Ridgewell

Airfield
media-17691.jpeg UPL 17691 Air Ministry Record Site Plan-Airfield Site 1945. Ridgewell.

Air Ministry Dwg. 151/45 The Eighth in the East

Plan title

Object Number - UPL 17691 - Air Ministry Record Site Plan-Airfield Site 1945. Ridgewell. Air Ministry Dwg. 151/45

Built during 1941-42 as an RAF bomber station, Ridgewell operated as a satellite to RAF Stradishall until May 1943. It had three concrete runways, initially 36 pan hardstandings, and two dispersed T2 hangars. Taken over by the Eighth Air Force in June 1943 as home to the 381st Bomb Group, equipped with B-17s, the hardstandings were increased to 50 pans and five loops. The 381st Bomb Group flew a total of 296 missions and lost 131 B-17s while based at Ridgewell, although at least two specially-named B-17s 'Rotherhithe’s Revenge' and 'Stage Door Canteen' each completed over 100 missions. After the 381st Bomb Group left in June 1945, the station was handed back to the RAF and used as a Maintenance Unit munitions store until 1957. Although most of the site has since been sold, demolished and returned to agriculture, MOD retained the hangars as an extra storage facility for the USAFE at Wethersfield and Alconbury until the early 1990s. A small, private collection of SWW memorabilia is currently displayed in and around the old Hospital building by the Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Association. Essex Gliding Club is also now based at Ridgewell Airfield, which is all-grass and limited to glider & glider-tug flights only.

Connections

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People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 16060148
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 533rd Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-682498
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: W-2121745
  • Role/Job: Station Technical Inspector
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 534th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 31053516
  • Role/Job: Special Vehicle Operator

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Century Note
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
A formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 381st Bomb Group is escorted during a practice mission by a P-51 Mustang of the 355th Fighter Group. The Fortresses, left to right, are (VP-S, serial number 42-97059) nicknamed "Marsha Sue", (VE-N, serial number 43-37675) nicknamed "Patches (Flak Magnet)", (VE-K, serial number 42-106994) nicknamed "Little Guy" and (VE-O, serial number 42-107112) nicknamed "Sleepy Time Gal".
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Sleepy Time Gal
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Doasy Doats
  • Unit: Base Air Depot 1 398th Bomb Group 603rd Bomb Squadron 491st Bomb Group 600th Bomb Squadron 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Full Boost!
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 532nd Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Big Time Operator II
  • Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 381st Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron 532nd Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Removed 'England' from station name

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Restored connections to people and aircraft records.

Date
ContributorARowe95
Changes
Sources

ARowe95

Date
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources

Connected aircraft records that have 'Ridgewell' in their biography fields.

Date
Contributorllaforgia
Changes
Sources

LaForgia family records.

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

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

Roger Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Manual (2nd edn, London, 2001)

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Ridgewell

http://www.381st.com/

http://essexgliding.com/

Ridgewell: Gallery (36 items)