Also known as RAF Butley · Bentwaters Parks
The story of RAF Bentwaters
The US Air Force took over on 16 March 1951. The 81st Fighter-Interceptor Wing arrived in September 1951 with F-86A Sabres. Under various titles the wing stayed for over 40 years, sharing nearby RAF Woodbridge as the 'Twin Bases'. It flew F-4D Phantoms from 1965 and A-10A Thunderbolt IIs from 1979. In August 1956 Bentwaters was involved in a night-time radar and visual UFO report. It also lies near the 1980 Rendlesham Forest incident.
The last A-10 left on 23 March 1993, and the 81st was inactivated on 1 July 1993. The base returned to the Ministry of Defence and closed. It is now Bentwaters Parks, with offices, film work and a Cold War museum. Work on the museum began in 2003 in the hardened command post.
Flying units
| Unit | Years | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| No. 129 Squadron | 1944–1945 | North American Mustang III, Supermarine Spitfire IXE |
| No. 118 Squadron | 1944–1945 | Mustang III |
| No. 64 Squadron | 1944–1945 | Mustang III |
| 81st Fighter Wing, USAF (various titles) | 1951–1993 | F-86A Sabre, F-4D Phantom II, A-10A Thunderbolt II |
What survives
- The hardened command post, with its war operations room and battle cabin restored
- Runways and shelters used for film and television work
The museum on the airfield
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bentwaters Cold War MuseumWoodbridge, Suffolk | £7.50 | 9 | Bentwaters Cold War Museum occupies the actual USAF hardened command post — war room, battle cabin and decontamination showers intact —… |