Where did it all go?

[Akrotiri bad boy]

I recently took a road trip from Akro Towers to Lowestoft, a journey I'd previously made in the late 1980's whilst still a member of Aunt Bettie's finest. During the 8 hours behind the wheel I got to thinking about what had been the previous time I'd passed along this route.

Passing south on the M6 I looked left at what had been 14MU just north of Carlisle and pondered at the vastness of the derelict site, where's all that stuff kept now?
Crossing the A66 I arrived at Scotch Corner and Catterick, home of the Rock Ape. I think a Vulcan once touched down here, but it looks like there're barracks on the airfield now.
On down the A1 and Leeming, I think it was closed the last time I passed pre Tornado. Next up Topcliffe, I think it was just Chippys and Bulldogs back then. I pass the very impressive looking Dishforth, never knew what went on there, never knew anyone who'd been posted there. Still, it looks good.
A bit of a lull in airfields until signs for Robin Hood International Airport appear. Really? Not in my day! Spent time here on SAR Wing with Sea Kings and Wessex. Also there were Chippys, Bulldogs, JP's, Jetstreams, and Dominies. On down past Bawtry, wasn't that a rocket site once?, through Nottinghamshire and on towards Lincolnshire, home of the RAF. Past signs for Cranwell, JP's, and on towards Newark. There used to be a Liightning on a stick here, I wonder where that's gone?
Now I'm nearing Rutland and Cottesmore with the first Tornados of the TTTE. North Luffenham is signposted, now what was that all about? Ahh, Wittering, 1Sqn and 233OCU with their Harriers. Check out the old house on Collyweston Road as I speed past. Happy days doing my 'Q' course listening to Europe's Final Countdown on the jukebox in the Mally before heading off for Gutersloh.
On past Peterborough where I recall convoys of American military vehicles clogging the A1. They must have been out of Alconbury, a yankee base. F15's I think. This place always seemed to play second fiddle to Mildenhall.
Turning onto the A14 I whizz past Wyton, 51 Sqn were here along with the Canberras of Tacky Ton and also the jammers of 360Sqn I think. Oh, and Devons of 207. Always struck me as an odd place to base some Comms aircraft like the Devon.
Marshalls of Cambridge next with their Herc majors and then Waterbeach, that rings a bell, was it another yankee base?
Mildenhall, nuff said, there's something flying the approach as I pass then on in to the Thetford Forest, I'm sure there're UFO's in these parts. Past signs for Honnington, I remember Buccaneers there with 237 OCU and its twin stick Hunters but I can't recall the squadron number. I know the Buccs became 12Sqn at Lossie and I'm pretty certain they were 216Sqn before that. Ah well, all gone now.
I finally reach Lowestoft, home of Justin Hawkins and The Darkness, and yes, it looks a lot better in the dark.

How things have changed in the intervening 27 years, where did it all go?

[bobward]

I think its called the 'Peace Dividend', after the end of the Cold War.

Thinking back to then, how many more airfields have gone, and how many aircraft with them. Today, when I hear a roar outside, it's a good reason to go out and take a look. There is something like a thousand fewer military aircraft in what used to be western Europe these days. Nice to know the owrld is such a safe place these days, isn't it

By the way, if anyone from 48 FW is reading this, thanks for the turn and burn over my house last week. It was great to see!!

[thing]

Think the UFO's were down at Woodbridge, another long gone unit. You only have to look at a half mil to see all the little crosses of disused airfields that were thriving when I was in. Still, Πάντα ῥεῖ καὶ οὐδὲν μένειas as old Plato said over a pint.

[4Greens]

Or as some of us classical educated lads said 'Sic transit gloria'

[Herod]

Is that "travelling in a Transit makes me gloriously sick"?

[D120A]

Here we go, here we go, the best sort of thread drift:

'Entente Cordiale' - Refreshments will be taken in the marquee.

[ShyTorque]

"Cul de sac, a la Carte".

Bagged solid fuel, we deliver.

Sorry, I only read the thread drift...

[blaireau]

Pas d'elle yeux Rhone connu.

