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O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station

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Marvin(MN)

12-28-2003 23:19:26

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I would like to talk to whoever was stationed there.I was at Woodbridge and Bentwaters from 1952 to 1955 with the 79th. FBS.
Marvin

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Robert

12-29-2003 09:04:36

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Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to Marvin(MN), 12-28-2003 23:19:26

I was stationed at Woodbridge from 1970-74, with the 81st FMS. Great tour of duty with a great bunch of guys!
Both of our sons were born at Lakenheath, which was the closest military hospital (about 60 miles away.

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D.L.

12-29-2003 03:09:38

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Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to Marvin(MN), 12-28-2003 23:19:26

Hi Marvin, I was stationed at RAF Bentwaters/Woodbridge from 1977 - 1983. I worked in Law Enforcement... ran the police dog section much of my time there. For a short time, when I first arrived, I worked a sentry dog securing weapons systems for the F-4s that we had in the early years. Must've been around '79 or '80 the base's mission changed... switched over to A -10s ...whole new weapons systems and the character of the entire wing changed. I definitely enjoyed my time in England. As a cop, it seemed like I had to work all the time, but I still managed to travel the entire country & much of Europe. Guess about my favorite place in the world (as a tourist) is northern Wales... around Llanberris... Mt. Snowden... lots of hiking and climbing... beautiful country and a mountaineering atmosphere... used to go there every chance I had! Even daily life was fun (at the time)... most of the places I lived were heated with coal... toilet was outside (not an outhouse, had actual plumbing, but seperate from the house) and the best of all were the pubs! Some friends and I made it a personal mission to visit every pub in the country... obviously didn't get to quite every one, but had much fun trying! Was a definite once-in-a-lifetime experience! The young people today that don't serve at least one hitch in the military don't know what they're missing out on! Not all fun & games, but some opportunities, none the less... and I can still say that, having served in a combat zone in the middle-east toward the end of the gulf war, first go-round. Wouldn't trade my time in uniform for anything!!! But, having been retired for nearly 10 years, sure don't miss it either!

Cheers, mate!

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jim

12-29-2003 05:23:36

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Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to D.L., 12-29-2003 03:09:38

Hey Guys - Just wondering, from your time in Great Britain , are there any restored or existing airfields that saw action in WW2? Always wondered !!

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richard

12-29-2003 15:47:53

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Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to jim, 12-29-2003 05:23:36

The control tower at Bassingbourne is open/preserved,I think it was home to the U.S 8th? ,Any way the Memphis Bell flew from there I have been told.My Dad was there in the 50's working on Canberra Bombers, R.A.F.231 O.C.U. he said there was a few Americans still there then. Bassingbourne tower has it's own website if any one is interested then mail me or post on here and I will find the address.

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jim

12-29-2003 16:57:21

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Re: Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to richard, 12-29-2003 15:47:53

Richard - Would Bassingbourne then have been featured in the film about the "Memphis Belle" which was filmed by the U.S.gov't after her tour in order to sell more war bonds ? I have a copy of that film somewhere. Film shows beautifull countryside around the base!

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richard

12-29-2003 17:09:44

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to jim, 12-29-2003 16:57:21

I have that film aswell.I think it looks like Duxford,The country side will not be that mutch different, the two bases are about only 15 miles apart Bassingborn airdrome it'self is now an army barracks I think,Duxford is now a museam(well worth a visit) and still has operatioal runways as they do hold several 'vintage'aircraft displays there a year

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jim

12-29-2003 17:31:30

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Statio in reply to richard, 12-29-2003 17:09:44

Richard - "Duxford" has a ring to it, I believe you're right! Some day , it's my wish to get to Great Britain as I believe it's one of the prettiest countries in the world , from what I've seem on T.V. , movies,etc. Come to think of it , here in Canada , most of the Commonwealth Training Schools were not much more than 15 miles apart either. Jim

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CRUSADER

12-29-2003 12:12:10

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Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to jim, 12-29-2003 05:23:36

Jim,

RAF Duxford which is near Cambridge is/was an active base for both the RAF and the USAF. It closed up in the 50's or 60's I think. It has both an air museum that you can view aircraft being restored for both display and flight. It is also home to the American Air War Hangar which has numerous American aircraft on display. The land war museum is also very impressive. In the five years that I spent at RAF Lakenheath I visited it only four or five times. This is most definetely going to be on my "things to do" list if/when I ever get over to England again. If interested in Duxford and numerous other historical/museums; email me and I will send you some web sites.

later days mate,
Jim

I forgot to mention: The last air worthy B-17 in Europe ("The Sally B") is home stationed at Duxford. This was the plane (if I recall correctly) that was used when they filmed the movie Memphis Belle. I think they also used some of the facilities at Duxford during the filming too.

