Horsham St Faith
AirfieldIWM, English Heritage Collection
Horsham St Faith was an RAF Bomber Command Station opened in June 1940. It was home to Bristol Blenheim medium-bombers, and was for a time occupied by fighters, including those of No. 19 Squadron and No. 264 Squadron. From September 1942 the airfield was used by the USAAF. Groups based here included the 319th Bomb Group, the 56th Fighter Group and the Liberator-equipped 458th Bomb Group, which operated from the airfield from early 1944. Horsham St Faith was handed over to RAF Fighter Command in July 1945, and continued to be used by the RAF well into the Cold War, home to Gloster Meteor jet fighters. The RAF left the airfield in 1967, and the site was redeveloped as an airport: Norwich International.
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English Heritage's Record Description
A World War Two military airfeld, now the civil airport for Norwich. The airfield was originally built pre-war but opened as an operational airfield called Horsham St Faith in 1940. It was initially used by Royal Air Force Bomber Command. It was provided with permanent brick buildings and five aircraft hangars (type C), though at this stage the flying field was grass. When the United States Army 8th Air Force took over in 1942 three concrete runways and a perimeter track were added, along with a number of hard standings. The Airfield was designated as Station 123. The American units using the base were 319th and 458th Bomb Groups. The airfield passed to Royal Air Force Control once more in July 1945. The east -west runway was extended in 1956. The Royal Air Force left between 1960-1967. The site then became a civil airport and an industrial estate. Some elements of the wartime defences of the airfield were noted in the 1980s and 1990s.
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 3371047
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group
- Service Numbers: 15200812
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 33486155
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 17051961
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Able Mabel
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Hookem Cow/Betty/Stinky
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Bo II
- Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 859th Bomb Squadron 857th Bomb Squadron 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Briney Marlin
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 755th Bomb Squadron
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Unit: 458th Bomb Group 754th Bomb Squadron