​​The route starts at the 100th Bombardment Group Memorial Museum. Here you can learn more on the infrastructure of the day-to-day operations that were conducted around Station 139. Guided tours are available to walk around locations of the airfield that are not accessible to the public.​The route takes in the quiet country lanes that were used during the Second World War to travel around the perimeter of the airfield. Along the route you will find parts of the original concrete hard standings, tracks and dispersals areas (where aircraft parked when not in use). Many parts of the infrastructure are located away from where the three runways once existed. These have now been returned to agricultural use and only a very small part of a runway remains.​Many of the surrounding copses of woodland were used to house and hide billets or buildings away from view. These are located to the southwest corner. To the western side of the airfield were the bomb stores. The Command Centre Battle HQ remains, a large concrete bunker that was used if the airfield was under attack.​The walking trail is on firm ground and mainly on a flat gradient. To the south of the airfield, a small gradient drops down and back up as you approach the southern end of where two of the runways were once positioned.​&nbsp;

United Kingdom

​A visit to the 100th Bombardment Group Memorial Museum takes people back to original buildings and many artifacts. The memorial is in honour of all the men and women that served here during the Second World War.

​100th Bombardment Group

​This dispersal pan can be viewed from Wood Lane. The pans were used for B-17 aircraft that was sat here when at the  airfield. More than 48 B-17's were based here with the four Squadrons. This is on private land and the gate should not be crossed.​

​Dispersal Pan

​The original control tower is still at the former airfield and forms part of the memorial museum visit. The view looks out across where the three runways once were. The perimeter track concrete is still visible in places.

​Station 139 Control Tower

​The wartime concrete leading off into Communal Area B of Station 139. The track can be viewed from the public road, this woodland is on private land and should not be entered.​

​Communal Site B

​The driveway and entrance leading to the memorial museum. Please note the opening times, the site is closed and no access can be gained outside of these.​

​100th Bombardment Group Memorial Museum​

​​100th Bombardment Group, Station 139, Thorpe Abbots​

​​​Along the perimeter road of the airfield from the south round to the west side were several dispersal pans and areas. This was the name given to the sites where the aircraft were parked when not in use. These dispersal pans were numbers 30 to 50, with most of them around the area of the Technical Site.​The fields south of the nearby large wood, east of Kiln Lane, were where the headquarters and the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) were located. This included briefings areas for the crews to attend prior to operations. It was known as Communal Site B. Just to the north of the wood was the second of the T2 hangars which connected to the perimeter tracks. The hangar is no longer there, and the land has now been returned to agricultural use.​The road at this crossroads led eastwards into the centre of the Technical Site. At the road junction north of this location, the road was once where the perimeter track was located. Eastwards headed into the technical site and west was towards the bomb dump. Across the road into where the airfield once was, there was the airbase works maintenance site with multiple buildings. This is now fields and a small, wooded area. A small part of the original concrete can be seen to the north of the road and is close to where dispersal pan 46 was located.​Buildings within the Technical Site included radio maintenance, bomb site workshop, chapel, ration stores, water tower, gunnery training, bomb aimers training, Provost Marshal's office and parachute packing store, to name just a few. There was a further mess hall alongside the Sergeants and Officers separate mess halls. Local children who lived on or around the airfield were welcomed and loved the American meals, mainly the sweet items. They also got used to drinking coffee.​Just to the north of the Technical Site was a wooded area which is still there today. This is east along the track (old perimeter road) that leads away from Wood Lane into the fields. This was used for clay pigeon shooting by those at the airfield. The site was strictly off limits to the local civilians, especially the local children living on the airfield. Despite the stories of the American crews being hospitable to them, the children knew that this area was not a place to visit.

​​Technical Site, Station 139​

t the corner of Wood Lane, which turns north towards Common Road, the light brown concrete can still be seen today. This is the remains of the perimeter track that ran parallel to the main runway. Continuing on Wood Lane in a northern direction leads straight through where the runway once stood.​Looking west along the old perimeter track, this is where the B-17 aircraft of the 100th Bombardment Group taxied to and from the runway prior to take off or after landing.​A small track runs off to the south and then alongside a small, wooded area (Billingford Wood). It was just south of this wood that a small hospital (sick quarters) was situated at the airfield. Injured aircrew and ground crew received treatment on site, whilst more severe cases were evacuated from the airfield. Local children recall playing in the woods close to the hospital or passing to go fishing in local ponds. They recalled how they chatted with the American crews, who always had time for them. The children lived in local houses within the confines of the airfield.​Further along, the track leads into a large, wooded area just north of Brick Kiln Farm, as it was known. This was the bomb stores (dump) for the airfield. Prior to operations, ground crew loaded up bomb trolleys and took the explosives to the dispersal areas around the airfield, where they were loaded onto the B-17 aircraft.​A young boy recalled how, one day a mid-air collision took place between two B-17’s. One of them crashed down onto the bomb dump. Very quickly the ground crews began to evacuate the area as fires broke out. There was a real risk of the bombs all exploding, and military police also started to evacuate local houses. Some of the locals, including Mrs Taylor, refused to leave, stating that the German air raids hadn’t forced her to leave so she was not leaving for this. The crashed B-17 landed on an area of incendiary bombs and after several hours the fires were extinguished. It was lucky that it did not land on the high explosive bomb area. This event highlighted the dangers of being around the airfields, not only for the military but for local civilians.

