389th Bombardment Group at Hethel

The land was requisitioned for the airfield in 1940 and work began the following year.

Hethel was due to house an RAF unit, but this plan was changed before the airfield opened in 1942.

It was instead assigned to the 320th Bomb Group of the 12th American Army Air Force.

None of its B-26 Marauders arrived however. The aircraft had flown a southern route direct to North Africa, so the group's ground crews moved out of Hethel within weeks of arriving.

By this time the build-up of USAAF heavy bomber groups was under way and Hethel was allocated to the Eighth Army Air Force.

The 389th Bomb Group moved into Hethel in June 1943 and remained throughout the war.  

All sites are now private property and you will need permission before you visit. 

The library has information on some base contacts and with their permission can pass this onto you. The Library itself is unable to organise site visits.

The former airfield is situated just to the east of Wymondham, which is about seven miles south-west of Norwich on the A11.