Wattisham Air Base
With acknowledgements to “RAF Wattisham, A Pictorial History” by David Eade
ISBN 978 0 946958 60 3
Note: The aircraft depicted are illustrative of their type. The photographs do not necessarily show
specific aircraft that flew from Wattisham.
Needham Market is just six miles from Wattisham Flying Station, now home to the Apache
Attack Helicopter flown by the Army Air Corps. The community has enjoyed close relations
with the base since its inception as an RAF grass airfield in 1936. Local tradesmen were
among the contractors who erected the first buildings and many in the community have
worked at the base ever since in a variety of civilian support roles including, administration,
catering, security and (the now privatised) Air Traffic Control.
Wattisham in World War II
Bristol Blenheim light bombers of 107
Squadron from Wattisham participated in the
first air attack on Germany on 4 September
1939, the day after war had been declared,
attacking German naval ships, including the
pocket battleship Admiral Scheer, in
Willemshaven. Four of the five Wattishambased aircraft were lost in this raid.
The Blenheims participated in other operations during 1941 but losses were high,
demonstrating the unsuitability of this aircraft to attack heavily defended targets. They were
replaced by Douglas Boston light bomber aircraft and subsequently by Bristol Beaufighters
to attack German shipping in their coastal waters.
In June 1942 Wattisham airfield transferred to the United States
Eighth Air Force. The initial occupants were an Observation Group
flying the Bell Aircaobra, plus engineering units carrying out
reclamation and repair of damaged aircraft and readying new aircraft
for deployment to front line units.
From May 1944 three squadrons of Lockheed P38
Lightning fighters with their distinctive twin tail booms
operated from Wattisham, escorting bombers on
daylight raids into Germany. Aircraft from Wattisham
also gave ground support to the invasion of
Normandy in June 1944.
To maintain the morale of the American forces a number of entertainers visited Wattisham to
give concerts for the troops including, at different times, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Glenn
Miller. The American had also to come to terms with the different life style of their Suffolk
neighbours. Many a cultural exchange took place, usually amicably and sometimes
intimately.
In September 1944 the 479th Fighter Group
began to re-equip with the P-51 Mustang;
one of the iconic aircraft of the war, as the
fighter cover accompanied the bombers on
longer range raids into occupied eastern
Europe.
On
these
missions
the
Mustangs
encountered the first German Me 262 jet
aircraft and managed to shoot down several
and also the rocket-powered Me 163 Komet.
The Group is credited with destroying the last
enemy aircraft claimed by the Eighth Air
Force, an Arado 234 jet bomber.
Peacetime Wattisham
On 16 January 1945 Wattisham reverted to the RAF and a number of different units with a
variety of aircraft had the airfield as a temporary home as it was readied for jet aircraft with
runways re-laid and increased fuelling and
engineering services.
Meteor jet fighters of 257 and 263 Squadrons
arrived at Wattisham during October and November
1950. A wide variety of deployments and exercises
in Britain and Europe kept the Meteors busy. There
were some challenges, such as encountering the
swept wing F-86 Sabre fighters of the USAF, now
based in East Anglia, some of whose pilots had
gained combat experience against Mig 15 Russian
aircraft in Korea.
In November 1954 257 Squadron was selected as the first front line unit to operate the new
swept wing Hunter fighter and the pace of interceptions increased. An all-weather and night
interception capability came to Wattisham in June 1954 with the introduction of the radarequipped Meteor Mark 12 and Mk14 aircraft. Their distinctive long noses became a feature
of eastern skies.
Hunters of different marks, with progressively greater
capability, dominated Wattisham airspace until 1960, with
several squadrons being based here, usually in pairs. Among
the most distinctive was Treble One Squadron the “Black
Arrows” aerobatic team, whose aircraft had an all-black
colour scheme. They habitually gave displays with nine
aircraft in diamond formation. At the 1958 Farnborough Air
Show they performed a loop with 22 aircraft in close
formation, a record that has not yet been equalled by any
other group, in any air force.
The Meteor was replaced as the all weather and night
fighter by the delta wing Javelin in 1957. In addition to
its distinctive delta wing and flying delta tail plane, the
Javelin was the first RAF aircraft to have missiles as
its primary armament: four air to air heat-seeking
Firestreak missiles, in addition to four 30mm Aden
cannon. The Javelin was predominately a high
altitude interceptor and crews spent much time at
altitudes of 40,000 feet [about 8 miles].
