RAF Bodney
| RAF Bodney USAAF Station 141  .png)
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| Located Near Watton, Norfolk in England | |
Aerial photograph of Bodney airfield, looking north, 18 April 1944
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 RAF Bodney
Location in Norfolk
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| Coordinates | 52°33′44″N 000°42′48″E / 52.56222°N 0.71333°ECoordinates: 52°33′44″N 000°42′48″E / 52.56222°N 0.71333°E |
| Type | Royal Air Force station |
| Code | BO |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Air Ministry |
| Operator |
Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces |
| Controlled by |
RAF Bomber Command (1940-1943) Eighth Air Force (1943-1945) |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1939-40 |
| In use | 1940-1945 |
| Battles/wars |
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| Airfield information | |
| Elevation | 40 metres (131 ft) AMSL |
Royal Air Force Bodney or more simply RAF Bodney is a former Royal Air Force Station located 4.5 miles (7.2 km) 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.
Bodney was established in 1940 as a satellite field for RAF Watton. The airfield was grass-surfaced and located on slightly rolling land with a hard surface perimeter track.
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.
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