Gosfield

Airfield
B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 381st Bomb Group fly in formation during a practice mission. The aircraft, left to right are: (VE-O, serial number 41-107112) nicknamed "Sleepy Time Gal", (VE-N, serial number 43-37675) nicknamed "Patches (Flak Magnet)", (VE-K, serial number 42-106994) nicknamed "Little Guy" and (VP-S, serial number 42-97059) nicknamed "Marsha Sue". Image via Ian MacTaggart. media-380072.jpg FRE 1275 B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 381st Bomb Group fly in formation during a practice mission. The aircraft, left to right are: (VE-O, serial number 41-107112) nicknamed "Sleepy Time Gal", (VE-N, serial number 43-37675) nicknamed "Patches (Flak Magnet)", (VE-K, serial number 42-106994) nicknamed "Little Guy" and (VP-S, serial number 42-97059) nicknamed "Marsha Sue". Image via Ian MacTaggart. Roger Freeman Collection

Airfield below formation is AAF Station 154 Gosfield

Object Number - FRE 1275 - B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 381st Bomb Group fly in formation during a practice mission. The aircraft, left to right are: (VE-O, serial number...

First used as an airfield during the First World War, when known as Royal Flying Corps/RAF Sible Hedingham, it was built as Gosfield for the Eighth Air Force and then Ninth Air Force in 1942-43. Home to first the 365th Fighter Group, then the 397th Bomb Group 1944 and 410th Bomb Group, it was handed back to the RAF in 1945. The airfield was closed and mostly returned to agriculture in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was also used as a car test track 1968-87, and for light engineering and plant hire from the 1990s to date.

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group 386th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-793505
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group 388th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-522149
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 410th Bomb Group 644th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group 386th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-417403
  • Highest Rank: Major
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot / Asst Group Operations Officer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 365th Fighter Group 386th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-418131
  • Highest Rank: Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot-1055 Deputy Group CO

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Unit: 410th Bomb Group 644th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Unit: 410th Bomb Group 646th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Unit: 410th Bomb Group 646th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Nicknames: Thunderbird
  • Unit: 410th Bomb Group 647th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: A-20 Havoc
  • Nicknames: Mary Ruth
  • Unit: 410th Bomb Group 646th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Ninth Then and Now (London, 1994)

Roger Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual (London, 2001)

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

Gosfield: Gallery (20 items)