Also known as Station 138 · Snetterton Circuit
The story of RAF Snetterton Heath
The 96th Bombardment Group arrived on 12 June 1943 with B-17s and a 'Square-C' tail code. Snetterton was the easiest base to reach from 3rd Division headquarters at Elveden Hall. Its aircraft often led major raids with generals aboard. Curtis LeMay led the Regensburg shuttle mission to North Africa from here, and the group won a Distinguished Unit Citation. A second followed for a long raid on aircraft factories in Poland on 9 April 1944. After VE Day the group flew food to the Netherlands. It left in December 1945.
An RAF maintenance unit used the airfield until it closed at the end of 1948. A private buyer took it in 1952 to use the runways for motor racing. The first motorcycle meeting was held in 1953, and Snetterton Circuit still runs today. The 96th Bomb Group museum is at nearby New Eccles Hall School.
Flying units
| Unit | Years | Aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| 386th Bombardment Group (Medium), USAAF | 1943–1943 | Martin B-26 Marauder |
| 96th Bombardment Group (Heavy), USAAF | 1943–1945 | Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress |
What survives
- Runways and perimeter track reshaped as Snetterton motor racing circuit
- Memorial window to the 96th Bomb Group in Quidenham church
- Sculpture to the group on the circuit approach road
The museum on the airfield
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96th Bomb Group MuseumNorwich, Norfolk | Free | — | The 96th BG museum at Snetterton Heath — small, precise, and full of details found nowhere else (captured B-17s shadowing the bomber… |