Coltishall Now

[Video Mixdown]

A sad sight for those of us who lived and worked in this lovely part of the world.:(

RAF Coltishall (VERY Pic Heavy) - Derelict Places (http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/showthread.php?t=22048)

[WhiteOvies]

Sad to see, but not in as bad a state as I expected. Good to see the hangar artwork still intact!

[BlackIsle]

Happy memories - my first tour in Air Traffic Control 1974-77 - still probably my favourite!

[NutLoose]

Suprised they left the portacabin type buildings behind when they left as they could have simply upped and removed them, I am sure they would have come in handy elsewhere.

[Jet48]

Thanks for the Pics shame to see it this way.
Have happy memories back in the seventies on Air Show days watching lightnings taking off as only lightnings do, the power wow, still gives me goosebumps.

[MATELO]

Not been back since 1989. Isn't it a prison now.

[NutLoose]

Yup full of perverts.... Something's never change.

Aerial pics here

Coltishall PC - HMP Bure Issues/Wind Turbine - Coltishall Village (http://www.coltishall.org.uk/?section=11401)

RAF Coltishall aerial pics - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=93965)

[goofer3]

Norfolk County Council has "plans" for Coltishall;
Norfolk County Council defends bid to buy RAF Coltishall - Farming news - Eastern Daily Press (http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/farming-news/norfolk_county_council_defends_bid_to_buy-raf-coltishall_1_1422234)

[MATELO]

Looking at those pics Nut, it appears they have converted the old accom blocks into prison cell blocks.

[NutLoose]

Yep, with the mess at the top?

[goudie]

Anyone know who did the artwork and how it came about?

I'm surprised the Norfolk pikey's haven't stripped the place bare

[Jamma]

If memory serves me right the hangar art was done by sqn personnel following GW1 and prior to the hangar parties. Spent 14 glorious years there at Colt, nearly choked over my lunchtime salad seeing those excellent photos with ghosts of a pan full of jets.:{

[proplover]

Sad viewing in many ways - any chance you could put the link on the Flypast web site as they would be pleased to see your excellent pictures.

[goofer3]

RAF Coltishall plans include heritage trail as well as jobs and farming locals are told - News - Eastern Daily Press (http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/raf_coltishall_plans_include_heritage_trail_as_well_as_jobs_ and_farming_locals_are_told_1_1445286)

[Geehovah]

I flew my first ever sortie in a fast jet at Colt. Even as an ex navigator I got a lump in the throat at our history being neglected. Sad times.

[Hymie65]

I spent a fantsatic 4 years at Colt in the mid-80's in the Tower and with 54. It's an absolute shame that between the MoJ and the local authorities that they can't find an aviation focussed use for the place.

At one stage there were plans for an airliner breakers - RAF Coltishall to become aircraft recycling site - Business - Eastern Daily Press (http://www.edp24.co.uk/business/raf_coltishall_to_become_aircraft_recycling_site_1_771573) Presumably this died a death?

Personally I'd like the place to be reinstated as a fully operational base with 3 squadrons of Jags. Oh, err...........:ugh:

[Mushroom_2]

Brings back happy memories of my first tour in 1972. Nice pic of the hanger I lived in for 3 years. 24 hour shifts. Nostalgia aint what it used to be ........

[argyle]

I was there with 202 Sqn. from 1966 to 68.
We shared a hanger with the Historic Aircraft Flight.
A great time, wonderful station and enviroment.

[bobward]

I spent many, many happy days watching over the fence as the RAF went about it's business. To all of you on here who were a part of that a hearttfelt thank you for the memories, and several thousand irreplaceable pictures that are in my archive.:D:D:D

[orgASMic]

Not sure I can see what you lot are getting all misty-eyed about. Abingdon and Gutersloh look far worse and they are still active stations.:(

[Q-RTF-X]

NutLoose

Suprised they left the portacabin type buildings behind when they left as they could have simply upped and removed them, I am sure they would have come in handy elsewhere.

During the Olympic fiasco for instance ??? :}

[SOSL]

I only visited Colt once, back in 1997.

Arrived late, about 1130 p.m. and expected to have problems getting into the Off Mess at that time of night.

Rang the front doorbell; promptly answered by a rather pretty WRAF Fg Off who ushered me into the bar.

The PMC emrged out of the gloom and welcomed me, he said "We were expecting you so we kept the bar open till you arrived". I couldn't help noticing he had a West African Grey parrot on his shoulder - a real live one!

Many drinks later everyone had dispersed but I couldn't find the key to my room and had to sleep on a sofa in the anteroom. Got woken up by the youngsters coming out of breakfast.

Slight loss of dignity as I got dressed.

Later discovered the PMC was a well known biker and a major player on the RAF Bobsleigh team. Guess you know who I mean now.

It was a brief but happy experience of RAF Coltishall. Kind of sad to see the pictures, but still some hints of how it used to be.

BTW You may remember that RAF Stradishall, not a million miles away, also became the home of a prison - HMP Highpoint. Mrs SOSL was a prison psychologist there when Lester Piggot was doing his time. She interviewed him but didn't understand a word he said - bit like the rest of us really.

Rgds SOS

[dermedicus]

My 'local' station until it closed and one with a fine history.

A return to agriculture seems somehow fitting, given that it was agricultural land before. I hope that key aspects of the station can be preserved in someway as a tribute to all who served there until closure. Retaining aviation there was a longshot, given the presence of larger airports nearby (Norwich & Stansted (not to far as the airliner flies)) and a number of recreational airfields.

[Il Duce]

"Confusion and anger over future of EGXC!!"
Are they going to close Coningsby as well?!