RAF Bodney

The airfield was closed due to the post-World War II military drawdown. With the end of the war and the departure of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), the station became surplus to the Royal Air Force's (RAF) requirements.

The airfield is now almost entirely unrecognizable as a former military base. After being sold, the land was largely returned to agricultural use. A significant portion of the site, including the former runway areas, is now occupied by large-scale poultry farming operations, with numerous long sheds covering the landscape. While the main runways and most taxiways have been removed or built over, faint outlines are still visible in aerial photography. A few original Nissen huts and other dilapidated wartime buildings survive in various states of decay around the site's perimeter. A memorial to the 352nd Fighter Group is located in the nearby village of Bodney to commemorate the American airmen who served there.

RAF Bodney was a significant World War II airfield with a distinguished history.

- **Construction and RAF Use:** Built between 1939 and 1940 as a satellite airfield for the nearby RAF Watton. It initially hosted RAF Bomber Command squadrons, including No. 21 and No. 82 Squadrons flying Bristol Blenheim light bombers, and later, No. 90 Squadron with Short Stirling heavy bombers.

- **USAAF Designation:** In the summer of 1943, the airfield was transferred to the USAAF and designated as Station 141.

- **The 'Blue-Nosed Bastards of Bodney':** Its most famous occupants were the 352nd Fighter Group, which arrived in July 1943. The group, consisting of the 328th, 486th, and 487th Fighter Squadrons, initially flew Republic P-47 Thunderbolts. They later converted to the North American P-51 Mustang in early 1944. To improve unit identification, the group painted the engine cowlings and spinners of their Mustangs a distinctive bright blue, earning them the famous nickname 'The Blue-Nosed Bastards of Bodney'. The 352nd was one of the most successful fighter groups of the Eighth Air Force, credited with destroying over 800 enemy aircraft. They flew a variety of missions, including bomber escort, fighter sweeps, and ground-attack sorties in support of the D-Day landings and the subsequent advance across Europe. The group remained at Bodney until returning to the United States in November 1945.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Bodney as an airport. The site has been extensively redeveloped for agricultural and industrial poultry farming purposes. The original aviation infrastructure, including runways and taxiways, has been almost completely removed or has deteriorated beyond repair, making any future aviation use infeasible.