{"id":2442,"date":"2016-02-01T20:05:07","date_gmt":"2016-02-01T18:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/?page_id=2442"},"modified":"2025-03-22T19:53:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-22T17:53:18","slug":"bentwaters-cold-war-museum","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/bentwaters-cold-war-museum\/","title":{"rendered":"Bentwaters Cold War Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>Bentwaters Cold War Museum<\/strong> is located at <strong>Bentwaters Parks<\/strong>, near <strong>Woodbridge<\/strong> in <strong>Suffolk<\/strong>, England. This museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the <strong>Cold War<\/strong> period, particularly the role of <strong>Bentwaters Air Base<\/strong> and its involvement in military operations during that time. Bentwaters was a significant <strong>U.S. Air Force<\/strong> base during the Cold War, and the museum provides insights into the military and political tensions of the era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Bentwaters Cold War Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Building 134, Bentwaters Parks<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rendlesham<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 2TW<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/2015\/05\/30\/united-kingdom\/\">United Kingdom<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bcwm.org.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">www.bcwm.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"mailto:info@bcwm.org.uk\">info@bcwm.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">+44 7588 877020<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On arrival at the security barriers, please follow the BCWM signs to the museum car park, or follow the instructions from the security staff as required. The airfield is private property, so please follow all signs and do not access prohibited parts of the airfield unless instructed to do so by museum staff or the security staff<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: 0;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d156746.55657611476!2d1.291762324202422!3d52.13132097974254!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x47d98448f02c8ad1%3A0x8f7249ca64560126!2sBentwaters+Cold+War+Museum!5e0!3m2!1snl!2snl!4v1454349870641\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Aircraft collection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/bentwaters-cold-war-museum\/bentwaters-cold-war-museum-2\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-2523\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Bentwaters-Cold-War-Museum-728x546.jpg\" alt=\"Bentwaters Cold War Museum\" class=\"wp-image-2523\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Bentwaters-Cold-War-Museum-728x546.jpg 728w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Bentwaters-Cold-War-Museum-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Bentwaters-Cold-War-Museum-420x315.jpg 420w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Bentwaters-Cold-War-Museum-600x450.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td>ZD667<p><\/p>\n<p>ZF581<\/p>\n<p>80-0219\/AR<\/p>\n<p>WH453<\/p>\n<p>XE707\/VL-865<\/p>\n<p>51-9252<\/p>\n<p>XV401<\/p>\n<p>FU-6<\/p>\n<p>XX741\/EJ<\/p><\/td><td>BAe Harrier GR.3<p><\/p>\n<p>English Electric Lightning F.53<\/p>\n<p>Fairchild A-10A Thunderbolt II<\/p>\n<p>Gloster Meteor F.8<\/p>\n<p>Hawker Hunter GA.11<\/p>\n<p>Lockheed T-33A<\/p>\n<p>McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"st\">Republic F-84F Thunderstreak<\/span><\/p>\n<p>SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1A<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/tangmere-military-aviation-museum\/lockheed-t-33a-19252-usaf\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-9692\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"485\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Lockheed-T-33A-19252-USAF-728x485.jpg\" alt=\"Lockheed T-33A 19252 USAF Tangmere Military Aviation Museum\" class=\"wp-image-9692\" srcset=\"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Lockheed-T-33A-19252-USAF-728x485.jpg 728w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Lockheed-T-33A-19252-USAF-240x160.jpg 240w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Lockheed-T-33A-19252-USAF-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Lockheed-T-33A-19252-USAF-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/Lockheed-T-33A-19252-USAF.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lockheed T-33A 19252 USAF<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>Bentwaters Cold War Museum<\/strong> has become a popular attraction for visitors to the Suffolk coastal area and for those interested in aviation and military installations previously denied access to the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The museum is based in the United States Air Force (USAF) hardened command post on the former Bentwaters airbase which closed after the withdrawal of the USAF in 1993 and is believed to be&nbsp;the only such building open to the public in the UK and Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Run by volunteers from the <strong>Bentwaters Aviation Society<\/strong>, the&nbsp;building is a large bunker made available to the public to view following 3 years of work to renovate and refurbish&nbsp;and opened in 2007. Further information on the society can be found at www.bentwaters-as.org.uk&nbsp;and for the museum at&nbsp;&nbsp;www.bcwm.org.uk<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong>Bentwaters Cold War Museum<\/strong> main \u201cWar Operations Room\u201d and \u201cBattle Cabin\u201d have been restored to original condition including the original decontamination showers and airlocks allowing members of the public to see these once top secret, high security military installations in detail in an eerie atmosphere evoking the Cold War period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other&nbsp;parts of&nbsp;the building have been turned into exhibition rooms, covering the history of RAF Bentwaters from W.W.II until the base closed in 1993. Included in this are histories of the units that operated from the airfield, particularly the 81st Fighter Wing. Also included is the other airfield which was part of the \u201ctwin base\u201d complex &#8211; RAF Woodbridge, again covering the period from W.W.II until the present day. Of particular interest to families is a detailed timeline display of the Cold War which has proven of great help to those studying this period at school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further exhibition rooms feature information on the \u201cSpecial Operations\/Rescue Squadrons\u201d that were based at RAF Woodbridge, and also the \u201cAggressor\u201d Squadron based at Bentwaters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Outside are the aircraft exhibits where the RAF Harrier and Phantom can be seen, and are joined by the USAF A-10 Warthog which was a familiar sight in the skies over Suffolk when this iconic type operated from Bentwaters and Woodbridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is plenty of car parking space and the <strong>Bentwaters Cold War Museum<\/strong> is suitable for all ages and has the added benefit of being an ideal all weather visitor attraction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further information for the museum can be found at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bcwm.org.uk\/\">www.bcwm.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Photo Rob Vogelaar<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Bentwaters Cold War Museum is located at Bentwaters Parks, near Woodbridge in Suffolk, England. This museum is dedicated to preserving 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-2442","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2442","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=2442"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2442\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35062,"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2442\/revisions\/35062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aviationmuseum.eu\/Blogvorm\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}