RAF Rivenhall - Essex - August 2012

Visited alone today, not much left from what I could see, looks like a lot has now been bulldozed, there was still a cool radar station at the end of the runway, To be fair found exploring alone a bit of a strange experience after doing most of them with my daughter but she is not always available now ! so anyone looking for a exploring partner then please get in touch, I don't mind driving anywhere !!

A brief history:

RAF Station Rivenhall is a former World War II airfield in Essex, England. The airfield is located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) south-southeast of Braintree; about 40 miles (64 km) northeast of London

Opened in 1942, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force. During the war it was used primarily as a combat airfield with various fighter and bomber units. After the war it was closed in 1946 and kept in reserve until 1956.

Today the remains of the airfield are located on private property with the northern half being turned into a quarry.

nice pics dude ,,,its just missing some tumbleweed across the runway ,nice little mooch

Interesting place, lovely pics, thanks for sharing

nice find mate thanks for sharing

Nice find,thanks for sharing.

Grand pictures that hanger looked in good nick

Hi Steve 2109,

Thanks for posting, can you please advise if any work has started on the propose Incinerater which is they are planning to build on the site?

Not that I saw mate

Nice pics, did you not fancy climbing up the tower..

not really, not great with heights !! and was also alone

Fantastic collection of photographs

My uncle was a rear gunner in a Stirling and flew out of Rivenhall during the war. There are some great photos and I was wondering if the nissan huts are still standing etc. I fancy coming down if they are, but I live just south of Manchester.

advancedbiker said:

My uncle was a rear gunner in a Stirling and flew out of Rivenhall during the war. There are some great photos and I was wondering if the nissan huts are still standing etc. I fancy coming down if they are, but I live just south of Manchester.

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I didn't notice any, but thats not to say they are not there as I didn;t cover the whole site

advancedbiker said:

My uncle was a rear gunner in a Stirling and flew out of Rivenhall during the war. There are some great photos and I was wondering if the nissan huts are still standing etc. I fancy coming down if they are, but I live just south of Manchester.

Click to expand...

Intersting connection and bit of history the Advanced Biker

There are some still standing, plus the Command Building, in some woodland.

Please see below for a linky to good ol' Googly Earth.....

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=rivenhall&hl=en&ll=51.850811,0.649889&spn=0.00509,0.009645&sll=52.8382,-2.327815&sspn=10.202451,19.753418&t=h&hnear=Rivenhall,+Essex,+United+Kingdom&z=17

Hope this helps and all the best with your search!

Lb.

advancedbiker said:

My uncle was a rear gunner in a Stirling and flew out of Rivenhall during the war. There are some great photos and I was wondering if the nissan huts are still standing etc. I fancy coming down if they are, but I live just south of Manchester.

Click to expand...

Interesting connection and bit of history the Advanced Biker

There are some still standing, plus the Command Building, in some woodland.

Please see below for a linky to good ol' Googly Earth.....

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=rivenhall&hl=en&ll=51.850811,0.649889&spn=0.00509,0.009645&sll=52.8382,-2.327815&sspn=10.202451,19.753418&t=h&hnear=Rivenhall,+Essex,+United+Kingdom&z=17

Hope this helps and all the best with your search!

Lb.

Many Thanks ...

Thanks for the reply, will give it a go.

Here is the history link : http://www.nigelbowers.co.uk/ernest_hill.htm

The huts, are they in the wood behind the main hanger ?

advancedbiker said:

The huts, are they in the wood behind the main hanger ?

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Yup, there the ones.

As has been mentioned before; sadly the runway and Nissen Huts further north have already been swallowed-up by the ever expanding gravel extraction

Thanks for the History link -makes for an interesting read

Lb.

Next question - Are they easy to get to ? Don't want to travel all the way from up north and not be able to get near them. Also have you had chance to visit the pub in Silver End, wher eI am told there is a lot of memorablia.

looks like u had a nice little mooch....i think that radar tower had the bottom of its staires removed, so unless u have a 20 ft stride i don't think u wud have made it anyway.....unless ofcourse ur daughter was there she may have let u stand on her shoulders

advancedbiker said:

Next question - Are they easy to get to ? Don't want to travel all the way from up north and not be able to get near them. Also have you had chance to visit the pub in Silver End, wher eI am told there is a lot of memorablia.

Click to expand...

They were all still open (when I last visited earlier-on this year. You might bump into the Farmer (and / or the "Hunting" Party), who often go shooting pheasents in the surrounding woods / fields. They are pretty relaxed once you explain the ol' "just taking piccies" interest

As for the Pub -can't help you out there -never been in.

Lb.