​​Western Perimeter, Station 139​

​​​Dispersal pans are the sites where aircraft stand when not in use. Station 159 had a total of 50 dispersal pans, with numbers one to thirteen used for the 351st Bombardment Squadron.​The entrance gate to Station 139 was to the west along Common Lane, before the junction with Hall Lane. The Taylors' family house was at the junction of Common Lane and Wood Lane. It was still occupied by the family and was just inside the security perimeter of the airfield.​The thirteen dispersal pans were located along the perimeter track that ran parallel to the runway, running in an east to west direction. Number one was to the west and number thirteen to the east, beyond where the museum is now located. Today, number five is the only remaining concrete area.​Just beyond the Taylors’ back garden to the west, about 100 yards away, was dispersal pan number two. Here, there was a gunnery hut to which, after each operation, the machine guns from the aircraft would be returned. The mechanics stripped the guns and carried out maintenance, before returning them to the B-17 aircraft. The 351st Engineers office was positioned in the rear garden of the Taylors' house.​Opposite the Taylors' house was one of the two airfields main fuel stores. The pumps were directly opposite, and tankers came to replenish their fuel supplies here before moving off to areas around Station 139.​Mrs Taylor, who lived in the house, assisted with the laundry of the 351st Engineers who were stationed at the airfield. The family quickly got to know the American men who were based here, and the children used to go up to the men at the airfield and ask, “Got any gum chum?” (chewing gum). The ground crews also let the children living there assist in cleaning the dispersal areas. Soaked in high octane fuel, the children were given light rags to throw on the pans, which would quickly ignite, burning off the fuel and oil. The ground crews then cleaned the pans ready for the return of the aircraft. The children were also invited to sit in the cockpits of the B-17 aircraft when engine checks were conducted.​Drapers Farm is located along Thorpe Abbots Road on the right as you head east. The farm sat in between dispersal pans five and six, and some of the barns were used to store aircraft parts.

​​Northern Perimeter, Station 139​

​​​On 16 July 1943, a B-17 Flying Fortress ‘Flack Shack’ aircraft took part in a practice bombing operation. The aircraft serial number was 42-30305 and it was piloted by Lieutenant Woodrow Barnhill with his full crew of nine others.​‘Flack Shack’ was attached to the 349th Bombardment Squadron, 100th Bombardment Group.​On 14 to 15 July, ‘Flack Shack’ had been signed off following a 100-hour inspection. This included mechanical work on engines. The inspection was completed by Master Sargeant Morton and Master Sargeant Park. Following the inspection, they noted that ‘Flack Shack’ ran perfectly.​The following day, 16 July, ‘Flack Shack’ was fired up and engines warmed prior to taking off on the practice operation. No issues were noted by the two pilots or ground crew. The runway used for the take-off ran from east to west, where the road now runs and intersects where it once stood. The B-17 aircrafts took off flying off in a west direction.​‘Flack Shack’ was observed from the ground as it taxied out and then throttled up along the runway. Those who witnessed the take-off reported that it began to gain altitude to around 100 feet high. It banked to the right and flew towards the village of Dickleburgh.​Some of the witness reports on the ground state that their attention was drawn to ‘Flack Shack’ as the sound of spluttering could be heard from the engines. Inside the B-17, the tail gunner reported hearing the noises and looking towards the right wing to see that two of the engines had failed.​On the ground witnesses stated that ‘Flack Shack’ began to lose airspeed and went into a stall with the right-wing engines having failed. It began to fall to the ground, disappearing from the view of those stood on the airfield. Seconds later a large cloud of black smoke was seen rising in the distance about a mile away. Some of those from the airfield quickly got into jeeps and headed to the crash site. The b-17 had come down around Rectory Road.​Of the ten crew, only three survived the crash as they were thrown clear. Pilot 1st Lieutenant Barnhill, 2nd Lieutenant Hudson and Sargeant Opala are buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery. Seven others were repatriated to the US.​‘Flack Shack’ was the airfield’s first crash of a B-17 to result in the loss of aircrew. However, sadly it was not the last.

