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Old 21st Jun 2012, 11:01
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alanpowell
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: United Kingdom
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RAF Woodbridge

There seems to be some confusion about RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk England. Formerly called RAF Sutton Heath it was the site of a "crash 'drome" during WW2.
It is still the site of one of the longest and widest runways in Europe and had a crude but effective fog dispersal system to enable aircraft to land in the event that their aerodrome was fog bound. High octane aviation spirit was pumped down pipes alongside the runway. The pipes were equipped with jets and the fuel ignited. The resulting super-heated air dispersed fog just sufficiently to enable aircraft to make a precarious landing.
It was responsible for saving thousands of RAF and USAF aircrew from crippled aircraft or when their home base was shut down due to fog.
One night in January 1945 950 aircrew were served with breakfast because they had been unable to land on their fog-bound airfields!
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