By late 1963 the mach 2 English Electric Lightning,
operating under long range radar control superceded both
the Hunter and the Javelin in the interceptor role. Again the
aircraft progressed through several variants with
improvements to power but with two thirsty afterburner
Avon engines, they were limited for range and reliant on air
to air refuelling for flights of over one hour. Interceptions of
probing Russian Bear and Bison aircraft were regularly
carried at high altitude over the seas off Norway and even
the American U2 spy plane, famed for ultra-high altitude
reconnaissance, was not immune from encountering a
Wattisham Lightning.
The last line of defence against any attacking
aircraft that may have penetrated the screen
of interceptors, was Bloodhound – a ground to
air missile system capable of engaging targets
at altitudes of up to 65,000 feet at a range of
over eighty miles. A Flight of 25 Squadron of
the missiles was re-located from overseas
bases to Wattisham in 1983, where they
remained operational until 1991.
By 1975 the Lightnings were being overtaken by technology, especially airborne radar and
missile control systems that required a second person, the Weapons Systems Operator,
(known as Whizzo), in the aircraft.
In February 1976 the first of the F-4M Phantom
of 23 Squadron arrived to take over the
interceptor role. With the aircraft also came a
lot of political and engineering baggage, as the
British F-4K and M variants had to be reengineered to accommodate Rolls Royce Spey
engines and later aircraft, inherited from the
Royal Navy, came equipped with folding
wingtips and deck landing hooks, which added
to the weight and further slowed the aircraft.
The Phantom’s radar had been upgraded since its battle experience in Vietnam and
armament comprised four Sparrow radar guided air to air missiles and four Sidewinder heatseeking missiles. A Vulcan rotary cannon could also be carried in a belly pack and the
frequency of inflight refuelling was reduced by its greater operational range.
Phantoms from Wattisham were sent to the Falklands in 1983 and 1984 to bolster the
defence of the newly re-taken islands.
Army Air Corps
The end of the Cold War and reduction of the perceived threat from Russia in the late
1980’s/early 1990’s brought re-alignment and reduction of Britain’s defences and
Wattisham’s life as a key RAF station was called into question. It was announced in 1991
that Wattisham would transfer to the Army Air Corps as the principal base for their growing
fleet of helicopters, New accommodation and three new hangars, plus a headquarters
building were constructed, together with new workshops for 7 Battalion REME, the Army’s
second line maintenance and repair function for all its helicopters..
In the summer of 1993 3 and 4 Regiments of the Army Air Corps re-located from Germany to
Wattisham with forty Lynx Mk 9 (troop carriers) and Mk 7 (equipped with TOW anti-tank
missiles) [below, left], plus twenty Gazelle scouting and light attack helicopters [below right].
The regiments initially came under 24 Airmobile Brigade, whose headquarters were at
Colchester but in September 1999 a new unit called 16 Air Assault Brigade was formed
comprising the helicopters, and troops of 24 Airmobile and the Paratroops of 5 Brigade. This
unit was seen by many as in some way a return to the roots of airborne soldiers in the 1940s
when the Glider Pilot Regiment (whose eagle badge is now worn by the Army Air Corps) and
Parachute Brigade were first formed.
Lynx and Gazelles from Wattisham saw active service in the first and second Gulf wars and
also in Bosnia, the former Yugoslavia and Kosovo.
In January 2005 the first Apache AH1 attack helicopter arrived to replace the Lynx. Equipped
with Hellfire missiles. CRV 9 rocket pods each with 16 flechettes and a 30mm chain gun,
Longbow target acquisition radar and infra-red nightsights, the aircraft has established itself
as potent force multiplier. Wattisham’s Apaches were first deployed to Afghanistan in 2007
and the base has been on an active service footing ever since, with up to 30% of its
personnel deployed at any one time.
During June – September 2011 Apaches operating form the Commando Carrier HMS Ocean
engaged targets in Libya on 39 occasions.
The RAF retained a presence at Wattisham with the
Sea King Search and Rescue helicopters of B Flight
22 Squadron The Flight was established in July 1994
and has carried out lifesaving missions both close to
the coast of East Anglia and far out into the North
Sea, day and night and in fair weather and foul. The
SAR Flight operates quite independently of the Army
Air Corps hierarchy. The SAR service is to be
privatised in 2014 and will be provided by a civilian
operator flying from Manston in Kent.
Since October 2000 Suffolk Police Air Unit have
operated a Eurocopter 135 from Wattisham. The
fight comprises one police sergeant and three
civilians:
pilot
and
system
operators.
Progressively police helicopters are sharing
command and maintenance in a national police
air organisation.
In recent years RAF and Army personnel have bought and rented houses in the town, so we
meet service families going about their daily business, which has increased the close
relationship with the base.
663 Squadron Group, Army Air Corps, is twinned with Needham Market and we are pleased
and proud to welcome troops from the squadron on Remembrance Sunday when they
parade in town.