One of the great things about this website (that sounds egotistical, but I shall continue) is the amount of feedback I receive from visitors. Most leave memories of their times at the places I visit. Some leave compliments. And very very rarely I get tip-offs about locations. “Steve” left one such comment regarding RAF Bodney and sent a photo of the control tower there. I had a spare morning so decided to visit…
Wikipedia has a ton of info about the place, including an aerial photo showing two hangars. I missed those areas so don’t know if they’re still there.
Control tower
It was windowless, full of pigeons and swallows, didn’t smell..
Underground battle HQ
It was flooded and I didn’t have good shoes with me, so I didn’t go in very far…
Guard/pillbox
This seemed really tall!
Bomb shelter
There was a dead deer in here.
Some random buildings
There were some random buildings scattered around in the forests.
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Thanks for sharing pictures of a place I will probably never see in person. My 2nd cousin, Earl Abbott was a pilot with the 328th FS and was MIA on Jan 15, 1945. I wasn’t even born when he died but these pictures help me realize the stories I read about him and his stay at Bodney are real and I appreciate what he and all the members of 352 FG did to give me the kind of America I live in. Thank you.
The 352nd Virtual Fighter Group is in the process of making airfields for IL-Sturmovik; and includes Bodney. Please visit and have a look @ http://352ndfg.com/smf/index.php?topic=1520.0
For other RAF airfields in progress see http://352ndfg.com/smf/index.php?board=33.0
I learnt to drive on that airfield in 1968-69 with a great friend: Nora. Beautiful memories.
Has anyone any memories of my mother Daphne vieusseux who was a driver at bodney in 1941-42 ?
Who owns this site now, as I thought it was still owned by the MOD? Is it possible to visit without permission? There is so much history to Bodney, it is a shame that a group hasn’t been set up to restore it as a musuem, like Thorpe Abbotts.
Who owns this site now, as I thought it was still owned by the MOD? Is it possible to visit without permission? There is so much history to Bodney, it is a shame that a group hasn’t been set up to restore it as a musuem, like Thorpe Abbotts.
I have some photos taken at various times after the War: 1969 was my first visit. I will try to post a few.
still no reply as to present ownership, can anybody help me ? am G7AIR, operator of G3/G7EUG and RAFARS member would like to operate portable AOTA statrion from here. Ted
I’m glad to see other people enjoying this place as much as i have. Iv’e slept in the control tower on more than a few occasions. My father has written a series of books about airfields called ‘The military airfields of Britain’ which may be of interest to some of you. I am trying to find out how much it would be to purchase the Bodney site, to make a world war two museum. Any help on this matter would be very much appreciated. If we don’t look after these places no one else will.
Pete, did you have any joy with the possible purchase of the site?
The site is privately farmed but owned by MOD and is in regular use as part of STANTA training area. You trespass at your peril!
does anyone have any old pictures of the dancehall?
Yes I do Mrs Bale. I believe you are talking about the multi purpose building on the north site at Bodney but I will have to find them. Did you attend those dances? I would be very interested to know.
As Jim says the site is owned by the MOD and you trespass at your peril. The control Tower is actually owned by the Bowes family, but of course the roads to the tower are owned by the MOD. It was my father who was in charge and helped to build this control tower, so I have an interest in the tower and all of the airfield as it used to be my playground when I was young. I’m an associate member of the 352nd FG association.
Bill, does your interest extend to wanting to see the tower renovated? I’ve visited the towers at Rougham and Thorpe Abbots recently and what they have done there is fantastic bearing in mind that they are volunteers.
Les, There is nothing more than I would love is to see the tower renovated. I had a rough estimate of £100,000 4years ago as the reed bars on the balcony need specialist work, I put it to the 352nd at one of there reunions but they seemed to think it was too expensive, which is a shame. I will have to go on hoping.
I have just come back from a 352nd reunion in Orlando and there were 11 veterans including Bob Powell, Ray Mitchell and Don Bryan (Ace).
Bill, I’d be interested in talking to you further about the site, you obviously know quite a bit about it. Are you local to Watton?
My uncle (Lieutenant “Dickie” Law) may have been the only Englishman to fly with the 352/328 Fighter Group at Bodneyin July and August 1944, can any of the veterans be asked if they remember him?
Stuart, You need to get in touch with Bob Powell of the 352nd FG association he and your uncle were good friends and Bob often talked about him at the reunions. There was one other British pilot who flew with the 352nd and that was Ted King, who has passed away now, but he also knew your uncle. Contact me at: waspph@yahoo.co.uk
Les, I live in Stevenage Hertfordshire but I do go to Norfolk a few times during the year and it would not be much of a problem to meet you in the very near future. Carol at the Windmill pub knows me and if you go there I have small a display of photos hanging up on the wall. I hope we can meet it would be good to talk to a fellow enthusiast.
Can we exchange email addresses on this site?
Hi Bill, I’ve set up the following temporary email address – bluenosers@hotmail.co.uk. Drop me a line.
In 1956 I spent a few weeks at Bodney North…I think it was,before being shipped out
to invade Egypt with 1st Royal Scots.
There were a handful of wartime nissen huts in the woods, cookhouse, & a jail with
barred windows…..I spent a few days in there, for taking a few days ‘leave’.
I have since tried to visit this site, but without success. Is it still there?
We used to cross a few fields to visit the local pub at Little Cressingham (?)
Any locals remember these days?
My father flew P-51s out of Bodney as a member of the 486th FS, 352nd FG. I am in the UK on business this week and would very much like to drive out to Bodney and visit the airfield. Do I require special permission to do so? And if so, whom do I call? Many thanks!
Hi Mike, I believe the tower is owned by a farm and the surrounding land by the Minstry of Defence. On the occasions that I have visited the tower I have not sought any permissions and have not encountered any problems. You can always plead ignorance and, given that your father flew from Bodney, I wouldn’t have thought anyone could begrudge you visiting.
hi, i live at lakenheath which is about 15 mls away .i am going to BODNEY on thursday to take some photos you only need to to walk through the farm gate if you see any one in truck or on tractor stop them and ask permission and you will get it. tony