Badger Exploration
Active member
It's been such a long time! Did you miss me?
Anyways These photos range from 6th May 2020 - 28th November 2021 from many visits to this RAF base.
History: This airfield was opened in 1941 and was first used by the RAF Bomber Command 1653 Heavy Conversion Unit with Liberators. The original runways were approximatley 1,600 yards and 1,100 yards in length. However these were unsuitable for the operation of heavy, four-engined bombers and the field was upgraded to a Class A airfield. The runways were extended to 2,000 yards for the main 1,400 yards for each of the others, started in late 1942
RAF Grafton Underwood was assigned United States Army Air Forces Eigth Air Force in 1942. It's designation was USAAF Station 106.
The first USAAF Eigth Air Force tenant on Grafton Underwood was the 15th Bombardment Squadron arriving on 12th May 1942 from Batchelor Australia. The squadron flew the British Boston III loght bomber.
At the time Grafton Underwood was lacking many facilities, and the squadron moved to RAF Molesworth in mid June.
In early July 1942, the 97th Bombardment arrived at Grafton Underwood with two B-17E bomber squadrons, the 342nd and 343rd. The ongoing construction at the airfield limited its ability to support a full bomb group, and it acted as a satellite airfield for RAF Polebrook. However, the 97th had already been there in england for some time, because the 340th Squadron was already at Polebrook and arrived months before the 342nd and 343rd had gotten to Grafton.
Through the summer, aircraft from the 342nd and 343rd bomb squadrons joines with the aircraft at Polebrook attacking airfields, marshallimg yards, industries, naval installations, and other targets in France and the Low Countries.
In September the 97th Bomb Group left Grafton Underwood and consolidated its aircradt at Polebrook. In October the Group was transferred to the Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterrainean theatre and then 15th Air Force amd went on to lead a number of secret amd daring missions all over Europe.
The 305th Bombardment Group arrived form California during September 1942, replacing the 97th. They were assigned to the 40th Combat Wing at RAF Thurleigh. The operational squadrons were the 364th, 365th, 366th and the 422nd. At Grafton Underwood and the group began combat on 17th November 1942.
During December 1942, the group was transferred to RAF Chalvston.
The next EAF heavy bomb group to arrive was the 96th Bombardment Group which flew from Pyote AAF in Texas in April 1943. These were the squadrons, 337th, 338th, 339th and the 413th. The group commenced combat on 14th May but, as it was assigned to the 45th Wing with a general base area in north Essex, the 96th moved east at the end of May to RAF Andrews Field.
From May 1943 - June 1945 the 384th Bombardment Group ised Grafton Underwood arriving from Sioux City AAF.
It was assigned to the 41st Combat Bombardment Wind and its squadrons were the 544th, 545th, 546th and the 547th.
The base was by closed on 1st October 1994 after over 40 years of active duty
After the military it was used to store vehicles. To this present day the site is used for airsoft, dog walking, and the fields around it are used for farming.
There also hold plans to convert some of the buildings into a museum about the base. I suggest that you pay it a visit if you are in the area once it opens.
Anyways These photos range from 6th May 2020 - 28th November 2021 from many visits to this RAF base.
History: This airfield was opened in 1941 and was first used by the RAF Bomber Command 1653 Heavy Conversion Unit with Liberators. The original runways were approximatley 1,600 yards and 1,100 yards in length. However these were unsuitable for the operation of heavy, four-engined bombers and the field was upgraded to a Class A airfield. The runways were extended to 2,000 yards for the main 1,400 yards for each of the others, started in late 1942
RAF Grafton Underwood was assigned United States Army Air Forces Eigth Air Force in 1942. It's designation was USAAF Station 106.
The first USAAF Eigth Air Force tenant on Grafton Underwood was the 15th Bombardment Squadron arriving on 12th May 1942 from Batchelor Australia. The squadron flew the British Boston III loght bomber.
At the time Grafton Underwood was lacking many facilities, and the squadron moved to RAF Molesworth in mid June.
In early July 1942, the 97th Bombardment arrived at Grafton Underwood with two B-17E bomber squadrons, the 342nd and 343rd. The ongoing construction at the airfield limited its ability to support a full bomb group, and it acted as a satellite airfield for RAF Polebrook. However, the 97th had already been there in england for some time, because the 340th Squadron was already at Polebrook and arrived months before the 342nd and 343rd had gotten to Grafton.
Through the summer, aircraft from the 342nd and 343rd bomb squadrons joines with the aircraft at Polebrook attacking airfields, marshallimg yards, industries, naval installations, and other targets in France and the Low Countries.
In September the 97th Bomb Group left Grafton Underwood and consolidated its aircradt at Polebrook. In October the Group was transferred to the Twelfth Air Force in the Mediterrainean theatre and then 15th Air Force amd went on to lead a number of secret amd daring missions all over Europe.
The 305th Bombardment Group arrived form California during September 1942, replacing the 97th. They were assigned to the 40th Combat Wing at RAF Thurleigh. The operational squadrons were the 364th, 365th, 366th and the 422nd. At Grafton Underwood and the group began combat on 17th November 1942.
During December 1942, the group was transferred to RAF Chalvston.
The next EAF heavy bomb group to arrive was the 96th Bombardment Group which flew from Pyote AAF in Texas in April 1943. These were the squadrons, 337th, 338th, 339th and the 413th. The group commenced combat on 14th May but, as it was assigned to the 45th Wing with a general base area in north Essex, the 96th moved east at the end of May to RAF Andrews Field.
From May 1943 - June 1945 the 384th Bombardment Group ised Grafton Underwood arriving from Sioux City AAF.
It was assigned to the 41st Combat Bombardment Wind and its squadrons were the 544th, 545th, 546th and the 547th.
The base was by closed on 1st October 1994 after over 40 years of active duty
After the military it was used to store vehicles. To this present day the site is used for airsoft, dog walking, and the fields around it are used for farming.
There also hold plans to convert some of the buildings into a museum about the base. I suggest that you pay it a visit if you are in the area once it opens.
