Norwich, Norfolk, GB 🇬🇧 Closed Airport
GB-1108
-
157 ft
GB-ENG
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 52.46719° N, 0.9506° E
Continent: EU
Type: Closed Airport
RAF Snetterton Heath (also known by its wartime designation USAAF Station 138) in Norwich, Norfolk, is primarily recognized as a former Royal Air Force station and USAAF bomber base from World War II, rather than a contemporary health facility or active travel hub. Today, the site has been largely repurposed, most notably as the Snetterton Circuit for motor racing, and also hosts the 96th Bomb Group Museum and a memorial site. Consequently, traditional "traveler reviews" pertaining to airport terminal facilities, security wait times, or customs/immigration experiences are not applicable to this location. Visitor sentiment revolves around its historical significance and its current use as a motor racing venue.
What Visitors Can Experience:
Practical Information for Visitors:
Overall, visitors to the former RAF Snetterton Heath are primarily those interested in World War II aviation history and motorsport. The site offers a well-preserved memorial and a dedicated museum to honor its past, alongside its active role as a motor racing venue. Visitors should plan their travel carefully due to limited public transport options.
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
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November 1948
The airfield was closed to flying operations following the end of World War II and the subsequent military drawdown. With the departure of the USAAF in 1945, the base was returned to the Royal Air Force, who used it for maintenance units before it was ultimately deemed surplus to post-war requirements and closed.
The former airfield site has been completely repurposed. Since the early 1950s, it has been home to the Snetterton Circuit, a major British motor racing venue that hosts rounds of the British Touring Car Championship and British Superbike Championship, among other events. The layout of the race track incorporates parts of the original runways and perimeter track. The remainder of the site is used as an industrial and commercial area, known as the Snetterton Business Park. A memorial dedicated to the 96th Bomb Group stands on the site to commemorate its wartime service.
RAF Snetterton Heath (the correct name for the airfield) was a significant World War II Class A bomber airfield. Although built for the RAF, it was primarily used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and designated as USAAF Station 138. It was the home base for the 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy) of the Eighth Air Force from June 1943 until the end of the war in Europe. The 96th BG operated B-17 Flying Fortress bombers, flying hundreds of strategic bombing missions against targets in Nazi-occupied Europe and Germany. The group was highly decorated for its actions, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations, and played a crucial role in the Allied air offensive.
There are no plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airport. Its long-standing and successful conversion into a permanent motor racing circuit and industrial park makes any return to aviation use infeasible.