16 Feb Thurleigh Airfield
Control Tower at Thurleigh
The Thurleigh museum is built on the original airfield just north of Bedford, England. Their history recounts that in 1940, the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force began to build an airbase there. Two years later, RAF personnel and bomber crews were flying out of the airport but then major expansion began in order to accommodate the 306th heavy bomber group which arrived in September of 1942. The first of 341 daylight bombing missions over occupied Europe began on October 9, 1942. Thurleigh was handed over to the Americans completely. This is the base that Herman’s crew flew out of from November 1943 until March 6, 1944. Herman’s first mission was on December 1, 1943.
I love this picture. It’s the Control Tower at Thurleigh where the crew members would stand and count the planes as they flew back in. The tower was demolished in 1946.
I want to know more about what it was like for the bomber crews at Thurleigh. The movie “Twelve O’Clock High” might be the best “visual” we’ve got because it was about Thurleigh. But what I want to know is what was it like?
How were the accommodations, the meals? What did they do when they weren’t flying? Did they leave the base, and if they did … where did they go? Searching for clues …
Thurleigh airfield
Update September 2012: I’ve learned a lot! I’ve been to Thurleigh Airfield! If you’re on Facebook please join our Group: “306th Bomb Group – First over Germany.”
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