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Wattisham a brief history
| On April 1 1937 the Air Ministry bought 11 acres of land just east of the village of Wattisham and started building a medium bomber airfield. On April 5 1939 Wg Cdr Oswald Gayford DFC AFC took command of RAF Wattisham. At the beginning of May 107 Sqn and 110 Sqn arrived with Blenheim medium range bombers.
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On May 11 1939 the sky above Wattisham buzzed with the sound of Mercury engines as the first Blenheim Mk1 bombers, 107 Sqn and 110 Sqn began to arrive.
On September 3 1939 war was declared. Only 29 hours later on September 4th, 10 Blenheims, 5 from 107 Sqn and 5 from 110 Sqn took off from Wattisham as the first actual attack of the second world war. The target was enemy shipping in Wilhelmshaven harbour, one German pocket battleship got 2 direct hits. The aircraft were bombarded by much enemy flak and only 5 of the original 10 aircraft returned.
During the summer of 1940, while the battle of Britain was being fought, the Blenheims changed to night intruder operations. During this period the Luftwaffe became interested in Wattisham. On November 1 1940 Wattisham suffered it's worst air raid killing 12 personnel and injuring 27.
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In August 1942 110 Sqn left Wattisham and the UK for India. 236 Sqn had arrived in February with Beaufighters. By July 236 Sqn left Wattisham, and the station was reduced to care and maintenance.
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In October 1942 work was started on building runways and hardstandings for a proposed bomber base. this scheme was shelved, and instead the USAAF took over the base for a central supply depot for the 8th Air Force. The base was, by 1944, responsible for the maintenance of all American fighters in the UK.
Left: runway 23 as it is today. more aerial views |
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In May 1944 the 479th Fighter Group arrived at Wattisham from the Uniter States. It was the 15th and last fighter group to be deployed in England. The 15th were equipped with P-38J Lightnings. The P-38's were replaced with P-51 Mustangs during September 1944.
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In 1946 Wattisham was returned to the RAF. 56 Sqn and 266 Sqn were moved from Boxted in Suffolk to Wattisham by the end of 1946. However, by April 1947, the 2 Squadrons were moved out and the base became quiet once more. In 1949 work was carried out laying new runways and hardstandings. By the end of 1950 257 Sqn and 263 Sqn arrived flying Gloster Meteor aircraft. These were replaced by Hawker Hunter F2's and F5's in the mid 1950's
| The airfield closed again in 1957 for renovation. It re-opened in June 1958, when 111 Sqn moved from North Weald with Hawker Hunter F6's. 111 Sqn was then the world famous "The Black Arrows" display team. They were joined by 41 Sqn with Hawker Siddeley Javelin, and, in July 1959 by 56 Sqn with their Hawker Hunters.
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In December 1960 56 Sqn received its first supersonic Lighting F1A's, and 111 Sqn was re-equipped with Lightnings in March 1961. In 1963, 56 Sqn assumed the role of RAF aerobatic Squadron, and were called "The Firebirds". 41 Sqn disbanded in 1963. Wattisham became the home of the Lightning for the next 11 years.
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In October 1963 25 Squadron was reformed and came to Wattisham with the Bristol/Ferranti Bloodhound Mk 2 surface to air missile system.
During 1965 No.1 Air Control centre was established at Wattisham. It's role was that of a mobile organisation able to operate anywhere in the world.
| In 1974 29 Sqn and 111 Sqn exchanged their Lighnings for the more powerful Phantom FGR2, while 111 Sqn moved to RAF Leuchars, and 29 Sqn joined 56 Sqn already at Wattisham. They continued to serve together until 1982 when 29 Sqn moved to RAF Port Stanley, Falkland Islands following the Falklands conflict. |
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In 1984 Wattisham took delivery of 15 US Navy Phantom F4J's. These were subsequently refurbished and entered service with 74 Sqn, who took up residence in newly constructed hardened aircraft shelters (HAS) which had been built during the early 1980's. 56 Sqn and 74 Sqn served together with Phantoms until the Phantoms were sadly, withdrawn from service in 1992. |
| The picture below was taken at dusk at RAF Wattisham, this picture symbolizes for us the sad end of the Phantom with the Royal Air force. The end of an era. |
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Wattisham remains in use by the Army Air Corps, who fly the Lynx and Gazelle helicopters, also an RAF search and rescue flight, and will be for the foreseeable future. There are also building works in progress and by early next century Wattisham will take delivery of McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache. Watch this space for further news.
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