10 Things You May Not Know About Station 468

1. The airfield was built between 1941 and 1942 and had three intersecting concrete runways. The main runway was approximately 2000 yards long and run in an East to West direction.

2. Accommodation was provided for some 3,000 personnel in Nissen and other temporary type buildings.

3. The first USAAF group to use Bury St. Edmunds airfield was the 47th Bombardment Group (Light) arriving from Greensboro AAF North Carolina in mid-September 1942. The 47th was equipped with the Douglas A - 20 "Havoc bomber, but the group quickly moved to RAF Horham, as Bury St Edmunds was still under construction. The 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) arrived in December 1942 from Drane Army Airfield, Florida, a satellite installation of nearby MacDill Field, where the 322d originally began their pre-deployment training. They flew Martin B - Z6B/C Marauders.

4. The 94th Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrived from RAF Earls Colne on the 15th of June 1943. They flew the B17 Flying Fortress.

5. On June 29 1943 a special services show arrived unexpectedly at the airbase The cast included Hollywood legend Bob Hope, Frances Langford, Jerry Colonna and Jack Pepper. Sadly, the flying group was on a mission to Le Mans, but Hope stayed and performed a second show just for them.

6. Film star and gunnery instructor Captain Clark Gable visited the airbase on September 3 1943.

7. In late 1944 the 94th Bomb Group held a 200th Mission Party with the AAF band, usually led by Glenn Miller but not on this occasion, accompanied by singer Dinah Shore.

8. After the war, the field was returned to the Royal Air Force in December 1945. On 11 September 1946, the facility was turned over to the Air Ministry. It was left unused for several months before being closed in 1948. Today a group of dedicated and passionate volunteers run the Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum.

9. The old technical site for the airbase has been developed into the Rougham Industrial Estate.

10. The memorial at Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum was erected using an engine from an aircraft based at Rougham, which was forced down off the coast of Lowestoft.

You can visit the award-winning Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum, dedicated to preserving the memory of all who served with the 8th USAAF at RAF Bury St Edmunds during WWII, housed in the original control tower and other period buildings.

Uncover the history of the men and women who served here and how they fit into the story of The Mighty Eighth that will be told in a new 9-part Apple TV+ series Masters of The Air, starring Austin Butler in January 2024.

Bury St Edmunds was home for thousands of American airmen and women during WWII and a visit to Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum is like taking a trip back in time. Full of artefacts, maps, photo's, aircraft relics and memorabilia. Friendly guided tours and a welcoming Vintage Tea Room with home made cakes and refreshments.

It is FREE to visit the Museum which is open from Easter to the end of October but can be visited outside these times by prior arrangement. Visit the Rougham Control Tower Aviation Museum to find out more.