RAF Sculthorpe

The closure was a direct result of the end of the Cold War and the subsequent drawdown of United States Air Force (USAF) presence in Europe. Major flying operations with the resident 47th Bombardment Wing had already ceased in June 1962, after which the base was placed on standby status. The final closure came in 1992 when the base was officially returned to the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) as it was no longer required for its Cold War strategic purpose.

The site is now known as the Sculthorpe Training Area and is an active Ministry of Defence (MoD) facility. It is primarily used by the RAF Regiment for realistic, pre-deployment training, simulating patrols and scenarios in a village built on the site called 'Paramali'. It is also used by other UK Armed Forces units for various exercises, including driver training on the old runways and taxiways. A significant portion of the former domestic site, including the married quarters, has been sold off and is now a civilian housing estate. Some of the technical site buildings are used for industrial and business purposes. The site is occasionally used for film and television productions due to its vast, controlled environment.

RAF Sculthorpe has a significant history, particularly during the Cold War. It was constructed during World War II and opened in 1943 for RAF Bomber Command. It initially hosted squadrons flying de Havilland Mosquitos and Douglas Bostons, including the Free French Air Force No. 342 'Lorraine' Squadron.

Its primary importance came after the war when it was transferred to the USAF in 1949. It was heavily expanded, with a massive 10,000-foot runway, and became one of the most important USAF bases in the UK. It was a key Strategic Air Command (SAC) and later United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) base, forming a critical part of NATO's nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union.

Key operations and units included:
- Hosting rotational B-29 Superfortress and B-50 Superfortress bombers.
- Home to the 47th Bombardment Wing from 1952 to 1962, which operated the North American B-45 Tornado, the USAF's first operational jet bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The wing later transitioned to the Douglas B-66 Destroyer tactical bomber.
- The base was a self-contained 'Little America' with extensive housing, a hospital, and other facilities for thousands of American service members and their families.

There are no known or credible plans to reopen RAF Sculthorpe as a public or commercial airport. Its current, critical role as a military training area for the UK's Ministry of Defence makes any such proposal highly improbable. The infrastructure, while extensive, is over 60 years old and would require immense investment to meet modern civilian aviation standards. The site's future is firmly established as a military training facility.