Crumbling Soviet Military Bases: A 20th-Century Empire in Decay

[Torque Tonight]

This may be of some interest. I daresay that poking around some of our closed bases with a camera could elicit images of another empire in decay!

Crumbling Soviet Military Bases: A 20th-Century Empire in Decay (http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-haunting-photographs-abandoned-soviet-military-bases-0?image=0)

[Biggus]

Just look at the links on the second post of the Church Fenton post here on pprune... :{

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/530500-church-fenton.html

[NutLoose]

Yes, sadly the way of things these days

West Raynham

Report - RAF West Raynham, Norfolk - October 2013 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/84754-raf-west-raynham-norfolk-october-2013-a.html)

Uxbridge

Report - RAF Uxbridge November 2013 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/85495-raf-uxbridge-november-2013-a.html)

And the ones that are criminal

Rudloe manor

Archived Report - RAF Rudloe Manor WW2 10 Group Operations Block. Box. Jan 2011 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/57801-raf-rudloe-manor-ww2-10-group-operations-block-box-jan-2011-a.html)

Archived Report - Nocton Hall April 2012 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/asylums-hospitals/69883-nocton-hall-april-2012-a.html)

RMA Woolwich

Report - RMA Woolwich - London - December 2013 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/86272-rma-woolwich-london-december-2013-a.html)

[Lima Juliet]

The way that the "wonderful" Defence Infrastructure Org (DIO), as introduced under SDSR, is going, then I suspect that many of our bases aren't far behind! :ugh:

[Pontius Navigator]

And the Bomber Command bunker also out of bounds for asbestos last I heard.

[NutLoose]

Someone on another forum working for the Royal Mail mentioned they had a warning come around re WW2 Gasmasks, or should one say respirators, the filters contain Asbestos... Nice huh.

[ShotOne]

Ditto some more recent Russian ones. Lethal! Ironically in demand from survivalists

It's more than a shame some of these buildings aren't being preserved. Most school kids can tell you about life in a medieval village but haven't heard of the Cold War

[Hangarshuffle]

I dare say the old USSR has gone and these are pictures are proof of the demise, but the Russian military is far from down and out - only have to look at other web sites to see its rebirth and growth. No doubt plenty of people on here have seen rebirth its first hand.
Is the life span of an empire getting shorter and shorter?
Roman 400 years. British 100 years. American 70 years. Soviet about the same? Nazi 15 years. I'm just curious.

[TBM-Legend]

And the Bomber Command bunker also out of bounds for asbestos last I heard.

If this is such a real problem how come many lived long and fruitful lives after working in and around such "hazardous" condition....bit like radiation from instruments. My father-in-law only made 87 years after spending a lifetime near them! Imagine how long he would have lived if he'd not been exposed>>>>:ooh:

[ShotOne]

That's because asbestos presents little or no risk when it is encased in a well maintained structure. It's only when it's pulled or allowed to fall apart there's a problem.

ps I hope folk are lamenting the dilapidation of these bases for historical reasons rather than because they want us to have a requirement for nuclear shelters or because they feel such buildings are protecting our citizens?

[racedo]

Thinking USSR is only one is a fallacy as one only has to look at USAF / RAF bases round the world now part of histoty.

[Stendec5]

Having viewed the extreme vandalism on the former RAF Binbook I find none of this surprising. The former Officers Mess at Binny was absolutely TRASHED beyond recognition by doubtless "misunderstood" young persons.
Honestly, even light switches, flooring and ceilings got the treatment. The building has since been mercifully put out of its misery and bulldozed.
Slightly off topic, we were walking in the Cheviot Hills some years ago, came across a wooden hut doubtless put there for walkers. It had spray-paint scralled over it. This hut was literally miles from anywhere??? A group of hiking hooligans perhaps? Fully equipped? (walking boots, map, compass, err aerosol
cans???) Bizarre.

[mad_jock]

Stendec there was a bothy way way into the cairngorms which was similarly painted. It required a walk of 20km or more to get to it unless you had 4 wheel drive and the key to the deer fence.

It was duely cleaned to remove said graffite.

Then all hell let loose because it was some tree hugger artist, I think german who goes around europe finding these remote places and doing his art.

It was on the crown estate so the complaints wasn't even entertained in fact having met the head game keeper I would have thought the responce was rather ripe and wouldn't be publishable from an offensive language point of view or from a "don't mention the war" POV either.

They stuck up 3 posts with some pine planks across them and said he could paint on there next time. But apparently its not art if it doesn't vandalise a 100 year old building so didn't go back. Made a very good wind break though for eating your sarnies behind so it wasn't wasted. Well that was the reason I was given why it had been put up.

[NutLoose]

Stendec, here is Binbrook


Archived Report - RAF Binbrook - 24.09.06 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/3960-raf-binbrook-24-09-06-a.html)

Archived Report - RAF Binbrook 09 01 08 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/25632-raf-binbrook-09-01-08-a.html)

Archived Report - RAF Binbrook 15/09/08 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/32934-raf-binbrook-15-09-08-a.html)

RAF Newton

Archived Report - RAF Newton - 21/02/09 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/37550-raf-newton-21-02-09-a.html)

Archived Report - RAF Newton - 14/09/08 (http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/military-sites/32914-raf-newton-14-09-08-a.html)

[Stendec5]

Yes indeed NutLoose. I have a great many of the Binny photos in my collection (I tend to keep them under lock and key). Not yet seen any from Newton, some cracking shots there. I did my second Air Experience Flight from Newton in a Chippy. We did stop there about four years ago on the way to Brunt', but it was on the old (overgrown) flying field not the Tech' Site.
That same day we had a look at the old Officers Mess at Syerston, again TRASHED. Got a match-up of myself stood in front of the Mess window, exact same spot as Guy Gibson (early 1940s)
We didn't stay long.