RAF Bodney

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Former RAF station in Norfolk, England

title: "RAF Bodney" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["airfields-of-the-viii-fighter-command-in-the-united-kingdom", "royal-air-force-stations-in-norfolk", "royal-air-force-stations-of-world-war-ii-in-the-united-kingdom", "hilborough", "military-airbases-established-in-1940", "military-airbases-closed-in-1945"] description: "Former RAF station in Norfolk, England" topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Bodney" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Former RAF station in Norfolk, England ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox military installation"]

FieldValue
nameRAF Bodney
USAAF Station 141
ensign[[File:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
locationWatton, Norfolk
countryEngland
imageRAF Bodney - 18 Apr 1944 - Airfield.jpg
image_size275px
captionAerial photograph of Bodney airfield, looking north, 18 April 1944
pushpin_mapNorfolk#UK
pushpin_labelRAF Bodney
pushpin_mapsize275
pushpin_map_captionLocation in Norfolk
coordinates
typeRoyal Air Force station
codeBO
ownershipAir Ministry
operatorRoyal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
controlledbyRAF Bomber Command* No. 2 Group RAF
(1940-1943)
Eighth Air Force
(1943-1945)
built-40
usedMarch 1940 - November
battlesEuropean theatre of World War II
past_commanders
elevation45 m
r1-number00/00
r1-length
r1-surfaceGrass
r2-number00/00
r2-length
r2-surfaceGrass
r3-number00/00
r3-length
r3-surfaceGrass
::

| name= RAF Bodney USAAF Station 141 | ensign=[[File:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg|90px]] [[File:Eighth Air Force - Emblem (World War II).png|60px]] | native_name = | partof = | location= Watton, Norfolk | country = England | image= RAF Bodney - 18 Apr 1944 - Airfield.jpg | image_size= 275px | caption= Aerial photograph of Bodney airfield, looking north, 18 April 1944 | pushpin_map = Norfolk#UK | pushpin_label = RAF Bodney | pushpin_mapsize = 275 | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Norfolk | coordinates = | type = Royal Air Force station | code = BO | site_area = | height = | ownership = Air Ministry | operator = Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces | controlledby = RAF Bomber Command* No. 2 Group RAF (1940-1943) Eighth Air Force (1943-1945) | open_to_public = | condition = | built = -40 | builder = | used = March 1940 - November | materials = | fate = | battles = European theatre of World War II | events = | past_commanders= | garrison = | occupants = | elevation = 45 m | IATA = | ICAO = | FAA = | TC = | LID = | GPS = | WMO = | r1-number = 00/00 | r1-length = | r1-surface = Grass | r2-number = 00/00 | r2-length = | r2-surface = Grass | r3-number = 00/00 | r3-length = | r3-surface = Grass | website =

Royal Air Force Bodney or more simply RAF Bodney is a former Royal Air Force station located 4.5 mi west of Watton, Norfolk, England.

Originally built as an RAF Bomber Command airfield during 1939-1940, Bodney was transferred to the United States Army Air Forces in the summer of 1943. Placed under the jurisdiction of VIII Fighter Command of Eighth Air Force, it was primarily the home of the 352d Fighter Group, the "Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney". The unit briefly moved to Belgium in January 1945 due to the Battle of the Bulge, although it returned in April. It was closed after the 352d returned to the United States in November.

History

Royal Air Force use

Initially it was used by aircraft of No. 21 Squadron RAF and No. 82 Squadron RAF (No. 2 Group) Bomber Command. They carried operations over France and later the Netherlands and even Norway. Their Bristol Blenheim IVs were joined on occasions by, in May 1941, 90 Squadron evaluating its new Boeing Fortress Mk 1s some Handley Page Hampdens for mining operations. 90 Squadron suffered heavy casualties and the use of the Fortress I was discontinued. Towards October 1942, the Blenheims were changed to Lockheed Venturas but the squadron moved on to RAF Methwold before the Venturas were operational. Relief Landing Ground for No. 17 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF between January 1942 and May 1943.

United States Army Air Forces use

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/RAF_Bodney_-352d_Fighter_Group-_P-47_Thunderbolt_and_Pilots.jpg" caption="Pilots of the 486th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group, in front of P-47 Thunderbolt (PZ-R, serial number 42-8412), named "Sweetie" at Bodney air base in March 1944."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/RAF_Bodney_-352d_Fighter_Group-_P-51B_Mustang_42-106459.jpg" caption="A P-51 Mustang (PE-Z, serial number 42-106459) nicknamed " La Riena Peg " of the 352nd Fighter Group at Bodney, April 1944 running on a revetment at Bodney Lt Col E Clark. PE-Z, 42106459 La Riena Peg.'"] ::

Lt. Lincoln Delmar Bundy, a North American P-51 Mustang fighter pilot flying from here, was shot down over occupied France on 10 June 1944. Eluding capture, he joined a mixed group of French resistance fighters and British soldiers in the SAS. Their mission, known as Operation Bulbasket, was sabotage of SS units coming north to oppose the Normandy invasion. The group was ultimately captured, and Bundy, along with the others, was murdered.

USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Bodney were:

  • 1st Service Group (VIII Air Force Service Command)

352nd Fighter Group

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/RAF_Bodney_-352d_Fighter_Group-_P-51D_Mustang_44-14906.jpg" caption="Ground crew in front of P-51 Mustang (PE-P, serial number 44-14906), named "Cripes A' Mighty" and flown by Major George E. Preddy Jr. of the 328th Fighter Squadron, 352nd Fighter Group. 1944."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/RAF_Bodney_-_Memorial.jpg" caption="Memorial to the 352d Fighter Group at Bodney Airfield."] ::

References

Citations

Bibliography

References

  1. "RAF Bodney". Control Towers.
  2. "Bodney". [[Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust]].
  3. {{Harvnb. Smith. 1994
  4. MacIntyre, Ben. Rogue Heroes: the History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit that Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War. Broadway Books, 2017; see also "Lincoln Delmar Bundy," American Air Museum in Britain. http://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/148807
  5. "Bodney". American Air Museum in Britain.
  6. "1st Service Group". American Air Museum in Britain.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

airfields-of-the-viii-fighter-command-in-the-united-kingdomroyal-air-force-stations-in-norfolkroyal-air-force-stations-of-world-war-ii-in-the-united-kingdomhilboroughmilitary-airbases-established-in-1940military-airbases-closed-in-1945