Honington

Airfield
Aerial photography of Honington airfield looking south, the technical site with four C-type hangars and bomb dump are at the top, 21 June 1946. Photograph taken by No. 540 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1589. English Heritage (RAF Photography). eh-323.jpg RAF_106G_UK_1589_FS_2415 Aerial photography of Honington airfield looking south, the technical site with four C-type hangars and bomb dump are at the top, 21 June 1946. Photograph taken by No. 540 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1589. English Heritage (RAF Photography). Historic England

IWM, English Heritage Collection

Object Number - RAF_106G_UK_1589_FS_2415 - Aerial photography of Honington airfield looking south, the technical site with four C-type hangars and bomb dump are at the top, 21 June 1946....

Honington was in use by Eighth Air Force units for a longer period than any other air base in England. The air base, built in the mid 1930s as part of the RAF's expansion programme had seen plenty of action as an RAF base before it was handed over to USAAF in the summer of 1942. The Americans used the base, and the adjacent technical site Troston, as a major repair depot, which increasingly specialised in the repair of B-17s. Damaged aircraft would be instructed to crash land at Honington, if they could, so that repair work on the aircraft could begin straight away. The base also housed a combat group, the 364th Fighter Group from February 1944. The Group did not leave until many months after the war in Europe had ended and Honington, as the Fighter Command HQ for USAAF, was the last Eighth Air Force base to be handed back to the RAF in February 1946.

Connections

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

Detailed History

The memorial is at the entrance to RAF Honington, not inside the airfield, but still on the grounds. Permission MUST be obtained to take photographs. This can be done when you get there, or by prior arrangement.

People

Argent Joseph Acosta

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 364th Fighter Group 383rd Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18137839 / O-763018
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

George F Adams

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 351st Bomb Group 1st Scouting Force 510th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-823210
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot / Fighter Pilot

Alfred A Albrecht

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 364th Fighter Group 384th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-760431
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

George N Ammerman

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 364th Fighter Group 384th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17113563 / O-760220
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Edward E Anderson

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 364th Fighter Group 385th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-720710
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Aircraft

A P-51 Mustang (WR-Z, serial number 42-106448) nicknamed "The Hun Hunter ~ Texas" of the 354th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group taxiying at Steeple Morden.

42-106448

  • Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
  • Nicknames: The Hun Hunter / Texas
  • Unit: 355th Fighter Group 496th Fighter Training Group 1st Scouting Force 354th Fighter Squadron 555th Fighter Training Squadron

42-29780

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Silver Queen
  • Unit: 92nd Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 335th Bomb Squadron

42-3095

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Peggy Ann
  • Unit: 1st Strategic Air Depot 25th Bomb Group 802nd Reconnaissance Group (SP) 94th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group Base Air Depot 2 412th Bomb Squadron

42-3263

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Slightly Dangerous
  • Unit: 1st Strategic Air Depot 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron 412th Bomb Squadron

42-37788

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hell's Messenger
  • Unit: 2nd Strategic Air Depot 364th Fighter Group 544th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 547th Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorPaul Bellamy
Changes
Sources

Mighty Eighth War Manual (R A Freeman 1984)

Date
Contributorusxpat
Changes
Sources

http://eastangliamemorials.blogspot.co.uk/

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

Honington: Gallery (78 items)

A P-38 Lightning nicknamed "Pretty Mickey" of the 55th Fighter Group.

Object number: FRE 10057 - P-38J-15-LO, s/n 43-28760, coded 5E-M, nicknamed...

P-38 Lightnings, including (N2-K) nicknamed "Betty A III", of the 363th Fighter Group in flight.

Object number: FRE 10101 - P-38J Lightnings of the 364th Fighter Group in...

Ground personnel of the 384th Fighter Squadron, 359th Fighter Group attend to the burning wreck of a P-51 Mustang that has crash landed.

Object number: FRE 3198 - Personnel of the of the 2017th Engineer Fire...

Personnel of the 364th Fighter Group attend to a crashed P-51 Mustang at Honington, 13 April 1945. Printed caption on reverse: '71951 A.C. - Men of the 364th Fighter Group, 67th Fighter Wing, salvage useable parts from a wrecked North American P-51 (A/C 44-15726) at their U.S. Air Force Station F-375, Honington, England. 13 April 1945.'

Object number: FRE 3211 - Personnel of the 364th Fighter Group attend to a...

A B-17G Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97376) of the 95th Bomb Group after crash landing at Honington. 30 May 1944. Official caption on image: "ISAD 30 May 1944. 1301. (WPU, Crash-Landing, B-17G, 42-97376, Honington) AM."

Object number: FRE 3900 - A B-17G Flying Fortress (serial number 42-97376)...

A B-17 Flying Fortress (QJ-Q, serial number 42-31023) nicknamed "Skyball" of the 339th Bomb Squadron, 96th Bomb Group that has crash-landed at Honington. Official caption on image: "2138. 1-29-44. Hon. B-17F. 42-31028. M. F.S.A.D."

Object number: FRE 3958 - A B-17 Flying Fortress (QJ-Q, serial number 42...

A B-17G Flying Fortress (LN-E, serial number 42-31981) of the 350th Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group that has crash-landed at Honington. Official caption on image: "896 (44). WPU - 4.28.44. Honington. B-17G - 42-31981. FA-FSAD."

Object number: FRE 4093 - A B-17G Flying Fortress (LN-E, serial number 42...

A B-17G Flying Fortress (XR-H, serial number 42-37972) of the 349th Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group, that has crash-landed at Honington. Official caption on image: "2178. Hon. F.S.A.D. Aero-Repair. 1-30-44M. B-17G - 42-37972."

Object number: FRE 4094 - A B-17G Flying Fortress (XR-H, serial number 42...

B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 3rd Air Division parked along the runway at Honington. The aircraft, left to right are: (LN-J, serial number 42-30215) of the 388th Bomb Group, (serial number 42-30818) of the 100th Bomb Group, (serial number 42-3544) of the 385th Bomb Group, (serial number 42-3555) of the 388th Bomb Group, (LN-Z, serial number 42-30725) of the 100th Bomb Group and an unidentified B-17 of the 385th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Honington'.

Object number: FRE 4123 - B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 3rd Air Division...

A crashed B-17G Flying Fortress (serial number 42-31237) of the 385th Bomb Group at Honington, 26 November 1943. Official caption on image: "1393 - IMRU - 11-26-43 - Honington - B-17G - 42-31237 F.A."

Object number: FRE 4997 - A crashed B-17G Flying Fortress (serial number 42...

The insignia of the 385th Fighter Squadron, 364th Fighter Group painted on wood at Great Ashfield.' Written on slide casing: 'Insignia of 385th F Sqd (364th FG Honington). "As Found" presented capt 3/9. Ashfield Haugh Farm, Great Ashfield 8th July 1972.'

Object number: FRE 5044 - The insignia of the 385th Fighter Squadron, 364th...

Personnel of the 364th Fighter Group play billiards before a briefing at Honington. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Billiards before briefing in next room, 364th Fighter Gp.'

Object number: FRE 548 - Personnel of the 364th Fighter Group play...