Bottisham | American Air Museum

Bottisham

Airfield

Aerial photograph of Bottisham airfield, looking east, the PSP runway runs vertically up the image, 13 April 1942. Photograph taken by No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, sortie number RAF/HLA/482. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

eh-29.jpg RAF_HLA_482_FP_1055 Aerial photograph of Bottisham airfield, looking east, the PSP runway runs vertically up the image, 13 April 1942. Photograph taken by No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, sortie number RAF/HLA/482. English Heritage (RAF Photography). Historic England

IWM, English Heritage Collection

Object Number - RAF_HLA_482_FP_1055 - Aerial photograph of Bottisham airfield, looking east, the PSP runway runs vertically up the image, 13 April 1942. Photograph taken by No. 1...

The P-47 Thunderbolts of the 361st Fighter Group damaged the surfaces of the airfield so much in the first months of flying from Bottisham that American engineers were called in to lay a new runway. In January 1944 they constructed a 1,470-yard-long runway with pierced-steel planking in just three days. Accommodation on base was always tight and many of the temporary buildings put up to house the crews were in and around the village of Bottisham. As in many other cases, when the Americans came they seemed to take over the village as well as the airfield.

Connections

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

People

Estel Carson Alcorn

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 376th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 17063962 / O-679804
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Ethelbert F Amason

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 374th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: O-676715
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Clyde Alison Arrants

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 374th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 19101427 / O-763456
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Glenn F Aschbrenner

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 374th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 36249785 / O-710026
Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Herman R Auth

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron
Service Numbers: 13082371 / O-830146
Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

42-103347

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron

42-103588

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron

42-106638

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Nicknames: Impatient Virgin?, EVOI
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron

42-106707

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Nicknames: Sleepytime Gal
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 376th Fighter Squadron

42-106741

Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
Unit: 361st Fighter Group 375th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date27 Sep 2014 18:02:16

ContributorAAM

ChangesAAM ingest

Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)

Bottisham: Gallery (60 items)

A mural painted on a wall at Bottisham airbase by 361st Fighter Group personnel, seen on the 16th of April 1972. Handwritten on slide casing: 'Bottisham, 16th April 1972.'

Object number: FRE 10828 -

A mural of the 8th Air Force insignia, painted onto a wall at Bottisham, home of the 361st Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Bottisham.'

Object number: FRE 3336 -

Lieutenant Urban Drew (seated on the left) and three fellow pilots of the 375th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group sit inside the back of a crew bus at Bottisham. Handwritten caption on reverse: '375 FS Pilots, Bottisham 44, Drew.'

Object number: FRE 519 -

Captain Eugene Cole of the 361st Fighter Group in the cockpit of his P-47 Thunderbolt (E2-G_, serial number 42-75560) nicknamed "Baby Margene" at Bottisham. Handwritten caption on reverse: '1st Lt. Eugene Cole, 375th FS'

Object number: FRE 522 -

Lieutenants Victor E. Bocquin, Donald T. Woodward, Jimmie C. Wright, Ray S. White, Robert D. Shirmer and Cecil A. Laxton of the 361st Fighter Group use a Dodge Ambulance as a bar before 3 days leave at Bottisham. Image via JD Smith. Written on slide casing: 'Off on 3 Day pass, officers of 376 FS.'

Object number: FRE 6186 -

P-51 Mustangs of the 361st Fighter Group prepare for take off at Bottisham. Image via James D Smith. Written on slide casing: 'P51 ready for T/O Bottisham.'

Object number: FRE 6190 -

A P-51 Mustang (B7-H_, serial number 44-13704) nicknamed "Ferocious Frankie" of the 361st Fighter Group prepares for take off at Bottisham. Image via James D Smith. Written on slide casing: 'B7:H_, Ferocious Frankie, T/O, Bottisham.'

Object number: FRE 6192 -

A P-51 Mustang (E2-D, serial number 42-106875) nicknamed "Queen Jean" of the 361st Fighter Group prepares for take off at Bottisham. Image via James D Smith. Written on slide casing: 'Queen Jean, -D, ready for T/O Bottisham.'

Object number: FRE 6193 -

Captain Robert D "Bob" Schirmer of the 361st Fighter Group plays cards in the pilot's room at Bottisham. Image via James D Smith. Written on slide casing: 'Cpt Bob Schirmer, Assist Ops officer, Bottisham.'

Object number: FRE 6194 -

Ground personnel of the 361st Fighter Group prepare to load a bomb onto a P-51 Mustang at Bottisham. Written on slide casing: 'Bottisham.'

Object number: FRE 6196 -

Bottisham airfield photographed from a UC-61 of the 361st Fighter Group. Image via James D Smith. Written on slide casing: 'Bottisham from air.'

Object number: FRE 6197 -

B-17 Flying Fortresses fly in formation over P-51 Mustangs of the 361st Fighter Group at Bottisham. Image via James D Smith. Written on slide casing: 'Bottisham, view of a/d from SE.'

Object number: FRE 6198 -