THE HIDDEN HEROES AFTER-WAR MEMORIAL AT TALLY HO FARM WINKFIELD SL4 4RZ ENGLAND


 

How they give thanks at Podington, Rushden and Duxford
 
   
  Another surprising story unearthed through Thanksgiving Field

WELCOME & BASICS

 CONTENTS 

    LOCATION

   NEWS 

     TALKS  

CONTACT

 

HAPPY LANDINGS CLUB
 

BEFRIENDING FLY2HELP & ROSIE
THE RIVETER CHARTER HIGH

 

CHAMPIONS AT TALLY HO FARM

        2014 TIME CAPSULE

OUR B17's CREW

    TCAAP IN MINNESOTA

    ROSIES IN LONG BEACH 

    INFORMATEERS

    

SCHWEINFURT RECONCILED 1943-2014

USAAF MEMORIALS IN UK

RETURNERS HOME

   BLACK THURSDAY

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BOMBEE'S EYE VIEW

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PODINGTON is a village in Bedfordshire in England - and the place from where our Winkfield B17 set off on Bloody Thursday.

RAF Podington was originally built in 1940-1 for RAF bombers. On 18 April 1942 it was made available to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) 8th Air Force, and assigned USAAF Station Number 109.

From 15 August through 2 September 1942, Podington was briefly used by the 301st Bombardment Group, based at RAF Chelveston as a satellite airfield for its B-17 Flying Fortress bombers.

It was quickly found that Podington was inadequate to support the B-17s and required improvement to Class A airfield standards. As a result the runways at Podington were lengthened to accommodate the heavy 4-engined bombers of the Eighth Air Force.

Topographical limitations, however, resulted in the NE-SW runway being only 1100 yards, giving Podington an exceptionally short secondary runway. Additional hardstands and taxiways were also constructed.

On 23 September the 92nd Bombardment Group (Heavy) moved into Podington from RAF Alconbury. The 92nd was the oldest group in the 8th Air Force, having been the first USAAF bomber group to make the transatlantic crossing to the UK in July 1942.

The 92nd Bomb Group was known as "Fame's Favored Few", and it was assigned to the 40th Combat Wing, based at RAF Thurleigh.

Altogether 154 aircraft from Podington were lost on service - over 1500 men.

The group tail code was a "Triangle B". Its operational squadrons were:

325th Bombardment Squadron (NV)

326th Bombardment Squadron (JW)

327th Bombardment Squadron (UX)

407th Bombardment Squadron (PY)


The fine and definitive guide to the 92nd's history is at the

92nd USAAF-USAF Memorial Association website - click here for details.

 




Four of the Winkfield B17 crew
pose outside their country house


Glenn Miller visits Podington



The Control Tower is now a residence -
with balcony views over the former airfield!



The insignia of the 407th at Podington:
"Higher, Stronger, Faster"
   
  92nd BG Memorial in St Mary the Virgin Church at Podington
 

This Memorial was dedicated in May 1982 by the 92nd
BG Memorial Association UK with donations from American friends and veterans and British Associate members of the 92 USAAF/USAF Memorial Association.

The land was presented by Mr Simon Whitbread.


   
  92nd BG Memorial in St Mary the Virgin Church at Podington
 

The Church of St Mary the Virgin in Podington also has a memorial – seen every Sunday and at weddings and other services.

The organ was restored by the 92nd Bomb Group Memorial Association. The American flag is next to a propeller blade from a B17. An inscription is on the side of the organ, above the propeller blade from one the B17s from the base.

The Memorial Association has also provided support for the local primary school and hospital.

On the right is a window at Christopher Reeves Church of England Voluntary Lower School, which was founded with a trust deed in 1842.

 

 



   
  The Podington "Big Picture" at Duxford
 

THIS PIECE of "wall-art" is at the American Air Museum at Duxford in Cambridgeshire.

It represents a B17 of the 92nd Bomb Group, United States Eighth Air Force.

The 92nd was the oldest group in the Eighth Air Force having been the first group to make a non-stop crossing of the Atlantic to the UK in August 1943.

The picture was removed from a hut at the Podington site in October 1989 by the Eighth Wall Art Conservation Society with the assistance from USAF Europe.

After the closure of Podington in 1946, the airfield was returned to agricultural use and the hut converted to a pig sty. It is probably for this reason that the picture survived.

Originally painted by S/Sgt Waldschmidt, the picture was conserved by a team led by H. Borowitz.

The American Air Museum is alongside the Imperial War Museum at Duxford in Cambridgeshire.

Duxford is also the home of Sally B, one of the surviving B17s, that flies at air displays through the summer. 

Click here for more information on this excellent museum.

 

 






A fine glass wall leads up to the entrance to the American Air Museum, depicting all the aircraft lost by the Eighth Air Force.
This is the 92nd's panel.
   
  The Rushden By-pass Memorial
 

IN 2005, the local Rushden council decided that as part of their commemoration of the end of World War 2, they would put up a memorial sign to the USAAF at nearby Podington and Chelveston

On the by-pass, named Liberty Way, the memorial was dedicated on 19 July 2005.

The B17 illustrated is a G model - equipped with a chin turret to counter the head-on attacks favoured by many fighter pilots.

 



 

WELCOME & BASICS

CONTENTS 

LOCATION

NEWS 

TALKS  

CONTACT

 

HAPPY LANDINGS CLUB
 

BEFRIENDING FLY2HELP & ROSIE
THE RIVETER CHARTER HIGH

 

CHAMPIONS AT TALLY HO FARM

2014 TIME CAPSULE

OUR B17's CREW

TCAAP IN MINNESOTA

ROSIES IN LONG BEACH 

INFORMATEERS

    

SCHWEINFURT RECONCILED 1943-2014

USAAF MEMORIALS IN UK

RETURNERS HOME

BLACK THURSDAY

DETECTORISTS  

 

BOMBEE'S EYE VIEW

SCHOOLS CITIZENSHIP STUDIES