RAF Tibenham

[1] The first American units at Tibenham were the personnel of two Martin B-26 Marauder squadrons of the Twelfth Air Force 320th Bombardment Group (Medium)[3] which were en route to La Senia Airfield, Algeria in November 1942.

[5] Its operational squadrons were: The group flew B-24 Liberators as part of the Eighth Air Force's strategic bombing campaign.

[6] The 445th BG entered combat on 13 December 1943 by attacking U-boat installations at Kiel; only fifteen crews were considered fit for this mission which was heavily defended area.

The unit operated primarily as a strategic bombardment organization until the war ended, striking such targets as industries in Osnabrück, synthetic oil plants in Lutzendorf, chemical works in Ludwigshafen, marshalling yards at Hamm, an airfield at Munich, an ammunition plant at Duneberg, underground oil storage facilities at Ehmen, and factories at Münster.

The 389th Group was part of the Gotha mission but after their master bombardier collapsed dropped their bombs before the target and the 445th attacked alone.

The unit attacked shore installations on D-Day, 6 June 1944 and supported ground forces at Saint-Lô by striking enemy defences in July 1944.

Awarded the Croix de Guerre with Palm by the French government for operations in the theatre from December 1943 to February 1945 supplying the resistance.

In cloud, the navigator of the lead bomber miscalculated and the 35 planes diverted from the rest of the 2nd Air Division and proceeded to Göttingen some 35 miles (56 km) from the primary.

After the bomb run, the group was attacked from the rear by an estimated 150 Luftwaffe planes, resulting in the most concentrated air battle in history.

It was reported that a person in flying clothes, similar to those worn by the USAAF combat crews, had been seen on several occasions wandering through the darkened rooms.

Current projects include plans for a Heritage Centre to preserve the history of the airfield and the connection with the 445th Bomb Group.

Consolidated B-24 Liberators of the 445th Bomb Group on a mission over enemy-occupied territory.