RAF North Pickenham

The airfield was closed as it was deemed surplus to military requirements following the end of its Cold War role. The USAAF departed in 1945 after WWII, and after a brief period of RAF maintenance use, the base was largely inactive. It was reactivated in 1958 for the 'Project Thor' Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) program. When the Thor missiles were deactivated in 1963, the base no longer had a strategic purpose. The Ministry of Defence officially closed the station and sold the site in 1967.

The former airfield site is now almost entirely repurposed for civilian use. A large portion has been developed into the **North Pickenham Industrial Estate**, with many original airfield buildings, including T2 hangars and the control tower, still standing and used by various businesses. Another significant part of the site is occupied by a large-scale turkey farm, famously operated by Bernard Matthews Ltd. While some fragmented sections of the original runways and perimeter track are still visible from the air, they are in a state of disrepair and partially used for agriculture and access roads within the industrial estate. A memorial dedicated to the men of the 491st Bombardment Group who served at the airfield is located on the site.

RAF North Pickenham has a significant dual history, serving in both World War II and the Cold War.

**World War II (1944-1945):**
Built as a Class A heavy bomber airfield in 1942-43, it was allocated to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) Eighth Air Force. It was primarily known for hosting two B-24 Liberator Bombardment Groups:
- **492nd Bombardment Group (Heavy):** Stationed from April to August 1944, this group became known as the 'Hard Luck' group due to suffering the highest casualty rate of any B-24 group in the Eighth Air Force in just 89 days of operations. They were subsequently disbanded.
- **491st Bombardment Group (Heavy):** Replaced the 492nd in August 1944 and operated from North Pickenham until the end of the war in Europe. They flew strategic bombing missions against targets in Germany, including oil refineries, industrial sites, and transportation hubs. The group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for an attack on an industrial target in Misburg, Germany, on 26 November 1944.

**Cold War (1958-1963):**
After being returned to the RAF and placed on care and maintenance, the airfield was reactivated in 1958 as a key site for 'Project Thor'. It became one of twenty RAF stations to host three PGM-17 Thor nuclear-armed ballistic missiles. The missiles were operated by No. 220 Squadron RAF but remained under the ultimate control of the US. These sites formed a critical part of the West's nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union until they were rendered obsolete by Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) and deactivated in 1963.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF North Pickenham as an airport. The extensive industrial and agricultural development on the site, combined with the degradation and fragmentation of the original runway infrastructure, makes any potential reactivation for aviation purposes economically and logistically unfeasible.