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jim

12-29-2003 14:46:12

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Re: Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to CRUSADER, 12-29-2003 12:12:10

Crusader - Thanks for the response. I've always been interested in old airbases. I live 3 miles from the site of #1 Bombing and Gunnery School which was the first of the many air bases established in Canada under the Commonwealth Training Program during the last war. Men from all the British Commonwealth , the U.S. and Poland trained at these bases in all aspects of air-power , ranging from pilot training to bombing, gunnery and navigation. Thirty nine men died in training accidents at this site alone.
If you ever get a chance to see a movie titled "Captains of the Clouds", this movie starring James Cagney , was partially shot at Jarvis.
We also have a flying museum at Hamilton Ont. with the only flying Lancaster in North America. The only other flying "Lanc" is in England.
I would be interested in learning of the web sites you have in mind (can never know enough). Thanks again , Jim

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CRUSADER

12-30-2003 11:07:30

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to jim, 12-29-2003 14:46:12

Jim, Sorry, but I'm a little tired and not wanting to dig very far. Just got home and it was a "fun" night/day whichever you want to call it. Try going to the Imperial War Museum's web site. It should be www.iwm.org.uk and I hope that this site let's me post it. You could also "ask Jeeves" at www.askjeeves.com and most likely you will be able to find a lot more sites than I could only attempt to send you. Along with information about just about anything that you want to look for. Richard mentioned in his posting about the Lancaster Bomber. I would be lying to you if I tried to tell you much about it, but they have one (well I saw a lot of different pieces of it anyway) there at Duxford that they are/were attempting to refurbish and make air worthy again. Along with the test bird for the Concorde. The most newly acquired aircraft that they had on display prior to me leaving was the SR-71 and a F-15C. They were looking for some volunteers to assist with these projects, but I was a little late getting my name on the list. Hope the web sites work for you and that you are able to locate some interesting finds.

I've been to Canada TDY for Maple Flag. How far are you from Cold Lake? Didn't take me long to figure out why they call it Cold Lake either. Last time there was in May/June '96 and the lake was still frozen over. Now that's what you call cold. It also snowed on us both times that I went there too.

later days mate,
Jim

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jim

12-30-2003 15:17:26

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Statio in reply to CRUSADER, 12-30-2003 11:07:30

Crusader - I'll try that web site to-night.
I live in Southern Ontario, close to Lake Erie and about 30 miles south of the City of Hamilton. The Canadian Lanc was restored by the Canadian Warplane Heritage group in Mount Hope. It was retrieved from a static display at a Legion in Northern Ontario and took many years of work to restore. If I remember right, it cost over $200,000 Canadian to restore each engine as example. Ironically, 25 yrs ago, new Merlins in factory crates were offered to tractor pullers for $5000 American !
Cold Lake is located in Northern Alberta and is home base for the Snowbirds Aerobatic Team. Sad to see how the Canadian Air Force has deteriorated over the years. Jim

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richard

12-30-2003 04:16:31

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to jim, 12-29-2003 14:46:12

The Lanc you mentioned in Hamilton is featured on a U.K. telivision programe to-night.They get freshly trained air-crew from R.A.F. Cranwell and recreate the Dambusters raid using a flight simulator.The crew are taken up in the Lanc to get the feel of flying a war time heavy bomber.

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Hamish

12-29-2003 10:37:15

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Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to jim, 12-29-2003 05:23:36

The Scottish National Museum of Flight is situated at East Fortune, East of Edinburgh, which was the former RAF airfield and is now a sheduled Historic Monument.
This airfield was also the departutre point of the airship R34 which made the first East to West crossing of the Atlantic in 1919, and is soon to be the home of one of the seven Concorde jets recently taken out of srvice by British Airways

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jim

12-29-2003 14:54:19

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Re: Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to Hamish, 12-29-2003 10:37:15

Hamish - Thanks for the responce. I never stopped to think of those bases which must have been in Scotland. It's a shame that the bases in England seem to have gotten all the attention (a lot like the "D-Day Dodgers" in Sicily and Italy). Do I detect a Scottish connection with the name "Hamish" ? Jim

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Brian

12-29-2003 09:05:16

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Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to jim, 12-29-2003 05:23:36

Most of the old sites are still visible. A number have memorials to the ones who gave the greatest gift possible. In Norwich library there is a permanent memorial as well. Ther is also the American cemetry at Madingly near Cambridge.

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jim

12-29-2003 15:04:38

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Re: Re: Re: Re: O.T. Bentwaters RAF Station in reply to Brian, 12-29-2003 09:05:16

Brian - Thanks for the responce. It's sad that a lot of those bases are probably being forgotten. Here in Ontario, the site of #1 Bombing and Gunnery School is now an Esso refinery with only the gunnery target remaining. The emergency landing field at Kohler Ont. is now a Drag Strip , while the one at Hagerville has completely disappeared. Likewise, each of these communities have gravesites of those killed from overseas due to training accidents.

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