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.

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People

Aircraft

French countryside, photographed through the nose of a P-38 Lightning of the 367th Fighter Group on landing. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published 30 Aug 1944.' [stamp], 'Passed for publication 31 May 1945.' [stamp] and '354528 .' [censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'P-38s over the Seine. No.1 of a series of pix taken through the nose of the P-38 as it comes in to land. Scherschel LIFE.'

43-28490

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Nicknames: Jeanne
  • Unit: Base Air Depot 3 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron

43-37793

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group
The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40283) nicknamed "Lassie Come Home" of the 458th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '44-40283- Lassie Come Home- Tracy Pilot.'

44-40283

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Lassie Come Home
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron

NS569

  • Aircraft Type: Mosquito
  • Unit: 325th Photographic Reconnaissance Wing 25th Bomb Group 654th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
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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)