Fersfield

Airfield
Aerial photograph of the west end of Fersfield (Winfarthing) airfield, looking north, the bomb dump is at the top, the technical site- with T2 hangar- at the bottom, 29 August 1946. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1707. English Heritage (RAF Photography). eh-252.jpg RAF_106G_UK_1707_RP_3238 Aerial photograph of the west end of Fersfield (Winfarthing) airfield, looking north, the bomb dump is at the top, the technical site- with T2 hangar- at the bottom, 29 August 1946. Photograph taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1707. English Heritage (RAF Photography). Historic England

IWM, English Heritage Collection

Object Number - RAF_106G_UK_1707_RP_3238 - Aerial photograph of the west end of Fersfield (Winfarthing) airfield, looking north, the bomb dump is at the top, the technical site- with T2...

Originally named Winfarthing when the site was allocated to the Eighth Air Force in 1942, it was renamed Fersfield when built for the Eighth Air Force 1943-44. USAAF and US Navy projects 'Aphrodite' 'Batty' and 'Anvil' (attempts to develop and use radio-controlled aircraft as precision weapons) were launched from the airfield in 1944, one of which resulted in the death of Lt Joseph Kennedy, elder brother of future US President John F Kennedy. The airfield was closed in 1946, and it has since been since returned to agriculture.

Connections

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People

Ervin Karrels

Ervin Theodore Karrels

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 560th Bomb Squadron 388th Bomb Group 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 36378272
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Perry E Lewellen

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 563rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-756266
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Pilot
Lieutenant Bob Tunnel and Lieutenant Daniel McCarthy of the 25th Bomb Group stand with a Mosquito at Watton that has received flak damage to one of its engines. Printed caption on reverse: '60900 A.C.- Lt. Tunnel and Lt. McCarthy of the 654th Bomb. Sqdn. 25th Bomb Group. standing beside a flak damaged DeHavilland "Mosquito" Reconnaissance. England. August 4, 1944 U.S. Air Force Photo.' The names 'Bob' and 'Daniel' have been handwritten above 'Lt. Tunnel and Lt. McCarthy' respectively. Handwritten caption

David A McCarthy

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 325th Photographic Reconnaissance Wing 25th Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron 654th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator / Observer

George Clifford Montgomery

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-747464
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Clifford A Parsons

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 385th Bomb Group
  • Service Numbers: 06654176
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Flight / Autopilot Engineer

Aircraft

42-31394

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Aphrodite
  • Unit: 379th Bomb Group 388th Bomb Group 526th Bomb Squadron

42-3438

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 337th Bomb Squadron 36th Bomb Squadron

42-3440

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Broadway Rose
  • Unit: 384th Bomb Group 388th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron 546th Bomb Squadron

42-3461

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 407th Bomb Squadron

42-3493

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 92nd Bomb Group Base Air Depot 1 325th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

Michael Bowyer, Action Stations 1: Wartime Military Airfields of East Anglia 1939-1945 (Cambridge, 1979)

Fersfield: Gallery (9 items)