RAF Snetterton Heath

Infobox Military Structure
name= Royal Air Force Station Snetterton Heath
USAAF Station 138
location= Located Near Attleborough, Norfolk, England
coordinates=coord|52|28|15|N|000|57|28|E|


caption= Aerial Photo of Snetterton Heath Airfield - 5 February 1946
type= Military Airfield
code=SN
built=1942
builder=
materials=
height=
used=1943-1948
demolished=
condition=
ownership=
controlledby=United States Army Air Forces
garrison=Eighth Air Force
commanders=
occupants=96th Bombardment Group
battles= European Theatre of World War II
Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945 Location map|Norfolk
label =
lat = 52.47
long = 0.96
caption = Map showing the location of RAF Snetterton Heath within Norfolk.
float = right
background = white
width = 200

RAF Snetterton Heath is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located on the All, 6 miles SW of Attleborough in Norfolk.

Overview

Snetterton Heath airfield was constructed by Taylor Woodrow Ltd., in 1942 at a cost of £950,000 to Class-A specifications. The main runway was 6,000 feet long with two secondaries of 4,200 feet each. Originally thirty-six hardstands of the "frying pan" type were constructed as when work started, the base was intended for RAF use. When re-scheduled for the USAAF, the number was increased to fifty, all of them being on the south and eastern side of the airfield as a railway line and the A11 road restricted dispersed locations. Total area of concrete laid in its construction was 530,000 square yards with storage provided for 144,000 gallons of fuel.

USAAF use

The airfield was allocated for USAAF use in 1943. Its USAAF designation was Station 138, Station-ID "SN". At one stage, it was planned to add an air depot, known as Eccles on the northern side of the airfield, access being across the A11. Four additional T-2 hangars were constructed on this site. Apparently a reduction in the number of heavy bombers being sent to the UK led to this depot becoming surplus to Eighth Air Force requirements and construction was stopped before all facilities were completed.

From 13 September 1943 though 18 June 1945, Snetterton Heath served as headquarters for the 45th Combat Bombardment Wing of the 3rd Bomb Division.

386th Bombardment Group (Medium)

The airfield was opened 3 June 1943 and was used by the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force 386th Bombardment Group (Medium), which arrived at Snetterton Heath from Lake Charles AAF Louisiana. The 386th Bomb Group was assigned to the 3rd Bombardment Wing and flew Martin B-26B/C Marauder twin-engine medium bombers. Its operational squadrons were:

* 552d Bomb Squadron (RG)
* 553d Bomb Squadron (AN)
* 554th Bomb Squadron (RU)
* 555th Bomb Squadron (YA) The group remained at Snetterton Heath only a few days, being transferred to RAF Boxted on 10 June 1943 in north Essex where B-26 groups were to be established for operations.

96th Bombardment Group (Heavy)

The 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrived on 12 June 1943 from RAF Andrews Field. The 96th was assigned to the 45th Combat Bombardment Wing (later, 45th Air Division), and the group tail code was a "Square-C". It's operational squadrons were:

* 337th Bomb Squadron (AW)
* 338th Bomb Squadron (BX)
* 339th Bomb Squadron (QJ)
* 413th Bomb Squadron (MZ)

The group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign.

The 96th BG transitioned to operational status at Snetterton Heath after being used as a training unit. It entered combat in June 1943 and functioned primarily as a strategic bombardment organization throughout the war.

As the most conveniently reached station from 3rd Division Headquarters at Elveden Hall, Snetterton Heath units often led to major operations carrying commanding generals. General Curtis LeMay led the famous Regensburg shuttle mission to North Africa flying out of this base, and received a Distinguished Unit Citation for withstanding severe assaults by enemy fighters. The 96th also led the 3rd Division on the famous Schweinfurt mission of 14 October 1943.

In addition the 93d attacked shipyards, harbours, railway yards, aerodromes, oil refineries, aircraft factories, and other industrial targets in Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, Norway, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia.

