Well went on my first explore today at RAF Finmere and had a very good afternoon. Spent just over 3 hours investigating the Control Tower and the surrounding woodlands. Plenty to see buildings, bunkers, towers etc.. Managed to to both sides of the site as there was no paintballing on today so no risk of being shot 
Some site history i have found on the web.
RAF Finmere opened as satellite to Bicester. The base was built at the start of the war because RAF Bicester only had grass runways, they used it to train bomber pilots during the war and as hostilities ceased it was used to store surplus ammunition. Transferred to 9 Group Fighter Command in June 1943 with 13 Operational Training Unit flying Mosquitos and Bostons until March 1945. Site closed in 1950.
Now the pics
The Runway - which is still in use today by microlites and small aircraft.
The Control Tower - Its in a bad mess where local chavs have vandalised and what looks like a plastic BB war as the place was full of them
Then it was a scramble into the dense woodlands on the west side of the site where has been taken over by a paintball campany that i use to work for when i left school so i knew it quiet well. Most of the buildings and left over foundations have been incorporated into the paintball games so some bits are bit messy.
I'm guessing this was used to work on vehicles
Stanton Shelters
Some type of tracked vehicle
Then i headed across the road to the east side of the site again alot is in dense woodland so you have to look hard for some things but some nice big structors are just off the main path through the woods.
Quite a spooky building
Then you come to this building so say its a church and some say its a instructional area, the former turret trainer and bombing trainer building. I dont know but its a big place i thought maybe a fire house?
There are blast shelters everywhere some in better condition than others but then oddly enough there were loads of shoes as well scattered around the big building.
Thought this blast shelter looked nice
Found this walking along the path not sure if it has anything to do with the site or not, looks like a old bolier of some sort
Then i came across what i believe to be water towers which were an impressive site in the middle of the woodland
Then finally i looked at this not sure what it is weather it was an old foundation or bunker of some sort, didnt fancy crawling in just incase but took a pic from an opening.
Well there you have it a great afternoon plenty of walking and lots to see. Access is easy because of the public rights of way and there is no security to evade, some parts like the paintball centre is private but no cameras or people about in the week usually. Hazards are paintballers, badger and rabbit holesl, electric fences, people round the sunday market area and microlights using the active runway.
Flash Earth Link
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.980796&lon=-1.05251&z=15&r=0&src=msl
Matt
Some site history i have found on the web.
RAF Finmere opened as satellite to Bicester. The base was built at the start of the war because RAF Bicester only had grass runways, they used it to train bomber pilots during the war and as hostilities ceased it was used to store surplus ammunition. Transferred to 9 Group Fighter Command in June 1943 with 13 Operational Training Unit flying Mosquitos and Bostons until March 1945. Site closed in 1950.
Now the pics
The Runway - which is still in use today by microlites and small aircraft.
The Control Tower - Its in a bad mess where local chavs have vandalised and what looks like a plastic BB war as the place was full of them
Then it was a scramble into the dense woodlands on the west side of the site where has been taken over by a paintball campany that i use to work for when i left school so i knew it quiet well. Most of the buildings and left over foundations have been incorporated into the paintball games so some bits are bit messy.
I'm guessing this was used to work on vehicles
Stanton Shelters
Some type of tracked vehicle
Then i headed across the road to the east side of the site again alot is in dense woodland so you have to look hard for some things but some nice big structors are just off the main path through the woods.
Quite a spooky building
Then you come to this building so say its a church and some say its a instructional area, the former turret trainer and bombing trainer building. I dont know but its a big place i thought maybe a fire house?
There are blast shelters everywhere some in better condition than others but then oddly enough there were loads of shoes as well scattered around the big building.
Thought this blast shelter looked nice
Found this walking along the path not sure if it has anything to do with the site or not, looks like a old bolier of some sort
Then i came across what i believe to be water towers which were an impressive site in the middle of the woodland
Then finally i looked at this not sure what it is weather it was an old foundation or bunker of some sort, didnt fancy crawling in just incase but took a pic from an opening.
Well there you have it a great afternoon plenty of walking and lots to see. Access is easy because of the public rights of way and there is no security to evade, some parts like the paintball centre is private but no cameras or people about in the week usually. Hazards are paintballers, badger and rabbit holesl, electric fences, people round the sunday market area and microlights using the active runway.
Flash Earth Link
http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.980796&lon=-1.05251&z=15&r=0&src=msl
Matt
