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1st Strategic Air Depot, USAAF, (RAF Honington) Suffolk, England, 1942-46. 450mm(W) x 450mm(H) 17inches(W) x 17inches(H).
Honington was established in 1937 as a Royal Air Force base operating under RAF Bomber Command. It was passed over to the USAAF in June 1942 as Station 375. Stationed at the base were the 383rd, 384th and 385th Fighter Squadrons of the 364th Fighter Group, which arrived in early 1944 operating P-51 Mustangs. A number of other units were also stationed there including the 18th Weather Squadron, the 314th Service Group (467th Service Squadron) and the 9th Depot Repair Squadron.
Also at Honington was the 1st Strategic Air Depot based at Troston (Station 595) which joined the main base. The purpose of this facility was to mainly overhaul and repair B-17's of the 3rd Bomb Division which operated from the area. Often, damaged B-17's returning from missions were instructed to divert to Honington where they could be repaired without the need to transport the entire aircraft there from its home airfield. Based on photographs from the period, a small section of the facility at this time is depicted by this diorama base.
Honington was transferred back to the RAF in February 1946, when it was used as a repair and overhaul centre for RAF Transport Command, notably during the Berlin Airlift. It was transferred to RAF Bomber Command operating English Electric Canberra's of Nos. 10, 15, 44 and 57 Squadrons. It then became home to Vickers Valiants (and later Handley Page Victors) of the RAF's 'V' Force; No.7, 90 and 199 Squadron's (Valiant) and 55 and 57 Squadrons (Victor).
In 1969-70, the RAF moved Hawker Siddeley (Blackburn) Buccaneers of the newly formed Nos. 12, 15 and 16 Squadrons to the base. 15 and 16 Squadrons were relocated to RAF Laarbruch in West Germany in 1971, these were replaced by No. 237 OCU operating alongside 12 Squadron, with 208 Squadron arriving in the mid-1970's and 216 (which merged into 12 Squadron) in the latter part of the decade.
In the early 1980's, Nos 12 and 208 Squadrons, and 237 OCU were relocated to RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland. At the same time, the base was earmarked to base Panavia Tornados as part of the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit (TWCU). In August 1982 the recently disbanded No. 9 Squadron was reformed at Honington as No. 9(B) Squadron flying Tornados and became the worlds first operational unit to fly the type. No.9(B) Squadron relocated to RAF Bruggen, West Germany in 1986, with the TWCU, (by this time known as No. 45 (Reserve) Squadron)) remaining there. In 1990, No.13 Squadron was formed at Honington also flying Tornados, moving to RAF Marham in 1994 after service in the Gulf War.
Operational flying from Honington ended in 1994 following the TWCU's relocation Lossiemouth, with No.2 RAF Regiment being stationed there until they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton. Today, the base is home to No. 1 Squadron RAF Regiment and the RAF Force Protection Headquarters.
The aircraft shown undergoing port outer wing and starboard elevator replacement is a B-17G operated by the 349th Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group based at Thorpe Abbotts (Station 139), Norfolk.
Main aircraft operated for the period (1942-45) given:
Mainly Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress
North-American P-51 Mustang
Other USAAF types relevant to the time period and location.
GPS- 52éº20'20.45" N 0éº46'37.48" E
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