Timeline
The airfield's story in order, from Norfolk farmland to what stands today.
1942
Land requisitioned at Winfarthing
The site is allocated to the United States Army Air Forces as Station 140, under the name Winfarthing.
1943-44
Built to full bomber-station specification
Constructed as a satellite of Knettishall and renamed Fersfield, USAAF Station 554 - but is not allocated a bomb group of its own.
A map of the airfield · Photo: RAF Aerial Photography July 1944
Operation Aphrodite arrives
A detachment of the 562nd Bomb Squadron of the 388th Bombardment Group (Knettishall) moves in to fly explosive-packed radio-controlled drones at the V-weapon bunkers.
4 August 1944
The first Aphrodite missions
1st Lt John W. Fisher Jr. is killed when his drone crashes before he can bail out.
1st Lt. J. W. Fisher, the first casualty in Aphrodite 12 August 1944
The death of Joe Kennedy Jr.
Lt Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. and Lt Wilford 'Bud' Willy are killed when their drone explodes prematurely over Suffolk.
Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. at Fersfield 29th July 1944
Henry Rand flies back to Knettishall, only to crash
Ken Snedeker and copilot John Baird, with navigator Chas Trimble, and passengers Major Henry Rand and Sgt Bernard Kurs fly BATTY enabled B-17 42-97518 from Fersfield to Knettishall. At Knetishall only one wheel comes down. The plane skids across the runway, crashing through a gas truck into B-17 44-6096 which exploded killing two bystanders M/Sgt Clove Wells, Sgt Clarence Nietzke. Navigator Charles Trimble also dies in the accident.
B-17 44-6096 burning on Knettishall runway · Photo: C/O 388th Bomb Group Assoc. 21 March 1945
Operation Carthage
Mosquitos take off from Fersfield to destroy the Gestapo headquarters in Copenhagen - a success shadowed by the bombing of the Jeanne d'Arc school. The bombing unintentionally killed 86 children and 19 adults. The following airmen die in the operation Wing Commander P.A. Kleboe DSO DFC AFC, RAFVR Flight Lieutenant D.A. Drew DFC, RAFVR Flight Lieutenant D.V. Pattison RAFVR Sub Lieutenant H.H. Becker DFC, RNN Flying Officer R.G. Dawson RAAF Flying Officer R.J.W. Hall RCAF Flying Officer F.T. Murray RAFVR Flying Officer J.H. Palmer RAAF Flight Sergeant F. Pygram RAFVR
Michel G. L. "Mike" Donnet led the escorting Mustangs for Carthage 1945-6
The airfield closes
1945–1946: Post-war closure. Following the departure of the RAF Mosquito squadrons, Fersfield was placed on care and maintenance status before officially closing as a military station in March 1946, after which the land was progressively returned to agricultural use.
1951
Motor racing on the runways
The Eastern Counties Motor Club holds race meetings on the old perimeter track and runways.
8 November 2024
A memorial at last
The Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust unveils a granite memorial beside the surviving hangar on Airfield Road.