Sculthorpe RAF Base is situated about 3 miles west of Fakenham and over the years has been home to many visiting airmen and support crews. RAF Sculthorpe was built for the Royal Air Force for use in World War 2. It was built up for U.S. Air Force use and was the biggest operational airfield in the U.K. by 1957 carrying 10,000 personnel and at one time the biggest Atomic bomber base in Europe. The airstrip is said to be one of the longest heated airstrips in the world. To a certain extent the base was quite secret, its position on top of a hill meaning that very little can be seen from outside.
The base was active during the Second World War and the Cold War that followed. The USAF deployed to Sculthrope during the Berlin Crisis in 1949 and then later, in 1952, it became home for the 47th Bombardment Wing, who were to stay for a decade. In 1963 Project Clearwater halted large scale rotational bomber deployments to Britain, and RAF Fairford, RAF Chelveston, RAF Greenham Common, and RAF Sculthorpe were returned to the Air Ministry.
The base became inactive at the end of the Cold War. Much of the associated housing and most other buildings have now been sold off by the military. The US quarters have been extensively refurbished and now form a new village called Wicken Green. There is also a fledgling industrial park. The airstrip area remains in military hands, officially as an army helicopter training area, and there are exercises about twice a year.
