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8th airforce airfields memorials Part 2


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"Glatton" Station 130 AKA "Conington airfield" 457th bombardment group (heavy)

When i first visted Conington the only memorial was the one below in the church yard...the church was central to the airfield...ie the air field was built all around it.... It can be seen in many old pictures of glatton and can even be seen in william wylers classic colour film memphis belle as he also visited glatton when he flimed the belle,s last mission to bomb the u-boat pens in Wilhelmshaven in colour.. the memphis belle was based in "bassingbourn"....The chuch can be seen in the backgound in this film while ground crews work on a B-17...and in other shots in the film.

However since my first visit to glatton a new memorial has been put up which is a real beauty and more deserving the these brave airmen..there are also pictures of the new memorial.

Glatton is now a private airfield "Conington Airport" however parts of two runways have been retained...the old Station 130 water tower is also still there clearly visable from the A1M Huntingdonshire....

Glatton airfield was opened in 1943 and was first used by the United States Army Air Force arriving from Wendover AAF, Utah on 21 January 1944.. the 457th was assigned to the 94th Combat Bombardment Wing of the 1st Bombardment Division. Its tail code was Triangle-U....

The 457th was inactivated on 18 August 1945

 

Here are the pictures i have taken there...

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture033.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture035.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture031.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture514.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture515.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture516.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture008.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture016.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture022.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture026.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=480http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Picture028.jpg[/img]

 

And here are some origanal pictures from Glatton

 

width=640 height=363http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Glatton_aerial.jpg[/img]

 

width=417 height=600http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/bbm038.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=301http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/457_enlisted_mess.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=521http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/bbh026.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=376http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/bbm007.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=548http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/GETTING_THE_GUNS.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=400http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/JEEPS_1.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=665http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/TED_JONES_MISS_FLACK_1944.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=448http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/Unkown_457_member_9.jpg[/img]

 

width=556 height=443http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/b17gb.jpg[/img]

 

width=640 height=514http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa281/Lawson67/bbm133.jpg[/img]

 

And Still more Airfields too come...

 

 

 

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And pictures like these of ground crew and especially vehicles are so rare! :tup:

 

Lawson have you visited 467th at Rackheath east of Norwich, or 388th east of Thetford yet?

 

If not, let me know beforehand if possible -

 

I will be pleased to arrange for the 388th museum (private collection) to be opened anytime for you. You'll need a long tacho break :whistle:

 

Also, I found out when visiting guy I know at Rackheath yesterday, that he owns and has just restored the Control Tower at Rackheath on the industrial estate! I had a tour around, office tenants moving in soon but there is a display room which is accessible. You'll just need to make a phone call to get access to this and the roof.

 

 

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Hi n.o.s

No i have not been to Rackheath or Thetford airfields yet ..every time i have been near them i have been pushed for time...however they are on the list...And i would be more than pleased for you to arrange for me to see the 388th museum (private collection)...Very kind of you mate....

And lookforward to meeting you...Sounds like we have a lot in common...

Thanks Lawson

 

 

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Very thankful you found the time to stop and take those great photo's , the monument with the B17 is wonderful , Someone really did a good job in its design and creation . The original photo's are a treasure trove of information like the field built Jeep cab enclosure and the activity at the airfield during the War :tup: :tup:

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