Bottisham Airfield 1940 - 46

Bottisham Airfield Cambridgeshire started operations in 1940 but in 1943 the USAF 8th Air Force 361st Fighter Group arrived with P47 Thunderbolt aircraft who were joined in 1946 by a Mustang P51 squadron as pictured in the Blip.

1700 Us airmen arrived and must have been quite a shock to little rural Bottisham. The museum opened in 2009 and is an ongoing project which includes the mock up of the P51 painted in the colours of one of the commanding officers who did not survive the war.

There were many stalls and displays including live weapon firing and the running up of a jig mounted Rolls Royce V12 Merlin aircraft engine. 

A pleasant few hours were spent there.

For the first time since arriving in the UK it has rained and 15 degree drop in temperature from yesterday.