RAF Sutton Bridge

The closure was a direct result of the post-World War II military drawdown and the subsequent rationalisation of the RAF estate. With the dramatically reduced need for pilot training facilities after the war, many temporary or specialized wartime airfields like Sutton Bridge were deemed surplus to requirements and were closed.

The site of the former airfield has been almost entirely returned to civilian use and is largely unrecognizable as an airfield today.

- **Agriculture and Industry:** The land is primarily used for agriculture, with vast fields covering the former runways and taxiways. A significant portion of the site is occupied by large industrial facilities, most notably the Sutton Bridge Crop Storage facility, one of the UK's largest potato storage and processing plants.

- **Remnants:** Very few original wartime structures remain. The runways have been removed, but their faint outlines and the perimeter track can still be traced on satellite imagery. Some minor buildings and foundations may exist on private land, but the main technical and accommodation sites are gone.

- **Memorial:** The memory of the airfield is preserved by a memorial located in the village of Sutton Bridge, dedicated to the personnel who served and died while at the station.

RAF Sutton Bridge has significant historical importance, primarily as a crucial training facility during World War II.

- **Origins:** The site was first used during World War I as a Royal Flying Corps Home Defence landing ground from 1916.

- **WWII - Central Gunnery School:** Its most vital role began in 1939 when it was re-established as a major RAF station. In April 1940, it became home to the Central Gunnery School (CGS). This was a highly important establishment responsible for training fighter pilots and air gunners in the principles of air-to-air and air-to-ground gunnery. Its location next to The Wash provided an ideal and safe area for live firing ranges over the sea.

- **Operations and Aircraft:** Pilots from across the Commonwealth trained here on iconic aircraft, including the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, Boulton Paul Defiant, and Bristol Beaufighter. The station taught advanced combat tactics and was instrumental in ensuring RAF pilots were proficient marksmen. Many pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain and other major campaigns passed through Sutton Bridge for gunnery training.

- **Post-CGS:** After the CGS moved in 1942, the station continued as an operational training unit, specifically the No. 57 Operational Training Unit, training fighter-bomber crews on Hurricanes until 1944.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Sutton Bridge as an airport. The site is now privately owned and heavily developed for high-value agricultural and industrial purposes. The complete removal of all aviation infrastructure (runways, taxiways, hangars, control tower) over 60 years ago makes any potential reopening economically and logistically unfeasible.