RAF King's Cliffe, Northants, March 2016

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HughieD

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You really can’t beat a bit of WWII RAF airfield action. Been meaning to go to RAF King’s Cliffe for some time and finally got round to it over Easter. It was a beautiful crisp March morning and near perfect light for taking pictures. There’s quite a lot to see here but it’s quite spread out. The jewel in the crown is the watch tower but this is a good mile or so’s walk from the road. The remains of the base are on farmer’s land which includes a deer sanctuary. The keep-out sign warned of deer culls at anytime and while walking out to and back from the watch-tower the constant crack of shotguns could be heard! Anyhow…plenty to see here. Didn’t get round everything as time was limited and some of the stuff is well hidden. Here’s the history bit.

Twelve miles west of Peterborough in the north-east tip of Northamptonshire, RAF King’s Cliffe first became operational October 1941. It was assigned to the United States Army Air Forces and in January 1943 the 56th Fighter Group of the 8th Air Force arrived at Kings Cliffe from Bridgeport AAF Connecticut. The group was under the command of 67th Fighter Wing of the VIII Fighter Command. Initially the airfield was grass-surfaced but three concrete run-ways and a perimeter track were laid down early in 1943. The base boasted four Blister hangers, two T2’s and eight others. The 56th fighter group spent its time at Kings Cliffe learning RAF fighter control procedures and training for combat with new Republic P-47 Thunderbolts although no operational missions were flown. In August 1943 the 56th transferred to RAF Horsham St Faith and the 20th Fighter Group arrived from March AAF California.

The 20th FG entered combat late in December 1943 with Lockheed P-38 Lightnings (pictured below) and engaged primarily in the escorting of heavy and medium bombers to targets on the Continent, while frequently strafing targets of opportunity while on escort missions, then in March 1944 flying its own fighter-bomber missions.

26260386815_42aa8ac6b0_o.jpg20th_Fighter_Group_P38 by HughieDW, on Flickr

The 20th went on to became known as the "Loco Group" due of its numerous attacks on locomotives. The group also flew patrols over the English Channel during the invasion of Normandy in June 1944, and supported the invasion force later that month by escorting bombers. North American P-51 Mustangs arrived in July 1944 and the group continued to fly escort and fighter-bomber missions as the enemy retreated across France. The 20th Fighter Group returned to the US in December 1945. Another claim-to-fame of King’s Cliffe was the fact that Glenn Miller played his last airfield band concert in the big hangar here on Tuesday 3rd October 1944, primarily because it was getting too cold to play in unheated hangars. The base as it appeared in 1947 is show below:

25987531550_2f47990ffe_o.pngKingscliffe-16jan47 by HughieDW, on Flickr

After the war, the base was used by the RAF for armament storage until the base finally closed in January 1959 and returned to agricultural use.

Here’s the pictures…

Think we’re in the right place….

26085934162_982fc2ee20_b.jpgimg4915 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26111567651_ce41e6f8c9_b.jpgimg4914 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26111593661_4fbbef02f5_b.jpgimg4913 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Ah…yes, this is what I was after – my first ever mushroom pillbox!

25572545904_ab193bf7ac_b.jpgimg4866 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Can’t get enough of this fella…

25904411840_3e5d4b1584_b.jpgimg4868 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25572474904_3653827e34_b.jpgimg4869 by HughieDW, on Flickr

A quick peek inside:

26177207435_78393d23ae_b.jpgimg4870 by HughieDW, on Flickr

And on-ward to our main goal…the watch tower:

26151225166_7f10771f06_b.jpgimg4873 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26110775721_6ceee364c3_b.jpgimg4879 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25573456814_9d17cc574e_b.jpgimg4891 by HughieDW, on Flickr

In we go:

25904226030_217d52d1c0_b.jpgimg4880 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26112023791_29d244d7fd_b.jpgimg4884 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Many visitors have left their mark:

26085889902_893098a6a0_b.jpgimg4885 by HughieDW, on Flickr

..as bricks crumble:

26111972321_4817de5cdb_b.jpgimg4886 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25575649573_65d7e4f510_b.jpgimg4887 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26111915831_3fb99c010d_b.jpgimg4889 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25905368050_2d331003fb_b.jpgimg4890 by HughieDW, on Flickr

But this place still possesses its magic:

26151392886_c3978c0987_b.jpgimg4883 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25573434434_597df096e1_b.jpgimg4892bw by HughieDW, on Flickr

25575525453_45077ae2a4_b.jpgimg4893 by HughieDW, on Flickr

A few other bits and bobs on the way back:

26111794841_c534ced903_b.jpgimg4897 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Including this Stanton shelter with what appears to be its original paint:

25905237560_1790d4cd15_b.jpgimg4898 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26085620122_1ca983d4c2_b.jpgimg4902 by HughieDW, on Flickr

25905188490_062d639a21_b.jpgimg4903 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26178035925_a9be53a6a5_b.jpgimg4907 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26085537122_8522e004ec_b.jpgimg4908 by HughieDW, on Flickr

26177969765_8156eb0f08_b.jpgimg4912 by HughieDW, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!
 
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Totally love really old raf bases like this - loved the monument to the airmen - was working away in dover a couple of years ago and visited the battle of britain site and it totally blew me away - took loads of photos and footage on my phone but fell in the sea after a few to many beers and this is the only photo i managed to save - gutted but definatly going to go back there.

2014-04-24%2019.42.21.jpg


thank you so much for sharing.
 
Loving this again hughie.I need to see more old raf stuff.but covered most of norfolks world war two stuff now.
 

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