RAF Rattlesden
| RAF Rattlesden USAAF Station 126  .png)
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| Located Near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, United Kingdom | |
Rattlesden Airfield - 7 May 1946
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 RAF Rattlesden
USAAF Station 126 |
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| Coordinates | 52°10′03″N 000°51′52″E / 52.16750°N 0.86444°ECoordinates: 52°10′03″N 000°51′52″E / 52.16750°N 0.86444°E |
| Type | Military airfield |
| Code | RS |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Air Ministry |
| Controlled by |
 Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces
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| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| In use | 1942-1946 |
| Battles/wars |
European Theatre of World War II Air Offensive, Europe July 1942 - May 1945 |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison |
Eighth Air Force RAF Technical Training Command |
| Occupants |
322nd Bombardment Group 447th Bombardment Group |
Royal Air Force Station Rattlesden or more simply RAF Rattlesden is a former Royal Air Force station located 9 miles (14 km) south east of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England.
Rattlesden airfield was built in 1942 as a Class A bomber airfield. The airfield had three intersecting concrete runways, perimeter track and, for USAAF use, hardstands for fifty aircraft and two dispersed, black-painted T-2 hangars. Living and messing sites were on the east side of the field. Situated four miles south of the A14 highway between Stowmarket and Bury St. Edmunds
The airfield was opened in 1942 and was used by the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force. Rattlesden was given USAAF designation Station 126 (RS).
Rattlesden was originally designated as a satellite for RAF Bury St. Edmunds with both airfields being assigned to the 3rd Bomb Wing which controlled most of the USAAF assigned airfields in Suffolk. The mission of the 3d Bomb Wing was medium bombardment and Rattlesden was destined to receive Martin B-26 Marauders when, in December 1942, the ground personnel of two squadrons of the 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) arrived from Drew AAF, Florida in April 1943. The squadrons were moved to RAF Bury St. Edmunds after a decision to establish one group per airfield.
In June 1943, it was decided that the B-26 groups would be better placed to conduct operations from airfields further south. and an exchange of bases with the B-17-equipped 4th Bombardment Wing in Essex was arranged. Rattlesden, however, remained without a combat unit until the 447th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrived from Harvard AAF Nebraska on 29 November 1943. The 447th was assigned a group tail code was a "Square-K". Its operational squadrons were:
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