On the northwest side of the airfield.

The museum is a memorial dedicated to the personnel of the 306th Bomb Group who operated from Thurleigh during WW2, as part of the Eighth Air Force 40th Combat Wing, 1st Air Division.

The Museum is an original building formally used by the 306th BG as a Small Arms Ammunition store.

The 306th was the first US bomber group to bomb Germany after they joined the war in 1942 and the museum pays tribute to the group and the memory of the airmen who made the ultimate sacrifice.

From 1942 to 1944 the B-17s stationed here, flew 10,000 sorties, dropping 23,000 tons of explosives on enemy targets. During this time they lost 177 aircraft with 483 airmen killed in action and 305 missing in action.

145 were wounded in action and 884 were captured as prisoners of war, of which 108 managed to escape and get back to Thurleigh.

While the building itself is of interest as one of the few remaining original WW2 buildings, it’s what is inside that is the real attraction. As well as military memorabilia, there are personal letters, photos, and belongings from those who were stationed there. The museum was set up by Ralph Franklin who was a young boy living near the airfield when it was active. As an adult, he started to collect some artifacts in memory of the bomb group. As time went on many of the airmen and their families started to donate items of interest. There are now hundreds of artifacts that help show the story of the bomb group and the men and women connected to the 306th group.

Source of information: www.bedfordindependent.co.uk, www.306bg.co.uk

Source of photos: Google Maps