Monument record 1292/1 - Deenethorpe Airfield

A military airfield, opened in 1943 and closed in 1946. It conformed to the standard requirements for as United States Army Air Force bomber base, with three intersecting concrete runways and fifty hard standings. The technical site buildings were situated to the south east of the flying field, with one T2 type aircraft hangar there and one on the western edge of the flying field. Both have been dismantled. There was a bomb dump to the eastern side of the flying field, with a fuel dump and firing butts to the north east. Dispersed administrative, communal and barracks area were situated to the south. Wartime construction methods typically involved the use of "temporary materials" for many building types. The airfield may have initially been used for Royal Air Force training, but was mainly used by the 8th Air Force's 401st Bombardment Group who flew B17G Flying Fortress heavy bomber aircraft. One of the 255 missions, including raids on major German cities and industrial targets such as the ball bearing works at Schweinfurt. The airfield was designated Station 128 by the Americans. After the Americans left in 1945, the base was no longer used for flying but became a Royal Air Force recruitment centre, before closing officially in 1946. After this date the control tower continued to be used by the Royal Observer Corps- it was demolished in 1996. In 1963 the site was sold and part of the main south-west to north-east aligned runway has been used as a private airstrip. Also known as Usaaf Station 128.

{1}401st Bombardment Group (Heavy) of 8th Air Force base; B17 Flying Fortresses flew 254 missions from here; church at Weldon received two memorials of stained glass & bell from staff stationed at Deenethorpe; Wheatsheaf Hotel at Upper Benefield has collection of memorabilia of airfield;

{3,4} A number of removed blast shelters have been identified around the airfield on aerial photographs (USAAF sortie number: US/7PH/GP/LOC130) and 1970s Ordnance Survey mapping at SP96628996, SP96728989, SP96628978, SP96528982, SP96428975, SP96988942, SP96539132, SP96519101, SP96129156, SP96569115, SP96129156, SP95169019, SP95149024, SP95129021, SP95189041, SP95139031, SP95999052, and SP95999043, SP95909032, SP95989018, SP97158978, SP96778946, SP96788950, SP96768954, SP96209068, SP95568985, SP95778979, SP95758961, SP95918971, SP96158982, SP96378993, SP96278993, SP97448908. The site of a removed LAA battery has been identified at SP95319063.

{5} Deenethorpe (correct spelling), also known as Station 128, conformed to the pattern of a "Class A" United States Army Air Force bomber base, with three intersecting concrete runways and fifty hard standings. The "After the Battle Volume" on the 8th Air Force's bases includes a reproduction 1946 annotated air photographshowing the salient features of the base. The technical site buildings were situated to the south east of the flying field, with one T2 type aircraft hangar there and one on the western edge of the flying field. Both have been dismantled. There was a bomb dump to the eastern side of the flying field, with a fuel dump and firing butts to the north east. Dispersed administrative , communal and barracks area were situated to the south. The airfield was used by the 8th Air Force's 401st Bombardment Group who flew B17G Flying Fortress heavy bomber aircraft. They flew 255 missions from Deenethorpe. The source includes a photograph allegedly of Bombers returning from a raid on Dresden on 12-APR-1945 (possible erroneous date). After the Americans left in 1945, the base was no longer used for flying but became a Royal Air Force recruitment centre, before closing officially in 1946. After this date the control tower continued to be used by the Royal Observer Corps. In 1963 the site was sold and part of the main south-west to north-east aligned runway has been used as a private airstrip.

{7} Deenthorpe (sic) airfield, Northamptonshire, SP 958 902, opened in 1943 and closed in 1946. Used by the 401st Bombardment Group. As of 01-DEC-1944 the unit had 2894 men stationed at the base. Accomodation was of temporary build.

{9} If raid a raid on Dresden was carried out from Deenethorpe, this was not the main firebombing raid, as this took place on 13 and 14-FEB-1945. Subsequent American raids on the city happened later in February and on 02-MAR-1945.

<1> Freeman S., 2003, Flight Back to Wartime, (unchecked) (Article). SNN103245.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1962, OS 25 inch (Map). SNN112463.

<3> Pillbox Study Group, Unknown, Pillbox Study Group, e32614, e32615, e32616-8, e32623, e32629, e32630-1, e38277-85, e44815, e44818-25, e44827-37, e46766 (Website). SNN111964.

<4> Imperial War Museum, 2020, The American Air Museum, English Heritage USAAF Photograph: US_7PH_GP_LOC130_5003 & 4 (Website). SNN112114.

<5> Freeman, R.A., 1978, Airfields of the eighth: then and now, p. 66-7 (Book). SNN111557.

<6> Northamptonshire Enterprise, 1994, World War II American Airfield Nostalgia, (checked) (Pamphlet). SNN28528.

<7> Willis, S. and Holliss, B., 1987, Military airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945, p. 63 (Book). SNN111556.

<8> 2002, 401st Bombardment Group Association 2002, Last updated 23-JUN-2002; accessed 24-FEB-2004 (Website). SNN114679.

<9> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, Compiler's comment, Robin Page, 24-FEB-2004 (Oral Report). SNN111577.

<10> Historic England, Deenethorpe Airfield Control Tower, Benefield, BF034102 (Archive). SNN114678.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:34PM