No.8 GROUP
No. 8 Group was established at Brampton Grange in September 1941.
It was to control squadrons equipped with American-made heavy bombers
- Fortresses and Liberators - to be based on the new airfields being
built in the Northamptonshire/Huntingdonshire area. However, with
the entry of the United States into hostilities in December 1941,
this plan was abandoned and the headquarters disbanded in January
1942.
On August 15, 1942 the headquarters of the specialist Pathfinder
Force was established at Wyton. On January 8, 1943 it was given group
status as No. 8 (P.F.F.) Group with an airfield domain m the Cambridge/Huntingdon
area. Two of its five squadrons flew Lancasters, one Halifaxes, one
Stirlings and the other Wellingtons and Mosquitos. By the end of the
war the group had become the largest in Bomber Command with approximately
440 aircraft in 19 squadrons, 11 of which were Mosquito equipped the
remainder flying Lancasters. Apart from its main roll in target location
and marking, most of the Mosquito squadrons became part of the Light
Night Striking Force designed to cause maximum disruption of enemy
defences by nuisance raids. Group HQ moved into Huntingdon to the
site that previously housed No. 2 Group HQ in June 1943, remaining
there until disbandment in December 1945.