I'm alright Jack

[BEagle]

Since I joined, the following UK (once RAF) aerodromes have closed to military flying (excluding Air Cadet gliding):

Abingdon
Acklington
Andover
Aston Down
Ballykelly
Bassingbourn
Bentwaters
Bicester
Biggin Hill
Binbrook
Bovingdon
Brawdy
Chivenor
Church Fenton
Coltishall
Cottesmore
Cranwell North
Dishforth
Driffield
Elvington
Finningley
Fulbeck
Gaydon
Gravely
Greenham Common
Hamble
Honington
Hullavington
Kemble
Kinloss
Leconfield
Leuchars
Lindholme
Little Rissington
Lyneham
Machrihanish
Manby
Newton
North Luffenham
North Weald
Oakington
Ouston
Pershore
Scampton
Spitalgate
St Davids
St Mawgan
Stradishall
Strubby
Swinderby
Syerston
Tangmere
Ternhill
Thorney Island
Topcliffe
Waterbeach
Wattisham
Watton
West Malling
West Raynham
White Waltham
Wittering

[FantomZorbin]

'Struth BEagle, that is a formidable list.


PS Don't forget the RLG at Wymeswold operating in the late '60s

[Lynxman]

Chivenor, Dishforth and Wattisham are still open for military flying.

[goudie]

On a trip in an Anson once and the old Master Pilot told me that, if you flew at 10,000ft in the UK, there was always an airfield in sight!

[Planemike]

In much of East Anglia that would be true if you flew at 1000 ft.

Planemike

[stuminisprite]

Leeming is Defo not closed! Or derelict. In fact there are lots of aircraft still using it with lots more in the pipeline!

[thing]

Didn't know Leuchars and Honington had gone. Leconfield still has SAR I think. If you count the Reds as military then Scampton is still open.

[ian16th]

If you extend the list to none flying stations, the just about the whole of Technical Training Command, bar Cosford has gone.
Places like Yatesbury, Compton Basset, Melkshem (SP) and Locking all gone.

[FAStoat]

When did Debden close?MOD Police were there I think with Dog Training,but I remember an Instructor saying he had flown Meatboxes there,and maybe Hunters,so in the ?60s??North Luffenham was the home of the "Explosive Decompression".A magic placewith the Chamber operated in the 70s by an ex Pathfinder,Griff Griffiths,with a big handlebar tache.Just remembering another Griff Griffiths,who ran the Bulldogs at Cosford,and was one of the few Light Blues allowed a Full Set,to mask a facial skin complaint.That was in the days of the Station Flight of Varsities,run by Boss Smith.
I think Swanton Morley was still going in the 70s,a lovely piece of mown grass.Then there were the Yanks at RAF Sculthorpe,where the Cranberry OCU went when Marham was repaved.Bassingbourne was still available for Comms flights until the Army got it.I did the Harvard 40th Anniversary there in 78,so still going then.What the hell is left????????????????:

[Shackman]

It worries me that I have landed at or operated out of almost all those airfields on Beagle's list (ps don't forget Wroughton).

To which should also be added those command headquarters now long gone: Mountbatten, Bentley Priory, Bawtrey, Pitreavie etc, and RAF Hospitals and Marine Craft units and....................

[FAStoat]

RNAY Wroughton may be still going,as it housed all the RN and RAF Hikopleters that were up for disposal.I flew there when Derek Goddard was Wings Baby and Jimmy Legate was LittleF.It is the Science Museum store for Aircraft,but runways still serviceable.Unfortunately Princess Alexandra's Hospital has long gone,so no Naval hospitals left after Haslar went??Colerne was another long gone,and their nice little Museum dispersed.We had an Ex ATA Pilot who was RTO for Rolls Bristol visit from time to time and he said he had flown in all sorts of aircraft for "Cacooning"trials in the late 40s,which had then been sealed in the underground hangars in the far west of the Airfield,We were going to try to put a Scope down from an Auger with MOD Permission through Tony Harold of the RAF Museum,but nothing came of it.The Area of these hangars had been handed back to the Farmer some time before,who had been willing to take a look.Probably like the Burmese Spits,a myth only!?

[Dan Winterland]

I think its called the 'Peace Dividend', after the end of the Cold War.

So, how's that going?

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