{"id":18423,"date":"2019-09-10T20:28:54","date_gmt":"2019-09-10T18:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/?page_id=18423"},"modified":"2025-03-22T19:49:31","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T17:49:31","slug":"306th-bombardment-group-museum","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/306th-bombardment-group-museum\/","title":{"rendered":"306th Bombardment Group Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The <strong>306th Bombardment Group Museum<\/strong> is located at the <strong>Bedford Autodrome<\/strong> in <strong>Bedford<\/strong>, England. It is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the <strong>306th Bombardment Group<\/strong>, one of the first <strong>B-17 Flying Fortress<\/strong> units to be stationed in the United Kingdom during <strong>World War II<\/strong>. The group played a critical role in the early days of the <strong>Strategic Bombing Campaign<\/strong> over <strong>Nazi-occupied<\/strong> Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>306th Bombardment Group Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Top End<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bedford Autodrome<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thurleigh<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bedford MK44 1QU<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/2015\/05\/30\/united-kingdom\/\">United Kingdom<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.306bg.co.uk\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.306bg.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a id=\"u_jsonp_2_1\" href=\"mailto:306thmuseum@gmail.com?__xts__=\">306thmuseum@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>+44 1234 708715<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First weekend in May &#8211; last weekend of October<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sunday 10:30 &#8211; 16:00<span id=\"ybfcd83b550\"> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Free admission<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/306thmuseum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"attachment noopener wp-att-922\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"25\" height=\"25\" src=\"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/facebook.jpg\" alt=\"facebook\" class=\"wp-image-922\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: 0;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d156479.8317766141!2d-0.621059698053843!3d52.23555009315795!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x4877b97e55a09069%3A0xb0ca08bd3f44eb6f!2s306th%20Bombardment%20Group%20Museum!5e0!3m2!1snl!2snl!4v1568138673643!5m2!1snl!2snl\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Collection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/306th-bombardment-group-museum\/306th-bombardment-group-museum-bedford-autodrome-united-kingdom\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-18424\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-728x546.jpg\" alt=\"306th Bombardment Group Museum, Bedford Autodrome United Kingdom\" class=\"wp-image-18424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-728x546.jpg 728w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-420x315.jpg 420w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This <strong>306th Bombardment Group Museum<\/strong> is dedicated to the memory of the 306th Bomb Group of the United States Army Air Force was stationed at <strong>Thurleigh Airfield<\/strong> from the autumn of 1942 until the autumn of 1945.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/306th-bombardment-group-museum\/306th-bombardment-group-museum-bedford-autodrome-united-kingdom-2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-18425\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-3-728x546.jpg\" alt=\"306th Bombardment Group Museum, Bedford Autodrome United Kingdom\" class=\"wp-image-18425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-3-728x546.jpg 728w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-3-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-3-420x315.jpg 420w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-3-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-3.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/306th-bombardment-group-museum\/306th-bombardment-group-museum-bedford-autodrome-united-kingdom-3\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-18426\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-2-728x546.jpg\" alt=\"306th Bombardment Group Museum, Bedford Autodrome United Kingdom\" class=\"wp-image-18426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-2-728x546.jpg 728w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-2-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-2-420x315.jpg 420w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-2-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/306th-Bombardment-Group-Museum-Bedford-Autodrome-United-Kingdom-2.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Features of the 306th Bombardment Group Museum:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. <strong>History of the 306th Bombardment Group<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>306th Bombardment Group<\/strong> was part of the <strong>Eighth Air Force<\/strong>, based at <strong>Thorpe Abbotts Airfield<\/strong> in Norfolk, England, and it flew numerous <strong>combat missions<\/strong> over Germany and occupied Europe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The museum commemorates the service of the men who flew in the <strong>B-17 Flying Fortress<\/strong>, the primary aircraft used by the group, and offers visitors a chance to learn about the challenges they faced, including heavy casualties, long missions, and intense air combat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <strong>B-17 Flying Fortress Exhibits<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One of the highlights of the museum is its <strong>dedication to the B-17 Flying Fortress<\/strong>, the famous American bomber that was instrumental in <strong>strategic bombing raids<\/strong> over Nazi-occupied Europe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The museum features <strong>model B-17s<\/strong>, <strong>parts of the aircraft<\/strong>, and <strong>historic photos<\/strong> that give insight into how the bombers were operated, their mission profiles, and their technical specifications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. <strong>Interactive Displays<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The museum offers a variety of <strong>interactive displays<\/strong> and exhibits to engage visitors. This includes virtual experiences and historical reconstructions that illustrate what it was like to fly combat missions during World War II.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Visitors can learn about the roles of different crew members, such as the <strong>pilot<\/strong>, <strong>navigator<\/strong>, <strong>bombardier<\/strong>, <strong>radio operator<\/strong>, and <strong>gunners<\/strong>, through detailed exhibits and multimedia presentations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. <strong>Artifacts and Memorabilia<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The museum houses numerous <strong>artifacts<\/strong> from the 306th Bombardment Group, such as <strong>uniforms<\/strong>, <strong>medals<\/strong>, <strong>documents<\/strong>, and <strong>personal items<\/strong> that belonged to the airmen who served in the unit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Visitors can view items that tell the story of the group\u2019s missions, including <strong>photos of the airmen<\/strong>, <strong>mission logs<\/strong>, and <strong>maps<\/strong> detailing the bombing runs over Europe.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. <strong>Focus on the Strategic Bombing Campaign<\/strong>:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The 306th Bombardment Group played a key role in the <strong>Strategic Bombing Campaign<\/strong> conducted by the <strong>Eighth Air Force<\/strong> during World War II. The museum focuses on the significance of this campaign, which aimed to cripple the Nazi war machine by targeting military-industrial sites, transportation hubs, and other vital infrastructure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The museum discusses the ethical and tactical debates surrounding <strong>strategic bombing<\/strong>, including the high civilian casualties it caused.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Photos Mark Griffiths<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The 306th Bombardment Group Museum is located at the Bedford Autodrome in Bedford, England. It is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-18423","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18423","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18423"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35059,"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/18423\/revisions\/35059"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}