Fowlmere

Airfield
The control tower at Fowlmere, home of the 339th Fighter Group, 1945. Image via James G Robinson. Written on slide casing: 'Fowlmere Tower, 1945.' media-388198.jpg FRE 5982 The control tower at Fowlmere, home of the 339th Fighter Group, 1945. Image via James G Robinson. Written on slide casing: 'Fowlmere Tower, 1945.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 5982 - The control tower at Fowlmere, home of the 339th Fighter Group, 1945. Image via James G Robinson. Written on slide casing: 'Fowlmere Tower, 1945.'

Just as nearby Duxford was known as the 'Duck pond' by American airmen, so Fowlmere was known as 'the Hen Puddle' because of the wet conditions that pervaded the bases during the winter of 1943-1944. The 339th Fighter Group had no choice but to persist and, flying their new P-51B Mustangs on operations from the end of April 1944, went on to record the highest claims of air and ground enemy aircraft victories in the space of one year. Fowlmere was sold to local farmers in 1957, and since 1988 part of the site has continued to operate as an airfield.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

Bernice Albert Allen

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14095392 / O-810454
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Edwin Cameron Ball

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 505th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 39450227 / O-815325
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Arthur William Bates

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 504th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 15327057 / O-823897
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Emry L Beadle

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 504th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18031763 / O-683386
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Edward Howard Beavers

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 33024854 / O-665162
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

42-103327

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron

42-106614

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 503rd Fighter Squadron

42-106626

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Butch
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 505th Fighter Squadron

42-106646

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group 505th Fighter Squadron

42-106720

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 339th Fighter Group Base Air Depot 2 505th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)

Fowlmere: Gallery (121 items)

A P-51 Mustang (serial number 42-106579) nicknamed "Sally" of the 339th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '42-106579.'

Object number: FRE 2779 - A P-51 Mustang (serial number 42-106579) nicknamed...

A crashed P-51 Mustang (5Q-B, serial number 44-13569) of the 504th Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group.

Object number: FRE 2782 - A crashed P-51 Mustang (5Q-B, serial number 44...

A P-51 Mustang of the 339th Fighter Group prepares for take off at Fowlmere. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Epp.'

Object number: FRE 2785 - A P-51 Mustang of the 339th Fighter Group prepares...

A P-51 Mustang (D7-D) nicknamed "Bengal Lancer" of the 503rd Fighter Squadron, 339th Fighter Group prepares for take off in snow at Fowlmere, 16 January 1945. Handwritten caption on reverse: '503 Sqdn. 339 G.' Printed caption on reverse: 'B-60012 AC - North American P-51 Mustang "Bengal Lancer" warming up in the snow on an England airbase. 16 January 1945. U.S. Air Force Photo.' On reverse: R.C. Jones [Stamp].

Object number: FRE 2788 - A P-51 Mustang (D7-D) nicknamed "Bengal Lancer" of...

Colonel John B. Henry, of the 339th Fighter Group, stands beside P-51 Mustang (6N-A, serial number 42-106676), known as "San Antone Rose" after Henry's home town of San Antonio, Texas. He is probably at Fowlmere air base, near Duxford, where the 339th Fighter Group were based between 5 April 1944 and 10 October 1945.

Object number: FRE 312 - Colonel John B. Henry, of the 339th Fighter Group...

Local residents, mostly women and children, visit Fowlmere air base where the 339th Fighter Group were stationed. Some of them clamber on P-51 Mustang (6N-C, serial number 44-72437), known as "Pauline". 1944 -1945.

Object number: FRE 314 - Local residents, mostly women and children, visit...

A P-51 Mustang of the 505th Fighter Squadron 6N: O (serial number 44-14776) named “Arrow Head”. This image was taken at Mount Farm, Home of the 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Handwritten on slide:"339 FG Mount Farm 414776 6N:O R. Astrella"

Object number: FRE 5955 - A P-51 Mustang of the 505th Fighter Squadron 6N: O...

A P-51 Mustang named “Man O’ War”, of the 339th Fighter Group based at Fowlmere. This P-51 has bombs affixed beneath the wings. The man in the left of the picture is the runway control officer. Mustangs would take-off from the grass runway in pairs .Once assembled; the group would head for the rendezvous with the bombers they were assigned to escort. In order to save time (and therefore fuel) in completing this, the 339th had an experienced fighter pilot would stand beside the runway signalling to e

Object number: FRE 5956 - A P-51 Mustang named “Man O’ War”, of the 339th...

A P-51 Mustang (serial number 44-14622) named “Little One”. This aircraft was one of the fighters in the 339th Fighter Group.Fuel drop tanks have been fitted to the underside of the wings, in order to increase the operating range of the aircraft. Handwritten on slide:"414622 D? E with tanks James G. Robinson"

Object number: FRE 5957 - A P-51 Mustang (serial number 44-14622) named...

In the foreground is A P-51 Mustang 6N: N (serial number 44-15001), named “Silver Streak”, of the 339th Fighter Group. Handwritten on slide:"415001 6N:N Silve Streak cpt Robert Irion 6N: D 414886 Fowlmere James G Robinson"

Object number: FRE 5958 - In the foreground is A P-51 Mustang 6N: N (serial...

A member of United States Army Air Force Personnel. Handwritten on slide:"Lt. Nathan Ostrow watches mission t/o Fowlmere James G. Robinson"

Object number: FRE 5960 - A member of United States Army Air Force Personnel...

A P-51 Mustang of the 339th Fighter Group prepares to take-off at Fowlmere, whilst the Runway Control Officer watches. The distinctive striped jacket (and baseball cap) he is wearing was a peculiarity of the 339th – it was instituted to assist pilots of aircraft in spotting the Officer, upon whose signal that it was safe to take–off they depended. Handwritten on slide:"T/o bombing mission 8/44 Fowlmere James G. Robinson"

Object number: FRE 5961 - A P-51 Mustang of the 339th Fighter Group prepares...