Visited with Concentration F and Liam as part of our Midlands bank holiday urbex tour.
RAF Folkingham is a million miles away from what it was once used for.
RAF Folkingham was an air station of the Second World War period, established in phases on a convex hilltop by the British Royal Air Force, and lent to the United States Army Air Forces.
The initial Royal Air Force use of the site began in 1940 when it was set up as a decoy for RAF Spitalgate. The intention was to make it look like a real airfield so that it would draw aerial attacks which might otherwise be made on active stations. As such it attracted the attention of the Luftwaffe on at least three occasions.
Not until early 1943 did Messrs Lehane. MacKenzies & Shand arrive with directions to build an airfield to Class A specification. The work took most of the year, during which time the new station had been allocated to the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force Troop Carrier Command.
The main runway was 6,000 ft in length with two 4,200 ft auxiliaries, aligned 01-1.9, 07-25 and 13-31 respectively. The 50 hardstands were all loop type and both these and the runways were of concrete. The two hangars were the T-2 type and the scattered domestic accommodation, built by Bovis Ltd, catered for 2,189 persons.
From 1959 to 1963 Thor intercontinental ballistic missiles were set up as a deterrent lest the USSR should think of threatening a war.
The Base finally closed in August 1963.
Today the Runway and Loop hardstands are now used for a different purpose, they have become home to 1000's of Diggers, Tractors, Lorrys and other machinery that have been laid to rest. There was so much to see and was a very interesting explore especially the military stuff.
On with my pictures
Matt
RAF Folkingham is a million miles away from what it was once used for.
RAF Folkingham was an air station of the Second World War period, established in phases on a convex hilltop by the British Royal Air Force, and lent to the United States Army Air Forces.
The initial Royal Air Force use of the site began in 1940 when it was set up as a decoy for RAF Spitalgate. The intention was to make it look like a real airfield so that it would draw aerial attacks which might otherwise be made on active stations. As such it attracted the attention of the Luftwaffe on at least three occasions.
Not until early 1943 did Messrs Lehane. MacKenzies & Shand arrive with directions to build an airfield to Class A specification. The work took most of the year, during which time the new station had been allocated to the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force Troop Carrier Command.
The main runway was 6,000 ft in length with two 4,200 ft auxiliaries, aligned 01-1.9, 07-25 and 13-31 respectively. The 50 hardstands were all loop type and both these and the runways were of concrete. The two hangars were the T-2 type and the scattered domestic accommodation, built by Bovis Ltd, catered for 2,189 persons.
From 1959 to 1963 Thor intercontinental ballistic missiles were set up as a deterrent lest the USSR should think of threatening a war.
The Base finally closed in August 1963.
Today the Runway and Loop hardstands are now used for a different purpose, they have become home to 1000's of Diggers, Tractors, Lorrys and other machinery that have been laid to rest. There was so much to see and was a very interesting explore especially the military stuff.
On with my pictures
Matt