Although never used as such, Raydon was built during 1942-43 as an Eighth Air Force bomber base, with three concrete runways, 50 loop and one pan hardstandings, and two dispersed T2 hangars. Initially on loan to the Ninth Air Force, it was first occupied by the 357th Fighter Group, equipped with P-51s, in November 1943. An exchange of aircraft types and bases was arranged, so in January 1944 the 357th transferred to the Eighth Air Force at Leiston, and the 358th Fighter Group, equipped with P-47s, transferred to the Ninth Air Force at Raydon. The 358th Fighter Group moved to High Halden in April 1944, when Raydon was handed back to the Eighth Air Force as the home of the 353rd Fighter Group, equipped with P-47s, which remained until October 1945. Handed over to the RAF in December 1945, the station closed in 1958 and mostly sold during 1960-62 for return to agriculture. The western T2 hangar remains in private ownership as a farm store. The eastern T2 hangar and other wartime buildings near it were retained by the Home Office for emergency vehicle storage until the 1980s, and remain in use as Notley Industrial Park.



Film footage of American airmen at Raydon is available through the East Anglian Film Archive: http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/933