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The landscape of Cambridgeshire has changed a lot over the last century: parts of the county would be almost unrecognisable to generations before us. An example of dramatic adjustments can be discovered at the site of the former RAF Kimbolton, where an airfield was built in 1941. and now it has been partially replaced by a solar park and a go-kart racing club.
The airfield was first built for use by RAF Bomber Command, but was later expanded to accommodate American heavy bombers. It was first used through the USAAF’s 91st Eighth Air Force Bombardment Group, which hailed from Walla Walla AAF in Washington.
They remained there for only a few weeks before moving to RAF Bassingbourn, as RAF Kimbolton had no proper runways for the Flying Fortresses. However, RAF Kimbolton was used through several other USAAF teams for its operation.
Flying airmen from RAF Kimbolton attacked spaces across Europe, adding bombing raids on oil refineries, garage plants, underwater pens, airfields and communications centres. The 379th Bombardment Group, operating from RAF Kimbolton, earned several Distinguished Unit Citations (DUCs) for their paintings and was one of the most successful bomber groups: the 379th dropped approximately 27,000 tonnes of bombs in the Second World War. World War.
The airfield closed in 1946 but remained “on hold” until the early 1960s. After the departure of the USAAF, it was used as a fundamental education camp.
After that, most of the buildings were demolished. The two towers survived until 1977, when they were demolished.
Today, some of the land is used for agricultural purposes, with a business park, a go-kart racing club and a solarium situated where RAF Kimbolton once stood. The Hunts Kart Racing Club was founded in 1959 and the existing track was completed in the 1990s.
Another component of the land is now occupied through the Stow Longa solar park. It would be hard to say that this component of the county was ever occupied by bomber takeoffs and landings.
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