​​B-17 Flying Fortress ‘Flack Shack’​

​​​At the northeast corner of the airfield is a small copse of wood, known as Grove Wood. Within the copse is the partially submerged command centre Battle Headquarters. This was used by the senior officers if the airfield was attacked by air or land. The ground combat crews were billeted within the copse and would also act as security to the airfield.​Moving from a north to south direction along Vaunce’s Lane towards Mill Road, along the airfield perimeter, were ten dispersal plans and seven hard standing areas. The majority of these were positioned north of Red Farm.​The entrance into Red Farm was another access point into the airfield during the Second World War. This driveway can still be seen today, with the original concrete, and led to the second fuel store on the airfield, just inside the perimeter. Further along, the track led to where there was a large T2 Hangar. Here, aircraft was taken undercover for maintenance and repairs by the mechanics. This was one of two T2 Hangars that were at the airfield.​Along the perimeter track were dispersal pans and hardstands 13 to 25. Only number 17 is still visible today, with a small amount of track still around Red Farm.​Along Vaunce’s Lane is a signpost for a public footpath which leads into the former airfield. On the opposite side of the road, the hedgerow stops and there is a visible gap. This is level with the main runway running in an east to west direction. A local boy recalled how he and his friends used to take blankets and sit in the field watching the B-17 aircraft take off or land, just several feet above where they sat. He recalled upon reflection that it was a very dangerous position to be, especially on take-off with the aircraft full of fuel and loaded with bombs.

​​Eastern Perimeter, Station 139​

​​​LeMay was born 15 November 1906 in Columbus, Ohio. In 1929, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Corps Reserve, and in January 1930 he received a regular commission into the United States Army Air Corps. He trained as a pursuit pilot until 1937, then switched to bomber aircraft.​LeMay piloted B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft from 1938 and served in the 2nd Bombardment Group. In 1940, he became the operations officer of the 34th Bombardment Group. With the outbreak of war in Europe, it was not long before the USA entered the war. Following the attacks on Pearl Harbour by Imperial Japan in December 1941, LeMay became a Major in the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). He commanded the 305th Bombardment Group, which departed for England in October 1943, and then became the commander of the US 3rd Air Division.​He flew alongside those of the 100th Bombardment Group leading operations into northwest Europe. One of the more notable operations that he led personally was the Schweinfurt-Regensburg raid on 17 August 1943. The raid saw LeMay lead 146 B-17’s to Regensburg. This was a daring mission, beyond the range of fighter protection, and after reaching and bombing the target, they flew on to airfields in North Africa. During this operation, 24 of the B-17’s were lost, including hundreds of crew who were either killed or missing.​In August 1944, LeMay transferred to the China-Burma Theatre of War then onto the Pacific Theatre of War with XX Bomb Command and XXI Bomb Command respectively. After the war, in 1947 he returned to Europe as the Commander of USAF Europe and oversaw the ‘Berlin Airlift’. Between 1961 and 1965, he became Chief of Staff of the USAF, until his retirement in February 1965.​Throughout his career he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Distinguished Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters. LeMay died on 1 October 1990 and is buried at USAF Academy Cemetery, Colorado, USA. The memorial located here at the airfield remembers him.​

​​Curtis LeMay​

​​​Communal site 1 was located just to the north of Upper Street, around where the woodland remains to this day. Civilians still lived in the village during this period and would interact with the American crews.​One of the mess halls was located in the area where air and ground crew went to eat, known to the American crews as ‘chow halls’. There was a post office exchange that allowed the crews to send off censored letters back to the US or pack up items to be sent back to families. This exchange also sold ‘candy’ which the local children benefitted from as they were given treats by the crews. A cinema was located here for the air and ground crews to visit and try to relax away from their intense jobs and operations. Local children used to try and sneak in, but it was difficult due to strict checks on the doors.​Close by were the Red Cross huts. These were staffed by both men and women, with women who worked for the Red Cross or as nurses on the airfield located here. The ladies of the Red Cross either slept in the huts or billets close by. The nurses were also billeted in the area. Around Christmas, the local children enjoyed visiting the Red Cross huts for refreshments and the Christmas party. Presents were piled around the Christmas tree and were distributed to the children present at the party, which was attended by both crew and local families.​To the west of the village was site 1, where the billets for 351st Bombardment Squadron were. To the south of the village was site 5, today a rectangular wood, with the billets of 418th Bombardment Squadron. Site 3 was off Kiln Lane to the east side before the houses of the village. Here the 349th Bombardment Squadron were billeted. Site 4 was located just slightly south of site 3 in a large wood. The 350th Bombardment Squadron were billeted here.​Today, some of the infrastructure remains around the area but is mostly located on private land.

​​Communal Site 1, Station 139​

​​​Once handed to the USAAF, the airfield was designated Station 139. The 100th Bombardment Group consisted of four operational squadrons:​349th Bombardment Squadron​350th Bombardment Squadron​351st Bombardment Squadron​418th Bombardment Squadron​&nbsp;They were assigned to the 13th Combat Bombardment Wing of the USAAF.The 100th Bombardment Group conducted its first mission on 25 June 1943. The mission targeted U-Boat facilities around the area of Bremen, Germany, and saw a loss of three aircraft and 30 crew. As the months went by and the group gained experience, their losses began to add up and they soon became known as the ‘Bloody Hundredth’ due to the losses of aircraft and crew.Notable operations that the 100th took part in were: Regensburg on 17 August 1943 with nine aircraft lost and 90 crew, Munster on 10 October 1943 with 12 aircraft lost and 121 crew, Berlin on 6 March 1944 with 15 aircraft lost and 150 crew, and Berlin again on 24 May 1944 with nine aircraft lost and 90 crew, Merseberf on 29 July 1944 with eight aircraft lost and 72 crew, Ruhland on 11 September 1944 with 12 aircraft lost and 100 crew, and Hamburg on 31 December 1944 with 12 aircraft lost and 111 crew.​In between these operations many others were conducted with little to no losses, but the crew were mindful of what could happen on every operation. Between 25 June 1943 to 20 April 1945, flying out of Station 139, they conducted 8,630 missions with the staggering loss of 732 airmen killed or missing and 177 aircraft lost.​100th Bomb Group Major, John Bennett, stated that, “what the 100th lacks in luck, it makes up in courage. The men of the century have fighting hearts.”The B-17 aircraft of the 100th Bombardment Group were marked with the distinctive black and white ‘Square-D’. This can be seen on the tail and wings of most aircraft. Following the Regensbury operation on 17 August 1943, the 100th Bomb Group received its first Distinguished Unit Citation. It then received its second following ‘Big Week’ from 20 to 25 February 1944 and the series of operations against Berlin in March 1944.

​​The ‘Bloody Hundredth’, 100th Bombardment Group​

​​​In the village of Thorpe Abbots, next to the Lion Public House, was the cycle repair workshop. ‘Valiants Cycles’ stored hundreds of bicycles that were for sale or being repaired.​The American crews used to head to the village, leaving their bicycles in the hedgerows as they visited the local pub and got drunk. Many would forget where they had left their bicycles and walk back to their billets on the airfield, leaving the bicycles behind. Staff at ‘Valiants Cycles’ would head out and collect the bicycles littering the area, taking them back to the shop, where they were be repaired if needed and resprayed. Valiants then put them back up for sale. With hundreds of personal at the airfield, Valiants owners made very good money off the trading of bicycles.​Within the workshops on the airfield, a small amount of American bicycles were made. Most were purchased from local shops, which were also happy to recycle them if needed. A local boy who lived in the area recounted how after the war the bicycles were still for sale and could be purchased at Valiants or another bicycle store in Brockdish.​The Village Hall, now at the heart of Thorpe Abbots, was paid for by the USAAF shortly after the war. There is a picture of a B-17 Flying Fortress aircraft above the entrance door, and a village sign at the driveway of the hall incorporates a B-17. The USAAF have never been forgotten by the villagers that surround the airfield. One local boy recalled how quickly in 1945 it became a ghost village on the airfield. Empty buildings, curtains still fluttering, and unsecure windows banging. Locals avoid where the hospital once stood, which was the first site to be dismantled, stating they could feel a presence in the area. Some of the airfield's infrastructure remains around the village area, but it is mostly on private property.​

​​Bicycles of Thorpe Abbots​

​​The 100th Bombardment Group of the USAAF were stationed at the airfield from 1943 to 1945. They flew over 8,500 missions and suffered significant losses during this period.​The museum houses many original artifacts linked to the crews of the B-17 Flying Fortresses aircraft that flew from Thorpe Abbots. There are numerous displays within the restored buildings, which include the restored control tower and glass house.​Hundreds of photographs are displayed throughout the museum showing the daily life on the base through the missions undertaken by the Bombardment Group. There are volunteers at the museum to assist visitors and share information. This includes facilities to screen films of the 100th Bombardment Group if requested. Short tours around the area of the museum and airfield are also offered by the volunteers.​The museum is free to visit but donations are kindly requested to help with the maintenance and preservation of the site. The museum is only open between March and October (inclusive) and is closed over the winter months.

100th Bombardment Group, Station 139, Thorpe Abbots

Photos

Sites and stories along the route

Technical Site, Station 139

Western Perimeter, Station 139

Northern Perimeter, Station 139

B-17 Flying Fortress ‘Flack Shack’

Eastern Perimeter, Station 139

Curtis LeMay

Communal Site 1, Station 139

The ‘Bloody Hundredth’, 100th Bombardment Group

Bicycles of Thorpe Abbots

100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum