RAF Ridgewell

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Aerial Photo of Ridgewell Airfield - 1945.

RAF Ridgewell is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 7½ miles NW of Halstead in Essex.

1 RAF use
2 USAAF use
3 Postwar use
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] RAF use

The airfield was opened in December 1942 and was first used by the RAF Bomber Command 90 squadron with Sterling Bombers until May 1943, the station being at the time a satellite of RAF Stradishall.

[edit] USAAF use

Main article: 381st Bomb Group

B-17s of the 381st Bomb Group, Ridgewell Airfield England, enroute to targets over Nazi-occupied territory. The aircraft in the foreground is Boeing B-17G-70-BO Fortress, Serial 42-31443 "Friday the 13th" of the 532d Bomb Squadron. This aircraft was lost on 22 February 1944 on a mission to Bunde, Germany.

Boeing B-17G-55-BO Fortress Serial 42-102664 "Happy Bottom" of the 532d Bomb Squadron being christened by Edward G. Robinson, 5 July 1944. Unfortunatley this aircraft ditched in the English Channel on 16 July 1944

Boeing B-17G-70-BO Fortress 43-37675, of the 532d Bomb Squadron enroute to targets over Nazi-occupied territory. Named "Patches", "Flak Magnet" and "Trudie's Terror" by various aircrews, This aircraft survived the war and was retired to Kingman AAF Arizona on 17 December 1945.

Ridgewell was assigned USAAF designation Station 167. From 30 June 1943 Ridgewell was used by the United States Army Air Force Eighth Air Force 381st Bombardment Group (Heavy), arriving from Pueblo AAB, Colorado. The 381st was assigned to the 1st Combat Bombardment Wing of the 1st Bombardment Division. It's tail code was Triangle-L. It was the only long-term heavy bomber base of the Eighth Air Force in Essex.

After V-E Day, the 381st Bomb Group returned to Sioux Falls AAF, South Dakota in July 1945 and was deactivated on 28 August.

[edit] Postwar use

After the war, Ridgewell was used for bomb storage from 15 July 1945 to 31 March 1957. The majority of the base was then sold and returned to agriculture. The United States Air Force retained the old aircraft hangars which were used by units from nearby RAF Wethersfield and RAF Alconbury for storage until both bases were closed in the early 1990s.