. . a Brief History
1943 - constructed as one of three emergency airfields for damaged bombers returning from raids over Germany. The other two airfields were RAF Manston and Carnaby. All airfields were fitted with long, heavy-duty runways. RAF Woodbridge was initially named RAF Station Sutton Heath.
1943 - Jul 1943, 1st used by an American B-17 bomber.
1944 - 13 Jul 1944, a lost German aircraft, a JU-88 fitted with up-to-date radar made a night landing at RAF Woodbridge thinking they were on German soil. With the crew captured, the radar was studied & put to allied use.
1944 - 12 Aug 1944, Joseph Kennedy, the oldest of the Kennedys and brother to the late President John F. Kennedy. . took off from RAF Woodbridge (or possibly RAF Fersfield) on his last & fatal flight that killed him while participating in project Aphrodite.
1945 - It is purported that 4,200 aircraft made emergency landings at RAF Woodbridge by the close of WWII. With the ending of the war, RAF Woodbridge was used by British Lancaster bombers dropping Grand Slam bombs on Orford Ness.
1948 - 14 Mar 1948, RAF Woodbridge closes.
1948 - 16 Apr 1952, the U.S. 3928th Air Base Squadron is established at RAF Woodbridge:
79th Fighter Bomber Squadron arrives 1 Oct 1952 (F-84G Thunderjet). The 79th provided escort for Strategic Air Command B-47s bombers out of RAF Sturgate.1955 - the 79th upgraded to F-84F Thunderstreaks.
1958 - RAF Woodbridge & RAF Bentwaters operates under 81st Tactical Fighter Wing:
78th Fighter Inerceptor Squadron arrives from RAF Shepherds Grove Dec 195879th re-equipped with F-100 Super Sabres78th designated Tactical Fighter Squadron & equipped with F-101A/C Voodoos1965 - 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron re-equiped with F-4D Phantom IIs replacing Voodoos
1970 - arrival of the 67th Air Rescue and Recovery Squadron (C-130s & HH53 Helicopters)
1979 - arrival of A-10 Thunderbolts at RAF Woodbridge:
78th Tactical Fighter Squadron509th Tactical Fighter Squadron1980 - transfer of the 91st TFS from RAF Bentwaters to RAF Woodbridge
1992 - the 67th Special Ops Squadron left RAF Woodbridge on 1 Apr 1992. The 78th TFS was inactivated on 1 May 1992. The 91st TFS inactivated 19 Aug 1992.
1993 - with the deactivation of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Woodbridge is returned to the British Ministry of Defence.
2006 - RAF Woodbrdige is now called Rock Barracks, and home to the British Army 23rd Engineer Regiment (Air Assault).
