Walking tour of former RAF Bentwaters announced for Sunday 8th June 2025, With kind permission of the owners – Bentwaters Parks.

Tickets can now be purchased for the always popular walking tours from our shop- Now Sold Out Thank You

• The guided walk will start from the museums car park promptly at 11.00am and will pass through different areas of interest on the airfield including the BCWM aircraft restoration hangar.
• The maximum number of attendees on the tour is 25. (Sorry but no children under 12).
• Dogs are allowed if kept on a lead at all times
• The walk is about four miles long and mostly on hard surfaces and last for 4-5 hours on average.
• Some photos of previous events are below:-

24th March 2025

Monday 24^th March 2025 saw the 80^th anniversary of the last major battle in WWII and the largest airborne operation in history.

RAF Woodbridge played its part when two squadrons (298 and 644) of Halifax bombers towed 60 gliders as part of 1500 aircraft and 15000 soldiers that landed to form a bridge head and allow the successful crossing of the Rhine. But it was not without heavy casualties with 13 aircrew from 298 and 644 lost along with many glider pilots and airborne soldiers.

The BCWM took part in a commemoration of the mission with a ceremony at the edge of the Woodbridge runway at 7.20am when the tugs and gliders took off. Hosted by 23 Parachute Regiment and the short service conducted by the Padre from Wattisham, BCWM laid a wreath in honour of those lost, along with Bentwaters Aviation Society member Martin Gladwell whose Canadian cousin was one of the 13 aircrew who died.

We will remember them.

Both squadrons of Halifax tugs with their gliders lined up ready for take off at RAF Woodbridge 24^th March 1945. They were to form part of the largest airborne operation in history. Photo Syd Podd.

Locust tank exiting Hamilcar glider. Woodbridge was the only airfield used for the Hamilcar heavy glider lift on Varsity.

Operation Varsity Hamilcar glider and a Universal Carrier that has just been unloaded at the Rhine.

BCWM Trustee Simon Gladas represents the museum and laid a wreath at the edge of the runway at 7.20am  when 80 years ago the Halifax tugs towed 60 gliders on the mission.

Bentwaters Aviation Society member Martin Gladwell lays a wreath for his Canadian cousin James Bunn a rear gunner flying Halifax tugs who died after his aircraft was shot down over the Rhine. He had already survived a ditching in the Atlantic Ocean where two of his fellow airmen had drowned. During leave after such a traumatic experience he married his fiancé and his son was born a month after he died.

At the edge of the runway for the commemoration of Operation Varsity 80^th anniversary. L to R . Regimental Sergeant Major Andrew Foley, Major Alex Mason, Captain Marc Dorkings, Reverend (Major) Huw Evans.

The memorial at Rock Barracks Woodbridge, home to 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment. Wreaths from BCWM and Martin Gladwell were laid following a short address by Reverend Huw Evans, Padre from Wattisham.

The BCWM wreath. The wording is as follows.

Operation Varsity – Crossing the Rhine 24th March 1945 To commemorate RAF 298 and 644 Squadrons who flew from RAF Woodbridge in Halifax Bombers towing gliders. In memory of the 13 aircrew lost and the Glider Pilots and Airborne Forces who died in the operation. We Will Remember Them.

The wreath laid for Warrant Officer James E. Bunn Air Gunner RCAF 298 Sqn.

10th March 2025

Work over the winter has seen another addition to the museum – that is the return of the 1/6th scale ‘Aggressor’ F-16 model that was once on display outside the Command Post in 1988/89. Upon removal (when the 527th Aggressor Squadron deactivated) the model was given to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. They have kindly donated it to the museum so it could be placed back onto its original plinth. In preparation for its arrival the plinth was moved closer to the museum entrance with assistance from G & J Peck (JCB) Ltd. A team of museum volunteers carried out final installation of the plinth before refitting the F-16. I think you will agree it looks stunning!

2nd March 2025

So much has been achieved over winter inside the museum. Here is one new addition to share with you.
The cockpit canopy from an F-84G Thunderjet (a type flown by the 79th FBS based at RAF Woodbridge) has been placed on display in our Woodbridge Room.
The framework has been made to measure by our aircraft restoration team and positioned above our existing B-45 Tornado canopy (this came from an airframe used for fire training from RAF Woodbridge).

The Museum reopens Sunday 6th April.

The Evening of Saturday 22nd March 2025 will see the return of our popular live night opening of the museum as a prelude to the museum re-opening for the 2025 season.

Travel back in time to the 1980’s and experience the sights and sounds of a combat alert at RAF Bentwaters during the Cold War in a unique night at the Bentwaters Cold War Museum.

Join our uniformed re-enactors for a ‘Live’ Night in the Command Post Operations Room, and watch from the gallery as they re-enact a scenario depicting real combat operations. It’s an opportunity to see what really happened in the Cold War and the perfect opportunity to take some very unique photos!

The evening starts from 5.30pm with the ”combat alert” repeated three times during the evening, with each session limited to just 30 people, however whichever time slot you book you are welcome to join us for the whole evening to look around the museum exhibition rooms, enjoy our outdoor displays floodlit for the evening, or  enjoy refreshments in our diner which will be open from 5.30 until 9pm when the event finishes.

Admission tickets are now all sold out – Many Thanks

Some photos of previous live night events are below.

Bentwaters Cold War Museum, and our Jaguar (XX741) Restoration Team are very proud to have been involved in this project with Airfix. Our Jaguar is one of the options that you can build from this kit. We look forward to the expected release date in March and stocking this in the museum shop.

Museum opening dates for 2025.

We are pleased to announce our opening dates for 2025, we will be open on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month and bank holiday Mondays from April until October.

We will be open from 10.00am until 4.00pm on the following dates in 2025-

• April:-  Sun 6th, Sun 20th, Mon 21st.
• May :- Sun 4th, Mon 5th, Sun 18th, Sun 25th, Mon 26th.
• June:- Sun 1st, Sun 15th.
• July:- Sun 6th, Sun 20th.
• August:- Sun 3rd, Sun 17th, Sun 24th, Mon 25th.
• September:- Sun 7th, Sun 21st*
• October:- Sun 5th, Sun 19th.

*September 21th is the BCWM Special Annual Open Day  – details to follow.

Sunday 20th October was the last public opening for the museum in 2024 and we are now closed for the winter period and will re-open in April 2025.

Thanks to all our visitors and supporters during the year and of course our hard working volunteers for all the time they give up to open the museum.

You can continue to support the museum over the winter by joining or renewing your membership to Bentwaters Aviation Society or by making a purchase from our online shop.

Look out for our 2025 opening dates when they are published and we look forward to seeing you all next year.