The 96th received another DUC for leading the 45th Bomb Wing a great distance through heavy clouds and intense anti-aircraft fire to raid important aircraft component factories in Poland on 9 April 1944. Other significant targets included airfields at Bordeaux and Augsburg; marshalling yards at Kiel, Hamm, Brunswick, and Gdynia; aircraft factories at Chemnitz, Hannover, and Diosgyor; oil refineries at Merseburg and Brux, and chemical works in Wiesbaden, Ludwigshafen, and Neunkirchen.

In addition to strategic operations, missions of the 96th BG included bombing coastal defences, railway bridges, gun emplacements, and field batteries in the battle area prior to and during the invasion of Normandy in June 1944; attacking enemy positions in support of the breakthrough at St Lo in July 1944; aiding the campaign in France in August by striking roads and road junctions, and by dropping supplies to the Maquis; and attacking, during the early months of 1945, the communications supplying German armies on the western front.

After V-E Day, the group was scheduled for occupation duties in Germany however plans were revised and the 96th BG flew food to Holland and hauled redeployed personnel to French Morocco, Ireland, France, and Germany. In November 1945 its aircraft were flown back to the United States, and its squadrons were inactivated. The ground personnel left Snetterton Heath in early December, arriving at Camp Kilmer New Jersey.

The 96th Bomb Group was inactivated on 20 December 1945.

Legacy

The United States Air Force 96th Bombardment Wing (1953-1993) was a front-line Strategic Air Command heavy bomb wing during the Cold War being equipped with B-47 and B-52 bombers at Altus AFB Oklahoma and Dyess AFB Texas. Upon activation, the Wing was bestowed the lineage, legacy and honors of the USAAF World War II 96th Bomb Group.

The wing was inactivated by Air Combat Command on 1 October 1993 after 40 years of active duty.

Postwar use

After the war, the field was closed in 1948 and fell into disuse.

Civil Use

With the end of military control Snetterton Heath was privately purchased in 1952 with a view to utilizing the runways and perimeter tracks as a motor racing circuit. The first motor cycle meeting was held in 1953 and the first motor races the following year.

Today, banking and safety barriers have transformed the airfield and Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is used extensively; not only for local club, national, as well as international racing, but for the testing and development of new designs of motor cycles and cars.

A memorial window to the 96th Bomb Group can be seen in Quidenham church.

ee also

* List of RAF stations
* USAAF Eighth Air Force - World War II
* Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit
* Snetterton
* 386th Air Expeditionary Wing
* 96th Air Base Wing

References

* Freeman, Roger A. (1978) Airfields of the Eighth: Then and Now. After the Battle ISBN 0900913096
* Freeman, Roger A. (1991) The Mighty Eighth The Colour Record. Cassell & Co. ISBN 0-304-35708-1
* Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0892010924.
* Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947-1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0912799129.
* Rogers, Brian (2005). United States Air Force Unit Designations Since 1978. Hinkley, England: Midland Publications. ISBN 1-85780-197-0.
* [http://www.controltowers.co.uk/S/Snetterton_Heath.htm www.controltowers.co.uk Snetterton Heath]
* [http://mighty8thaf.preller.us/php/1Loc.php?Base=Snetterton%20Heath Snetterton Heath at http://mighty8thaf.preller.us]
* [http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Aircraft Serial Numbers--1908 to present]

External links

* [http://mighty8thaf.preller.us/gallery/Snetterton-Heath Photos of Snetterdon Heath Airfield]
* [http://96bg.org 96th Bomb Group website]
* [http://www.edp24.co.uk/Content/Features/Snetterton50/asp/010621Snetterton.asp Snetterton celebrates 50 glorious years]

* [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=601000&Y=290000&scale=25000&width=700&height=400&gride=600600&gridn=289600&lang=&db=hcgaz&coordsys=gb Aerial Photo of RAF Snetterton Heath from Multimap.Com]