Also known as Station 150
The story of RAF Boxted
The 354th Fighter Group arrived in November 1943. It helped develop the P-51 Mustang as a long-range bomber escort and won a Distinguished Unit Citation. On 11 January 1944 Colonel James Howard defended a bomber formation alone over Oschersleben. He won the Medal of Honor. The group moved to Lashenden in April 1944.
The 56th Fighter Group replaced it, flying P-47 Thunderbolts. It was the Eighth Air Force's top-scoring group in air combat. Francis Gabreski of the 61st Fighter Squadron destroyed his 28th enemy aircraft while at Boxted, a record for an American in Europe. In July 1944 he crash-landed near Koblenz and was captured. The 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron also formed here, using P-47s to drop dinghies to airmen in the North Sea. After the war Mosquitos and then No. 234 Squadron's Meteors used the field. It closed on 9 August 1947, and the land returned to farming.
Flying units
| Unit | Years | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| 386th Bombardment Group (Medium), USAAF | 1943–1943 | Martin B-26 Marauder |
| 354th Fighter Group, USAAF | 1943–1944 | North American P-51 Mustang |
| 56th Fighter Group, USAAF | 1944–1945 | Republic P-47 Thunderbolt |
| 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron, USAAF | 1944–1945 | Republic P-47 Thunderbolt |
| No. 234 Squadron | 1946–1946 | Gloster Meteor |
What survives
- A cluster of Nissen huts on the south side near Langham Lodge
- Two refurbished Nissen huts housing the museum
- Memorial at the north end of the old runway on Park Lane
The museum on the airfield
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boxted Airfield MuseumColchester, Essex | Donation | 1 | Boxted flew Marauders, Mustangs and the 56th Fighter Group's Thunderbolts; the Nissen-hut museum holds a substantial B-26 fuselage… |