Airfield search

Bentwaters (Butley)

Major

Did you know?

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Buildings at this still remarkably intact airfield store a tremendous array of items, ranging from wine to equipment for the Aldeburgh Festival, which has also mounted musical events here.

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Also known as: Base Business Park / Bentwaters Business Park / Bentwaters Parks / RAF Bentwaters / USAAF Station 151
County: Suffolk
Current Status: Aviation / Industry (main position) / Leisure activity / Museum
Date: 17 April 1944 (Care & Maintenance) - July 1993; subsequent minor use to present
Current Use: Disused
Used By: RAF (main user) / Civil (minor use) / USAF (main user)
Landing Surface Types: Paved
Aircraft Roles: Fighter (main role) / General aviation (minor use) / Trainer

The following organisations are either based at, use and/or have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield (as at 01/09/2011):

  • Air Charter International
  • Alde Securities Ltd
  • Allglass (Anglia) Ltd
  • Amania Trading Ltd t/a Curtains At Home
  • Amarinth Pump Manufacturers
  • Angel Theatre
  • Anglian Automation Systems Ltd
  • Bambooty Real Nappies Ltd
  • Base Business Park - formerly Stansall Properties Ltd
  • Bentwaters Aviation Society
  • Bentwaters Cold War Museum
  • Bentwaters Parks Ltd
  • Billie Box Ltd
  • Bread
  • Bruizer Ltd
  • Buckland Buses/Buckland Coaches
  • Butley Capel St Andrew and Wantisden Parish Council
  • Carrara Colour
  • CMG Technologies
  • Coastal Transport
  • Colourchange UPVC
  • Debach Enterprises Ltd
  • Driver Base
  • Eastern Woodfuel
  • Eclipse Home Improvements
  • Envirocars
  • Everett Aero
  • Frame Factory
  • Free Spirit Architectural Design & Conservation Limited
  • Global Trading
  • Granny Smith's Cafe
  • Green Gardener
  • Happi Days Rendlesham
  • Hull Aero
  • The Hush House - filming location
  • Jays Cafe
  • Kin Knives
  • Lasercare Anglia Ltd
  • Light Years Ahead Ltd
  • Locummed
  • Loopwhole
  • Madelyns Books
  • Maison Bengal Ltd
  • Nets At Home
  • New Roofs
  • Old Jet
  • Pinnacle Body Movement
  • Pooley Removals & Storage
  • Rendlesham Community Primary School 
  • Rendlesham Parish Council
  • Rendlesham Park Surgery
  • Resin Master Ltd
  • Roberts Furniture Spray Shop
  • Screen Excellence Ltd
  • Sea Kargo Ltd
  • Skipper Ltd
  • Spice Outside Ltd
  • St. Felix of Dunwich Church, Rendlesham
  • Staverton Projects Ltd
  • Strathspey Management
  • Suffolk Heritage Joinery Ltd 
  • Suffolk Onion Growers Ltd
  • Suffolk Shoes
  • Synergy Audio Warehouse
  • Tactile Signs Ltd
  • The Diner At Bentwaters
  • The Mortgage Surgery
  • The Suffolk Horse Society
  • Three Musketeers Ltd
  • UK Salvage
  • Unicorn Theatre Ltd
  • Vernon Crain

Main unit(s) present:

  • No 7 Fighter Command Servicing Unit
  • No 56 Sqn
  • No 64 Sqn
  • No 65 Sqn
  • No 74 Sqn
  • 81st Fighter Bomber Wing
  • 81st Fighter Interceptor Group
  • 81st Tactical Fighter Wing
  • No 118 Sqn
  • No 124 Sqn
  • No 126 Sqn
  • No 129 Sqn
  • No 165 Sqn
  • No 226 OCU
  • No 234 Sqn
  • No 245 Sqn
  • 527th Aggressor Sqn
  • No 2707 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2791 Sqn RAF Regiment
  • No 2839 Sqn RAF Regiment
001geograph-240572-by-Keith-Evans.jpg

A hangar at Bentwaters, 15 September 2006.

002geograph-543539-by-Alison-Rawson.jpg

One of the entrances to Bentwaters, 1 September 2007.

003Aerial - Nick Challoner 2.JPG

Looking north-west across Bentwaters, 23 August 2008. Photograph copyright © 2016 Nick Challoner, all rights reserved, www.challoner.com

004Aerial - Nick Challoner 3.JPG

Looking south-east across Bentwaters, 23 August 2008. Photograph copyright © 2016 Nick Challoner, all rights reserved, www.challoner.com

005Aerial - Nick Challoner.JPG

Looking east across Bentwaters, 23 August 2008. Photograph copyright © 2016 Nick Challoner, all rights reserved, www.challoner.com

006Bomb dump - Nick Challoner.JPG

The bomb dump area to the south of the airfield, 23 August 2008. Photograph copyright © 2016 Nick Challoner, all rights reserved, www.challoner.com

007North side of the airfield - Nick Challoner.JPG

The north side of the airfield including a T2 hangar, control tower, fire station and loop hardstandings. 23 August 2008. Photograph copyright © 2016 Nick Challoner, all rights reserved, www.challoner.com

008Aerial - Nick Challoner 4.JPG

Looking west down the runway at Bentwaters, 30 August 2009. Photograph copyright © 2016 Nick Challoner, all rights reserved, www.challoner.com

009Aerial - Nick Challoner 6.JPG

Looking west down the runway at Bentwaters, 30 August 2009. Photograph copyright © 2016 Nick Challoner, all rights reserved, www.challoner.com

010Aerial - Nick Challoner 5.JPG

Looking west down the runway at Bentwaters, 30 August 2009. Photograph copyright © 2016 Nick Challoner, all rights reserved, www.challoner.com

011Control tower and Nissen hut - Nick Challoner.JPG

The control tower and a nissen hut at Bentwaters, 30 August 2009. Photograph copyright © 2016 Nick Challoner, all rights reserved, www.challoner.com

012geograph-2628501-by-Geographer.jpg

The control tower at Bentwaters, 29 September 2011.

013geograph-2670590-by-Geographer.jpg

The runway at Bentwaters, 27 October 2011.

The Eastern Counties Motor Club at Bentwaters, 1950. Courtesy of andykitson

Footage from Bentwaters, c.1950s. Courtesy of HuntleyFilmArchives

A-10 Thunderbolt IIs training at Bentwaters. Courtesy of footagefarm

Bentwaters Open House, 1987. Courtesy of seafurysmithpics

Bentwaters Airshow, 1991. Courtesy of Pat

Bentwaters, one year after closing (1 of 3). Courtesy of Pat

Bentwaters, one year after closing (2 of 3). Courtesy of Pat

Bentwaters, one year after closing (3 of 3). Courtesy of PatBentwaters Parks Hush House. Courtesy of Bentwaters Parks

Aerial footage of Bentwaters. Courtesy of Volare Alto

Aerial footage of Bentwaters. Courtesy of Volare Alto

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