RAF Bentwaters

RAF Bentwaters RAF Butley USAAF Station 151
Near Woodbridge, Suffolk in England
Republic F-84F-50-RE Thunderstreak, Serial 52-6852 of the 81st Fighter-Bomber Wing, 91st Fighter-Bomber Squadron, about 1955.
RAF Bentwaters Shown within Suffolk
Coordinates	52°07′41″N 001°26′07″E / 52.12806°N 1.43528°E / 52.12806; 1.43528Coordinates: 52°07′41″N 001°26′07″E / 52.12806°N 1.43528°E / 52.12806; 1.43528
Type	Royal Air Force station
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Air Force (1942–1949) United States Air Force (1951–1993)
Site history
Built	1941 (1941)
In use	1942–1949,1951–1993 (1993)
Airfield information
Elevation	23 metres (75 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 07/25 2,725 metres (8,940 ft) Concrete

Royal Air Force Bentwaters or more simply RAF Bentwaters, now known as Bentwaters Parks, is a former Royal Air Force station about 80 miles (130 km) northeast of London and 10 miles (16 km) east-northeast of Ipswich, near Woodbridge, Suffolk in England. Its name was taken from two cottages (‘Bentwaters Cottages’) that had stood on the site of the main runway during its construction in 1943.

It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War, and by the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Cold War, being the primary home for the 81st Fighter Wing under various designations from 1951 to 1993. For many years the 81st Fighter Wing also operated RAF Woodbridge, with Bentwaters and Woodbridge airfields being known by the Americans as the "Twin Bases".

RAF Bentwaters is also near the location for the alleged December 1980 UFO incident in Rendlesham Forest.

The site is now known as Bentwaters Parks. The Bentwaters Cold War Museum is located on the site, there are offices and warehouses, and the site is also used for television and film making.

Bentwaters airfield's origin dates to 1942 when construction began on a Royal Air Force station called Royal Air Force Butley for use by RAF Bomber Command. On 28 January 1943 the station was renamed Royal Air Force Bentwaters. It was opened for operational use in April 1944. In December it was transferred to No. 11 Group, RAF Fighter Command . During the Second World War, RAF squadrons at Bentwaters were: