World War Two fighter pilot Colonel Joe Peterburs returns to the UK and will visit RAF Kings Cliffe on 10 April 2025, the airbase from which he flew 49 combat missions in the legendary P-51D Mustang. It will be 80 years to the day after he departed for his final mission from the Northamptonshire airfield.
Colonel Peterburs’ visit is being jointly facilitated by the Kings Cliffe Airfield Museum – a volunteer organisation which is situated on the former airfield – and Rockingham Forest Park, a holiday park operated by Landal that occupies the site today. Rockingham Forest Park has supported the opening of the museum and has worked closely with it to facilitate Colonel Peterburs’ visit, during which he will be staying in a cottage on-site.
During his visit he will be taken on a tour of the airfield and the buildings that remain today, including the control tower. He will also visit The Haycock in Wansford, one of his former favourite drinking spots.
Born in November 1924 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Colonel Peterburs is a veteran of the 55th Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, and first arrived at RAF Kings Cliffe in November 1944 after earning his pilot’s wings and commissioning as a second lieutenant earlier that year.
On April 10, 1945, during an escort mission for B-17 bombers over Berlin, he bravely attacked a German airfield, destroying multiple enemy aircraft before his own plane sustained damage.
Forced to bail out, he was captured and held as a prisoner of war at Stalag III in Luckenwalde. However, just a week later, he made his escape and fought alongside the Russian Red Army until the war’s end.
After the war Colonel Peterburs continued his distinguished military career, serving in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars before retiring in 1979 after 36 years of active duty.
His impressive record includes over 4,000 flying hours, 125 combat missions, and more than 40 combat hours in the Mustang. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal, and Prisoner of War Medal, among many others.
Now 100-years-old, Colonel Peterburs’ return to RAF Kings Cliffe marks a poignant moment of remembrance and tribute to the sacrifices made during World War Two.
Mike Murray from Kings Cliffe Airfield Museum said: “We’re incredibly excited and honoured to welcome Colonel Peterburs to RAF Kings Cliffe.
“I have to say a huge thank you to the Rockingham Forest Park for supporting not only the museum in general, but for helping to facilitate this visit; they have arranged for him to stay on site, free of charge, for the duration of his visit. I think it’s going to be an emotional thing to be involved in.
“We can only imagine the stories and memories he has from his time here, and I feel privileged to be able to be a part of this story.”
Ian Sharpe, managing director of Rockingham Forest Park, said: “We’re delighted to be able to make this visit a possibility for Colonel Peterburs. The park is very much committed to maintaining the history of the airfield and ensuring that the sacrifices of the men and women that served here are not forgotten.”
Link to museum:
https://history.ymcpra.co.uk/kings-cliffe-airfield-museum/
