RAF Hethel

Royal Air Force Hethel or more simply RAF Hethel is a former Royal Air Force station (ICAO: EGSK) which was used by both the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. The airfield is located 7 miles (11 km) south west of Norwich, Norfolk, England and is now owned by Lotus Cars.

RAF Hethel was built during 1942 for use by the Americans and was transferred to the USAAF and given designation Station 114.

From 14 September 1943 through to 12 June 1945, RAF Hethel served as headquarters for the 2nd Combat Bombardment Wing of the 2nd Bombardment Division.

USAAF Station Units assigned to RAF Hethel were:

Regular Army Station Units included:

The 320th Bombardment Group (Medium) was a Twelfth Air Force Martin B-26 Marauder group which arrived at Hethel on 12 September 1942 from Drane Army Airfield, Florida. At the time of their arrival, many of the airfield buildings were still uncompleted. The group used the airfield as a staging and transit point for deploying to La Senia Airfield, Algeria as part of Twelfth Air Force to 2 December 1942.

During the spring of 1943 Hethel housed elements of the Twelfth Air Force 310th Bombardment Group (Medium) which also used the airfield as a staging area for deploying from Greenville AAF, South Carolina to Mediouna Airfield, French Morocco.

In addition, the airfield was also used as a training airfield for Consolidated B-24 Liberators by other 2nd Air Division Groups.