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Hi All
A visit to RAF/USAF Upper Heyford was arranged a few weeks back and so Me, Klempner69, Fluffy and junior Fluffy (Lint) met up at the main gate for a 4 hour tour of the base.
There`s masses of info on the net about Upper Heyford, but just a little history here.
It opened in 1917 as part of the RFC, then became an RAF Base in the 1920`s during WW2 it was a bomber base, part of 92 Grp(Winslow) with wellingtons based there, After the war in the early 1960`s
it was taken over by the USAF with all sorts of aircraft based there, but the most recent were the F111 of the 55 TAC, 77 TAC, 79TAC and the 20 FW.
The base closed its doors after the fall of the USSR and the end of the cold war.
The base is now used by industrial bussiness and for housing but the airfield and tec side are in perfect condition, it looks like the USAF left only yesterday, there is a strange calm thats fills the air now.
But I for one miss the sight and sound of F111 Ravens on full reheat taking off and screaming over Oxfordshire.
Any way on with some pictures (If you make it to the bottom you get a prize) hehehehehehe.
First off we went to the QRA pad and had a look at some of the HAS`s (Hardend aircraft shelters)
With a weight of 86 tons each these doors need some major grunt to open them one of these for each door, and a view of the protected personnel entrance.
Some of the HAS`s feature art work from each of the Sqd`s like this "THE RED DRAGONS"
To the north east of the QRA pads is one of the bomb stores, there are 3 on site, 2 are for conventional weapons and the other for nuclear weapons, we were unable to get in this time but we are looking to sort another visit.
Below the main entrance to the bomb store and last remaining watch tower.
Next up on the tour was the control tower, pitty we could not look inside due to H&S because of the amount of Asbestos inside. and just behind this is a fire fighting training tower.
OK IT`S BUNKER TIME..........................
These are a few shots of the hardened control bunker, note- this is not the avionics building.
Now the main ops room and the tote board, still with the pilots names on it.
Almost there, just a random image of a little bit of "HOME"
Well thats about it for now, thanks for looking there are a few more pictures on my FlickR site if you go to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/newage2/sets/72157626551132876/
All and any comments are most welcome.
WELL DONE YOUR PRIZE IS BELOW.....
Some urbexers just can`t restist showing all Then and now
Cheers Mate it was an monsterof a day.
Newage
A visit to RAF/USAF Upper Heyford was arranged a few weeks back and so Me, Klempner69, Fluffy and junior Fluffy (Lint) met up at the main gate for a 4 hour tour of the base.
There`s masses of info on the net about Upper Heyford, but just a little history here.
It opened in 1917 as part of the RFC, then became an RAF Base in the 1920`s during WW2 it was a bomber base, part of 92 Grp(Winslow) with wellingtons based there, After the war in the early 1960`s
it was taken over by the USAF with all sorts of aircraft based there, but the most recent were the F111 of the 55 TAC, 77 TAC, 79TAC and the 20 FW.
The base closed its doors after the fall of the USSR and the end of the cold war.
The base is now used by industrial bussiness and for housing but the airfield and tec side are in perfect condition, it looks like the USAF left only yesterday, there is a strange calm thats fills the air now.
But I for one miss the sight and sound of F111 Ravens on full reheat taking off and screaming over Oxfordshire.
Any way on with some pictures (If you make it to the bottom you get a prize) hehehehehehe.
First off we went to the QRA pad and had a look at some of the HAS`s (Hardend aircraft shelters)
With a weight of 86 tons each these doors need some major grunt to open them one of these for each door, and a view of the protected personnel entrance.
Some of the HAS`s feature art work from each of the Sqd`s like this "THE RED DRAGONS"
To the north east of the QRA pads is one of the bomb stores, there are 3 on site, 2 are for conventional weapons and the other for nuclear weapons, we were unable to get in this time but we are looking to sort another visit.
Below the main entrance to the bomb store and last remaining watch tower.
Next up on the tour was the control tower, pitty we could not look inside due to H&S because of the amount of Asbestos inside. and just behind this is a fire fighting training tower.
OK IT`S BUNKER TIME..........................
These are a few shots of the hardened control bunker, note- this is not the avionics building.
Now the main ops room and the tote board, still with the pilots names on it.
Almost there, just a random image of a little bit of "HOME"
Well thats about it for now, thanks for looking there are a few more pictures on my FlickR site if you go to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/newage2/sets/72157626551132876/
All and any comments are most welcome.
WELL DONE YOUR PRIZE IS BELOW.....
Some urbexers just can`t restist showing all Then and now
Cheers Mate it was an monsterof a day.
Newage
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