RAF Little Walden

Royal Air Force Little Walden, or more simply RAF Little Walden, is a former Second World War-era Royal Air Force station, located north of Saffron Walden, Essex, England.

RAF Little Walden USAAF Station 165
Saffron Walden, Essex in England
Site information
Type	Royal Air Force station
Code	LL
Owner	Air Ministry
Operator	Royal Air Force United States Army Air Forces
Controlled by	Eighth Air Force Ninth Air Force
Location
RAF Little Walden Shown within Essex
Coordinates	52°04′06″N 000°16′00″E
Site history
Built	1944 (1944)
In use	March 1944 - September 1946 (1946)
Battles/wars	European theatre of World War II
Airfield information
Runways Direction Length and surface 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete 00/00  Concrete

Construction began in 1942, with the site initially assigned to the Eighth Air Force of the United States Army Air Forces. By the time of opening in March 1944, however, the airfield had been transferred to the Ninth Air Force, who used the site through ti September, when it was returned to the Eighth.^[1]

The following units were based at Little Walden at some point:^[2]

• 56th Fighter Group (Republic P-47 Thunderbolt)
  • 61st Fighter Squadron
  • 62nd Fighter Squadron
  • 63rd Fighter Squadron
• 97th Combat Bombardment Wing (Light)
• 97th Combat Bombardment Wing (Medium)
• 361st Fighter Group (P-47/North American P-51 Mustang)
  • 374th Fighter Squadron
  • 375th Fighter Squadron
  • 376th Fighter Squadron
• 409th Bombardment Group (Ninth Air Force) (Douglas A-20 Havoc)
• 493rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) (Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress)
  • 860th Bombardment Squadron
  • 861st Bombardment Squadron
  • 862d Bombardment Squadron
  • 863rd Bombardment Squadron

Following the war, the airfield was deemed surplus to requirements, and sold. The area returned to agricultural use, and there are few traces of the airfields still visible today.^[1]