RAF Upper Heyford, January 2010 (Pic heavy)

Kicked off my new year of exploring with a trip to RAF Upper Heyford. Waking up to persistent heavy rain in the morning wasn't a great start but me, True British Metal, his friend Hazel (who was as mad as a box of frogs!) and my friend Scott set off anyway.

A little history...

The base was brought into use for flying in July 1918 by the Royal Flying Corps. During World War II it was used by many units of the RAF, mainly as a training facility. From March 1946 until June 1950 it was the home of No.1 Parachute Training School RAF. During the Cold War, Upper Heyford served as a base for United States Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) strategic bombers and United States Air Forces In Europe (USAFE) tactical reconnaissance and fighter aircraft in the UK. On 15 December 1993, the flight line at RAF Upper Heyford was closed. On 1 January 1994, the 20th Fighter Wing inactivated at RAF Upper Heyford and was transferred without personnel or equipment to Shaw AFB, South Carolina, where it inherited the personnel and F-16s of the inactivated 363rd Fighter Wing. At that time, RAF Upper Heyford came under the 620th Air Base Wing, until 30 September 1994 when the base was returned to the Ministry of Defence.

Click to expand...

http://www.raf-upper-heyford.org/

Despite initial concerns about a large number of cars parked outside the gym (planning meeting?) and quickly establishing the Skyking centre was sealed tight, our first port of call was the school side and surrounding buildings.





















The next port of call was right over the other side of the site at the more modern barrack blocks. We only checked out one (20EMS) and then had a poke around some of the other outbuildings including the Environmental Health building which looks as if it is about to fall down, and indeed has in some places. The highlights were the great murals in lots of the rooms and corridors in the barracks.













Environmental Health block (irony or what!)





As we were leaving, the fog started to roll in....





More pics can be found here......ta for looking

Great start to the New Year Mookster.Murals are good.

RAF Upper Heyford

Well done
great murials good piccies aswell

Nice one mookster.

Don't you just love it when the fog comes rolling in? makes everything nice n creepy :icon_evil

cheers guys

it was a good day despite the crappy weather, nice and relaxed for the most part although there were some worrying moments when certain people wandered off without telling the others!