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RAF Little Snoring, in Norfolk near Fakenham, opened in mid-1943 and quickly became associated with specialist night operations. Built initially as a satellite and dispersal airfield for RAF Foulsham, it was soon given full station status within Bomber Command’s No. 3 Group, reflecting how rapidly the RAF expanded infrastructure when operational demand required it. Norfolk’s flat terrain and proximity to the North Sea routes made it a practical region for night flying, while its distance from major cities reduced some of the risk associated with congested airspace.
The airfield’s wartime character was shaped by fast, twin-engined aircraft used for night fighting and intruder operations. Squadrons and flights based at Little Snoring included Mosquito units such as No. 23 Squadron, No. 141 Squadron, and No. 169 Squadron, along with the long-serving No. 515 Squadron which operated Beaufighters and later Mosquito variants. These units formed part of the defensive and offensive ‘night war’ that followed the Blitz years: intercepting raiders, hunting enemy aircraft, and carrying the fight to the Luftwaffe by disrupting night operations, airfields and navigation systems.
Little Snoring also hosted Lancaster activity during the period when the type was still being integrated and crews were converting. The presence of No. 115 Squadron (with Lancaster II) and a Heavy Conversion Flight (1678 HCF) reflects the broader wartime reality that airfields had to be flexible – able to take different aircraft types and roles as needs changed. Conversion flying was critical: it was where crews learned to operate larger, faster, heavier aircraft with more complex systems, and where multi-engine handling, emergency drills and night procedures were standardised before crews entered front-line service.
Running a night-focused station demanded tight organisation. Operations staff managed blackout conditions, timed departures and recoveries, and constant weather monitoring. Ground crews had to turn aircraft around quickly in darkness, handling fuel, ammunition and maintenance tasks without the visibility advantage of daylight. Mosquito and Beaufighter squadrons added additional maintenance complexity because of radar fits, night-fighting equipment and the need for reliable radios and navigation aids. The station’s wartime success was therefore measured in serviceability rates and in the ability to launch and recover aircraft safely at tempo.
- Notable wartime squadrons included No. 23 Squadron, No. 141 Squadron, No. 169 Squadron and No. 515 Squadron (Mosquito/Beaufighter), plus Lancaster-related units such as No. 115 Squadron and 1678 Heavy Conversion Flight.
- Typical missions: night fighting, intruder work, conversion flying and associated training.
- Why it mattered: contributed to the RAF’s increasingly effective night air defence and the offensive ‘bomber support’ and disruption work that pressured the Luftwaffe.
Little Snoring’s wartime story shows how quickly an airfield could move from ‘satellite’ to full operational value, and how specialised night operations required not only daring crews but also disciplined ground organisation and technically capable support.
A night station’s impact can be measured by disruption. Every enemy aircraft intercepted, every intruder forced to turn away, and every successful night sortie that returned safely increased British security and reduced German freedom of action. Little Snoring’s squadrons worked inside that grinding contest where small tactical wins accumulated into strategic advantage.