Goxhill

Airfield
Aerial photograph of Goxhill airfield looking north west, the control tower and technical site with two T2 hangars and a J-Type hangar is at the bottom, barrack sites are top left, 8 June 1942. Photograph taken on sortie number RAF/UK753. English Heritage (RAF Photography). eh-627.jpg RAF_UK753_V_0027 Aerial photograph of Goxhill airfield looking north west, the control tower and technical site with two T2 hangars and a J-Type hangar is at the bottom, barrack sites are top left, 8 June 1942. Photograph taken on sortie number RAF/UK753. English Heritage (RAF Photography). Historic England

IWM, English Heritage Collection

Object Number - RAF_UK753_V_0027 - Aerial photograph of Goxhill airfield looking north west, the control tower and technical site with two T2 hangars and a J-Type hangar is at the...

Goxhill opened in June 1941 as an RAF Bomber Command airfield, before being handed over to RAF Fighter Command in December. The Eighth Air Force took ownership in August 1942, and used the airfield, which they quickly dubbed 'Goat Hill' for operational training. Several different US Fighter Groups used the base for operational training before moving on to their permanent operational homes. These included the 78th Fighter Group, before it moved to Duxford. The airfield was handed back to the RAF in January 1945. It was officially closed in 1953. Several of the airfield’s structures remain today.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

People

Joseph Neill Buie

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 552nd Fighter Training Squadron 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 20466052 / O-743403
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Ival Emmitt Butler

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 77th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35255724 / O-753604
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Joseph Bzdelik

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 357th Fighter Group 495th Fighter Training Group 496th Fighter Training Group 363rd Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron 83rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16138534 / T-2667
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Ernest R Carr

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 496th Fighter Training Group 555th Fighter Training Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17132805 / O-708654
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Arthur C Carroll

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 353rd Fighter Group 356th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 351st Fighter Squadron 359th Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron Headquarters (353rd Fighter Group)
  • Service Numbers: O-416268
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

43-12214

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Rebel Queen
  • Unit: 496th Fighter Training Group 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron

43-12416

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Brenda
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 357th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 4th Fighter Group 336th Fighter Squadron 357th Fighter Squadron 362nd Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron
A P-51 Mustang (GQ-B, serial number 43-12424) of the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group. On reverse: Official Photograph U.S. Army Air Forces, Confidential Until Censored, Not For Publication and Passed By US Army Examiner [Stamps].

43-12424

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 355th Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron
Ground crew fit 75 gallon drop tanks to P-51 Mustang, GQ-I, serial number 43-12451, of the 355th Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, January 1944. The aircraft carries the marking "Peggy" on its right hand side. Printed caption on reverse: 'A. 43180 The American Super-Fighter. The American Mustang fighter the P-51B which has maintained a 6 to 1 superiority over all fighter[s] the Luftwaffe has thrown against them during recent attacks on enemy territory it is equipped with a 1,500 h.p. Packard manufact

43-12451

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Peggy (starboard, Gil Talbot's GQ-I), Live Bait (port side, Gross)
  • Unit: 354th Fighter Group 479th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 355th Fighter Squadron 436th Fighter Squadron 554th Fighter Training Squadron

43-12460

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: Bottleneck
  • Unit: 479th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 436th Fighter Squadron 554th Fighter Training Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucyMM
Changes
Sources

test

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual (London, 2001)

Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)

Bruce Barrymore Halpenny, Action Stations 2: Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands (Cambridge, 1984)

Goxhill: Gallery (26 items)