Well quite a bit, as it turns out. But for how much longer, before another, lucrative development that we don't need, is built on top of it? So whilst out walking the dog, I decided to have a look round and record what I found, before it all goes. Home to Stirling and later, Lancaster and Mosquito Pathfinders, this was a massive undertaking and was in use from 1942 to 1946, with the sole purpose of defeating Germany in WW II. 2000 personnel, were housed in dispersed blocks, South of the main airfield. The three concrete runways were formed with gravel from Tottenhill quarry, then after the war, the runways were dug up for hardcore for the A 10, Downham Market by-pass. A FIDO installation for the main runway was supplied from a depot which is now a Volvo dealer.
The last remaining piece of runway and panhandle dispersal, plus a piece of taxiway, were dug up for hardcore in Sept 2016. The UHFP has lost part of its walls in early 2020.
Several types of aircraft have operated out of Downham Market, among these:
Short Stirling
Avro Lancaster
de Havilland Mosquito
Airspeed Horsa
Based units
No. 214 Squadron RAF
No. 218 Squadron RAF
No. 571 Squadron RAF
No. 608 Squadron RAF
No. 623 Squadron RAF
No. 635 Squadron RAF
No. 14 Heavy Glider Maintenance Section
No. 274 Maintenance Unit RAF
No. 2722 Squadron RAF Regiment
Mosquito Conversion Unit
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4 окт 2024
