Honington
AirfieldIWM, English Heritage Collection
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
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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
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group Headquarters (364th Fighter Group)
- Service Numbers: 18038005 / O-421044
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group 1st Scouting Force 383rd Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16135437 / O-720790
- Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: VIII Fighter Command 364th Fighter Group 385th Fighter Squadron Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron (VIII Fighter Command)
- Service Numbers: 20922958 / O-868496
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 398th Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group 1st Scouting Force 383rd Fighter Squadron 385th Fighter Squadron 602nd Bomb Squadron 857th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-1995743
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Co-pilot / Fighter pilot
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group 383rd Fighter Squadron 385th Fighter Squadron
- Service Numbers: 20911357 / O-750542
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Fighter pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Weepin Deacon II / Eaglebeak
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group 1st Scouting Force 384th Fighter Squadron Scouting Force (Experimental) (SFX)
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group 383rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group 384th Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group 1st Scouting Force 383rd Fighter Squadron
- Aircraft Type: P-51 Mustang
- Nicknames: Bettye Jo III Carolina Moon
- Unit: 364th Fighter Group 383rd Fighter Squadron
Revisions
Barry Anderson, Army Air Forces Stations (Alabama, 1985) / Roger Freeman, Airfields of the Eighth Then And Now (London, 1978)