Almost 100 people turned out for a walking tour of a former Suffolk airfield.

East Anglian Daily Times: Walkers took part in three-and-a-half mile stroll which included the Martlesham Heath Airfield, home to the 356th Fighter Group of the 8th USAAF during the Second World War, and was an opportunity to learn about some landscape history and airfield archaeology. Nick Patrick and Martin Cuthbert led the walk.Walkers took part in three-and-a-half mile stroll which included the Martlesham Heath Airfield, home to the 356th Fighter Group of the 8th USAAF during the Second World War, and was an opportunity to learn about some landscape history and airfield archaeology. Nick Patrick and Martin Cuthbert led the walk. (Image: Sarah Lucy brown)

The three-and-a-half mile trek was led round the airfield at Martlesham Heath by Martin Cuthbert and Nick Patrick, of the Eighth in the East project, set up to explore the arrival of the US 8th Army Air Force to the East of England during the Second World War.

The airfield was once home to the 356th Fighter Group. Flying ace, Douglas Bader also served at Martlesham Heath, where the former control tower is now a museum dedicated to the airfield’s history.

One visiting family discovered that their Martlesham home was one of the many to house American and British pilots, engineers and nurses during the war.

Museum manager, Ian Lisseman was recently handed an unusual item discovered in the garage of a Melton resident, whose father had worked at the base.

Some online research identified the item as a dynamotor – used for communications on fighter planes during the war – but little more is known about its links to Martlesham Heath.

The museum is hoping to hear from anyone who may have an appropriate use for the dynamotor.

If you can help, or would like to join one of the weekly working parties at the museum each Wednesday morning, email ilisseman@btinternet.co.uk.