Potential Former RAF sites worth saving?

Bicester definitely, Tangmere watch tower probably but in both cases, and others, how do you bring in revenue to pay for them and maintain them?

Defintely not saying don’t save any but let’s have a considered realistic view of what will happen once they’re saved.

As far as the Tangmere tower is concerned, could minibus tours be run from the museum?

Hullavington is absolutely time warp and very well maintained by the Army and its on site estates team, would love to see this become a preserved airfield if it was ever vacated.
This expansion era station has the classic art deco style Chief Flying Instructors Block watch office, Station Headquarters, AML Teacher & G.I. block, C Type hangars, and Aeroplane Repair Shed are all faced in lovely yellowed bath stone, as well as the standard ASU D and E type aeroplane storage sheds, the runways and grass areas are as they were at the end of WWII, it also still has its pre-war over ground bulk aeroplane petrol fuel installation.
The Officers Mess is of the largest and grandest type commissioned by the RAF.
Located just of the M4 it’s very easy to get to.

Every time I drive through the north camp at Biggin Hill, I find the increased dereliction of the camp saddening. There is still much left and it is mostly just rotting.

Charmy Down near Bath.
The tower and quite a few airfield defence buildings are/were still there in 2007. Assuming the travllers on the site haven’t destroyed it all.

Re 6
Bunsen Honeydew

Either an extension to the existing museum or a cafeteria on the ground floor plus a WW2 display/re-enactment on the first floor. Maintenance by voluntary donation.

I think you need to be fairly close to a centre of population to make it work. Therefore Scampton would make a lot of sense .

Put a mention in for Wethersfield or Honington – would be good to see a museum linked to the 8th and the raf with a flyable field. I know the raf regiment still have Honnigton so that is currently off the table. Bentwaters wasn’t as operational in ww2 as other fields, but does represent the cold war. Duxford covers raf fighter command, and Lincolnshire was the spiritual home of raf bomber command. Its a shame that Wethersfield has only relatively recently lost its tower and other buildings. Alconbury seems to have had development plans linked to it (stand to be corrected there), the army have helicopter in Wattisham and Woodbridge, and Coltishall has gone to the Council and will surely not have a future as a museum. All that leave East Anglia rather short of potential good sites.

RAF Newton – it’s just a lovely airfield.

Steve

Bicester definitely, Tangmere watch tower probably but in both cases, and others, how do you bring in revenue to pay for them and maintain them?

Defintely not saying don’t save any but let’s have a considered realistic view of what will happen once they’re saved.

Bicester 100% agree.

Tangmere watchtower. Will anyone join me in putting together a pressure group?

I propose the former RAF Bicester , an expansion period, grass surface airfield typical of early war RAF bomber airfields that is a practically complete and largely unaltered location.

’nuff said!

SCAMPTON