Woodbridge

RAF Woodbridge opened in 1943, as one of three airfields set up to accept damaged or fuel-short bombers returning from raids over Germany, and were therefore fitted with long, heavy-duty runways. Woodbridge was chosen as the site for one of these as it was "nearly fog free and had no obstructions for miles" (Bowyer 1979), although more than a million trees had to be cleared from Rendlesham Forest to take the new base.

After the end of the War it was used for experimental work: Lancasters based there dropped 'Grand Slam' bombs on Orford Ness, and the Blind Landing Experiment Unit was located there. The RAF abandoned Woodbridge in March 1948.

On 5 June 1952 the USAF took it over for the home of the 79th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, flying first F-84s, then F-100s. In 1958 the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing moved in and upgraded the runway to take F-101 Voodoos, Phantoms (from 1966) and F-4Ds (from 1969). At the end of 1969 the 79th Tactical Fighter Squadron (as the 79th was now known) moved to Upper Heyford, and the 67th ARRS flew in from Moron AFB in Spain.

Bentwaters

RAF Bentwaters, only a few miles from Woodbridge and essentially part of the same complex, opened in 1944 and was transferred to the USAF in July 1950, becoming the first base in Europe to receive F-86 Sabres. Phantoms turned up in 1965 and F-4Ds by 1973; by the autumn of 1978 it was the main European base for A-10s. Bentwaters at the time of the Rendlesham Forest incident was occupied by the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing's 91st and 92nd Squadrons.

On to A Soviet satellite crash?

Return to Introduction