Rougham Airfield

Post-war military drawdown. The airfield was constructed as a temporary heavy bomber station for World War II. Following the end of the war and the departure of the USAAF, the airfield was declared surplus to the requirements of the post-war Royal Air Force (RAF) and was closed.

The site today is a mixture of agriculture, industry, and historical preservation. A large portion of the airfield, including most of the runways, has been returned to agricultural land, though faint outlines of the original layout are still visible from the air. The main technical and hangar area has been redeveloped into the Rougham Industrial Estate. A significant effort has been made to preserve the airfield's history. The original control tower has been restored and now operates as the Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum, serving as a memorial to the 94th Bombardment Group and all who served there. The museum and surrounding Nissen huts contain a vast collection of memorabilia from the war. For many years, a small grass airstrip on the site was used for private light aircraft and hosted the popular annual 'Rougham Air Display & Wings, Wheels and Steam Country Fayre', which explains the ICAO identifier GB-0146. However, the future of large-scale events at the site has been uncertain in recent years.

Originally known as RAF Rougham and later designated USAAF Station 468, the airfield holds significant historical importance as a base for the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force during World War II. Constructed between 1941 and 1942, it was built to Class A heavy bomber airfield standards. Although initially used by the RAF's No. 3 Group Bomber Command, its primary role began in June 1943 when it became the home of the 94th Bombardment Group (Heavy). The 94th BG flew the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and was a key component of the strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany. From Rougham, the group flew over 300 combat missions, targeting industrial sites, submarine pens, V-weapon sites, and airfields across occupied Europe. The group suffered heavy casualties, losing 153 aircraft in action. The airfield is also famously the site of the last concert given by Major Glenn Miller and his American Band of the Allied Expeditionary Force on December 12, 1944, just three days before his disappearance on a flight to Paris.

There are no known plans or prospects to reopen Rougham Airfield as a full-scale commercial or military airport. The land is privately owned and has been extensively redeveloped for industrial and agricultural use. The focus of current and future activity on the site is on preserving its WWII heritage through the Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum and memorials, alongside its existing commercial and agricultural functions. Any aviation activity is limited to small-scale private flying on the remaining grass strip, subject to the landowner's permission.