Kings Cliffe

Airfield
Captain Jack M. Ilfrey, one of the COs of the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, at Kings Cliffe air base. He stands with other crew members beside P-38J Lightning (MC-O, serial number 43-28431), called "Happy Jack's Go Buggy". media-377007.jpg FRE 1439 Captain Jack M. Ilfrey, one of the COs of the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, at Kings Cliffe air base. He stands with other crew members beside P-38J Lightning (MC-O, serial number 43-28431), called "Happy Jack's Go Buggy". Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 1439 - Captain Jack M. Ilfrey, one of the COs of the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, at Kings Cliffe air base. He stands with other crew members...

Kings Cliffe began as a satellite air base for the Group based at nearby Wittering. The 56th Fighter Group, however, were all based at Kings Cliffe and it was here that the pilots trained in P-47 Thunderbolts and flew their first missions in the aircraft.



The 56th Fighter Group moved on to Horsham St. Faiths in April 1943 and the air base was used by the RAF until August when another American Fighter Group, the 20th, moved in. This time, there was not sufficient accommodation for all of the Group's personnel at Kings Cliffe so when additional blocks were being built, some of them had living quarters at Wittering.



Kings Cliffe was the furthest west of any Eighth Air Force bases and this made long escort missions that much harder for the pilots.

Connections

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

People

David Nicholas Baldock

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 77th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 13117485 / O-2062957
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

David Burton Ballou

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 79th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 17144904 / O-2063955
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot
Corporal Carl Barlow of the 20th Fighter Group prepares to load .50 Calibre ammunition into a P-38 Lightning nicknamed "Wrangler" flown by Lieutenant Colonelt Cyril Wilsion, June 1944. Handwritten on slide:"Cy Wilson's a/c 1944 55th Ftr 20th FtrGp. CPL CARL BARLOW Printed on slide: "J.W. PHEGLEY 1905 13TH ST. EUREKA, CA 95501"

Carl W Barlow

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 55th Fighter Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Corporal
  • Role/Job: Ordnance

Bert H Beiter

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 79th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 14174438 / T-064153
  • Highest Rank: Flight Officer
  • Role/Job: Fighter Pilot

Darrell Anthony Beschen

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 79th Fighter Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-707647
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
  • Role/Job: Fighter pilot

Aircraft

42-67016

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 77th Fighter Squadron

42-67039

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 79th Fighter Squadron
A P-38 Lightning nicknamed "EZE Does It" of the 20th Fighter Group fitted with a "droop snoot" for bombing missions at Kings Cliffe. Handwritten caption on reverse: '20FG. "Droop Snoot". Bombing P-38.'

42-67450

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Nicknames: Eze Does It
  • Unit: Base Air Depot 3 10th Air Depot Group 20th Fighter Group 10th Depot Repair Squadron 77th Fighter Squadron
The burning wreck of a P-38 Lightning (serial number 42-67490) of the 496th Fighter Training Group.

42-67490

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 495th Fighter Training Group 496th Fighter Training Group 552nd Fighter Squadron 554th Fighter Training Squadron 79th Fighter Squadron

42-67515

  • Aircraft Type: P-38 Lightning
  • Nicknames: Wilda
  • Unit: 20th Fighter Group 474th Fighter Group 79th Fighter Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Added alternative spelling 'Kingscliffe'.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

Kings Cliffe: Gallery (148 items)

P-38 Lightning of the 20th Fighter Group flies low over fields near the Group's base at Kings Cliffe.

Object number: FRE 1436 - P-38 Lightning of the 20th Fighter Group flies low...

P-51 Mustangs of the 20th Fighter Group fly in formation over military area.

Object number: FRE 1437 - P-51 Mustangs of the 20th Fighter Group fly in...

Captain Jack M. Ilfrey, one of the COs of the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, at Kings Cliffe air base. He stands with other crew members beside P-38J Lightning (MC-O, serial number 43-28431), called "Happy Jack's Go Buggy".

Object number: FRE 1439 - Captain Jack M. Ilfrey, one of the COs of the 79th...

P-51 Mustang (LC-A, serial number 44-14822) of the 77th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, in flight, 1944-1945.

Object number: FRE 1440 - P-51 Mustang (LC-A, serial number 44-14822) of the...

P-38 Lightning pilots of the 20th Fighter Group listen to a briefing at Kings Cliffe air base, October 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'Lightnings Attack Northern France. Versatile P-38 Lightnings, flashing their power across the English Channel for the first time in a combat role, bring new serial phase into the European Theatre of Operations. Well-trained pilots - some of them already experienced in the other theatres of war - and ground crews swear by their ships. From briefing room to flying

Object number: FRE 162 - P-38 Lightning pilots of the 20th Fighter Group...

Ground crew member of the 56th Fighter Group points out the 0.5 inch calibre machine guns of the P-47 Thunderbolt, probably at Kings Cliffe air base where the 56th FG were based from 13 January 1943 to 5 April 1943. 11 March 1943. Printed caption attached to print: 'The guns mounted in the wings of the Thunderbolt. And March 11th 1943. PN.'

Object number: FRE 187 - War correspondent Gladwin Hill is shown the...

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester stand at the rail of the control tower with Lieutenant-Colonel Hubert Zemke of the 56th Fighter Group at Kings Cliffe air base. Passed by the censors 29 April 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'ETO HQ 43 2457 PEARSON MAR 29, 43. Shown at the rail of a control tower at an American air drome are (l-r) Lt. Col. Hubert Zemke, Missoula, Mont; the Duke of Gloucester and the Duchess of Gloucester. The royal pair made a inspection tour recently and were well pleased with what th

Object number: FRE 232 - The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester stand at the...

Kings Cliffe, home of the 20th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Area 5.'

Object number: FRE 2375 - Kings Cliffe, home of the 20th Fighter Group...

A bomb shelter at Kings Cliffe, known as "Agony Acres" by the 20th Fighter Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Area 5 "Agony Acres", Bomb Shelter.'

Object number: FRE 2376 - A bomb shelter at Kings Cliffe, known as "Agony...

An emergency water tank at Kings Cliffe, home of the 20th Fighter Group Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Area 5. Emergency water - ^ to the mess hall. JWP.'

Object number: FRE 2377 - An emergency water tank at Kings Cliffe, home of...

An airman of the 20th Fighter Group rides a bicycles past P-51 Mustangs and a bister hangar at Kings Cliffe. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Blister hangar looking in direction to bomb dump road.'

Object number: FRE 2378 - An airman of the 20th Fighter Group rides a...

A P-38 Lightning nicknamed "EZE Does It" of the 20th Fighter Group fitted with a "droop snoot" for bombing missions at Kings Cliffe. Handwritten caption on reverse: '20FG. "Droop Snoot". Bombing P-38.'

Object number: FRE 2379 - P-38J-10-LO, s/n 42-67450, coded LC-E, nicknamed...