel, a variant of which was used extensively during World War II.-Description:...
s along with an operations block and two T-2 hangars. Winfarthing was assigned USAAF station number 140; Fersfield was reassigned 554.
USAAF
Fersfield is most notable as the operational airfield for Operation AphroditeOperation Aphrodite
Aphrodite and Anvil were the World War II code names of United States Army Air Forces and United States Navy operations to use B-17 and PB4Y bombers as precision-guided munitions against bunkers such as those of Operation Crossbow....
, a secret plan for remote controlled Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers (redesignated as BQ-7s) to be used against German V-1 flying bomb
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
sites, submarine pen
Submarine pen
A submarine pen is a bunker which is designed to protect submarines from air attack.The term is generally applied to submarine bases constructed during World War II, particularly in Germany and the occupied countries which were also known as U-boat pens .-Background:Amongst the first...
s, or deep fortifications that had resisted conventional bombing.
From July 1944 to January 1945, approximately 25 high-time Fortresses (mainly B-17Fs) were assigned to the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group
388th Fighter Wing
The 388th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command Twelfth Air Force. The unit is stationed at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.-Mission:...
stationed at RAF Knettishall
RAF Knettishall
RAF Knettishall is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 6 miles SE of Thetford in Suffolk between the villages of Knettishall and Coney Weston, which lies to the south...
, along with two Consolidated B-24 Liberators from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
(PB4Y-1), to be used in Aphrodite missions. Originally 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...
was going to be used, however Fersfield was chosen as a better location due to its relative remoteness. The plan was to use these stripped down war weary bombers as explosive packed, radio controlled flying bombs. Pilots would take-off manually and then parachute to safety leaving the bomber under the control of another aircraft and then flown to its target in Europe.
The first mission took place on 4 August 1944 The target was a V-1 site in Pas-de-Calais. In the first phase of the mission, two motherships and two drones took off. Unfortunately, one of the drones went out of control shortly after the first crewman had bailed out. It crashed near the coastal village of Orford
Orford
-Places:* Orford, Cheshire, a suburb of Warrington, England* Orford, Suffolk, England, the location of:** Orford Castle** Orford Ness* Orford, Quebec, in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada** Mont Orford, a ski resort in Quebec, Canada...
, destroying 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) of trees and digging an enormous crater. The body of the other crewman was never found. The second drone was successfully dispatched toward the Pas-de-Calais. However, clouds obscured the television view from the nose just as the drone approached the target site, and the plane missed the target by 500 ft (152.4 m). The second phase of the mission fared little better. One robot BQ-7 had a control malfunction before it could dive onto its target and was shot down by German flak. The other one missed its target by 500 yd (457.2 m).
Several subsequent missions were attempted, one of them being a Navy PB4Y-1 which exploded over the village of Blythburgh, Suffolk, killing Lt. Joseph P Kennedy Jnr the brother of future President John F Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
.
The last Aphrodite mission was on 20 January 1945, against a power station at Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
. Both drones missed their targets by several miles. After this last effort, the Aphrodite concept was abandoned as being unfeasible, and the USAAF scrapped the effort. The reality was that 1944 technology was simply not good enough to do the kind of job that was required.
RAF use
One of RAF most secret operations, Operation CarthageOperation Carthage
Operation Carthage, on 21 March 1945, was a controversial British air raid on Copenhagen, Denmark, during the Second World War. The target of the raid was the Shellhus, Gestapo headquarters, in the city centre, a building that had been used for the storage of dossiers and the torture of Danish...
, was launched from Fersfield on 21 March 1945. The target was the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
HQ in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
. de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
s from No 21 Sqn, No 464 Sqn RAAF and No 487 Sqn RNZAF made the trip across the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
and back. The raid was led by Group Captain R.N. Bateson, and was ranked as a success in spite of many civilian casualties, mostly children.
Postwar use
With the end of hostilities, the RAF had no further use for the airfield, and it was closed, eventually being disposed of by the Air MinistryAir Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
in February 1946. For several years, the airfield was used as a 2 miles (3.2 km) long racing circuit first used on 22 April 1951. Meetings were held through to 1952, but at the end of the year the RAC requested changes be made which were beyond the means of the Eastern Counties Motor Club, which organised the events. The club moved on to Snetterton
Snetterton
Snetterton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is located some north-east of the town of Thetford and south-west of the city of Norwich....
instead.
Today, much of the concreted areas of the airfield have been removed for hardcore, with the airfield area being returned to agricultural uses. A surprising number of buildings exist, some on the former airfield, which are being used by agriculture, along with both T-2 hangars. Others are in the wooded areas south of the former airfield in various states of decay. The perimeter track and runways still exist, although greatly reduced in width, being used as agricultural farm roads. Other roads in the area, identified by "Airfield Road" signs, are the last vestiges of the former airfield.
See also
External links
- Photographs of RAF Fersfield from the Geograph British Isles project
- Photographs of RAF Fersfield from the Geograph British Isles project (Additional)
- Photographs of RAF Fersfield from the Geograph British Isles project (Additional)
- Photographs of RAF Fersfield from the Geograph British Isles project (Additional)
- Photos of present-day RAF Fersfield
- Photos of present-day RAF Fersfield (Additional)