RAF Rackheath

RAF Rackheath USAAF Station 145
Near Norwich, Norfolk in England
Aerial Photo of Rackheath Airfield - 9 July 1946
RAF Rackheath Shown within Norfolk
Coordinates	52°40′28″N 001°22′43″E / 52.67444°N 1.37861°E / 52.67444; 1.37861Coordinates: 52°40′28″N 001°22′43″E / 52.67444°N 1.37861°E / 52.67444; 1.37861
Type	Royal Air Force station
Code	RK
Site information
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces
Site history
Built	1943 (1943)
In use	1944-1945 (1945)
Airfield information
Elevation	31 metres (102 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete

Royal Air Force Rackheath or more simply RAF Rackheath is a former Royal Air Force station located near Rackheath, 5 miles (8.0 km) north east of Norwich, Norfolk, England.

Airfield construction began in 1943 for the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force and followed the lines of other heavy bomber bases with a main runway of 2,000 yards (1,800 m) and two auxiliary runways of 1,400 yards (1,300 m) each. The perimeter track was 2.7 miles (4.3 km) in length and this and the runways had a concrete screed finish. Mark II airfield lighting was installed, two T-2 hangars were erected for major aircraft maintenance, and dispersed temporary building accommodation provided for some 2.400 men in the wooded countryside of the estate to the south-west of the airfield. During construction, 556,000 cubic yards (425,000 m³) of soil were excavated, 14,000 yards (13,000 m) of soakaway drains installed and 504,000 yards (461,000 m) super of concrete laid. A major overhead power line had to be put underground to clear the flying approaches.

The airfield was laid out on agricultural land between the two settlements of Rackheath Parva and Rackheath Magna.

The airfield was given USAAF designation Station 145.

The airfield was opened on 11 March 1944 and was used by the 467th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arriving from Wendover AAF Utah. The 467th was assigned to the 96th Combat Bombardment Wing, and the group tail code was a "Circle-P". Its operational squadrons were:

The group flew the Consolidated B-24 Liberator as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign. The 467th began operations on 10 April 1944 with an attack by thirty aircraft on an airfield at Bourges in central France.

In combat, the unit served chiefly as a strategic bombardment organization, attacking the harbor at Kiel, chemical plants at Bonn, textile factories at Stuttgart, power plants at Hamm, steel works at Osnabrück, the aircraft industry at Brunswick, and other objectives.