RAF Thurleigh

RAF Thurleigh
USAAF Station 111
Thurleigh, Bedford, Bedfordshire in England
RAF Thurleigh 12 March 1943
RAF Thurleigh is located in Bedfordshire
RAF Thurleigh
RAF Thurleigh
Location within Bedfordshire
Coordinates52°13′47″N 000°28′29″W / 52.22972°N 0.47472°W / 52.22972; -0.47472
TypeRoyal Air Force station
Site information
OwnerAir Ministry
OperatorRoyal Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
Controlled byRAF Bomber Command
Eighth Air Force
Site history
Built1940 (1940)
Built byW & C French Ltd.
In use1941-1946 (1946)
Battles/warsSecond World War
Garrison information
Past
commanders
Squadron Leader D. A. Batwell RAF
1942-September 1942
Colonel C. B. Overacker USAAF
September 1942-1945
Garrison306th Bombardment Group (Heavy)
Airfield information
Runways
Direction Length and surface
06/24 1,828 metres (5,997 ft) Concrete
12/30 1,280 metres (4,199 ft) Concrete
18/36 1,280 metres (4,199 ft) Concrete
Lockheed/Vega B-17F-10-VE Flying Fortress Serial 42-5744 "Dollie Madison" of the 369th Bomb Squadron. This aircraft returned to the United States on 2 November 1943
Douglas/Long Beach B-17G-55-DL Fortress 44-46604 and Boeing B-17G-95-BO Flying Fortress 44-48676 of the 306th Bomb Group

Royal Air Force Thurleigh or more simply RAF Thurleigh is a former Royal Air Force station located 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Bedford, Bedfordshire, England. Thurleigh was transferred to the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force on 9 December 1942 and designated Station 111, and used for heavy bomber operations against Nazi Germany.