BTW is the Old Control Tower at Docking still standing by any chance? I got in there in the early 60’s. The original Ops board with the last day’s operations still chalked upon it was lying face down under a load of bird guano.
Nobody was interested in those days of course.

Hi Pete,

didn’t bother taking a camera, as it was the last day of (this) year that the ‘Heritage Room’ was opened to ‘Joe Public’ – as it’s run on a volunteer basis only & the old boys don’t envisage visitors after autumn/fall.
Plus, I only live just down the road – only found out on a local village noticeboard after leaving the pub, worse for wear (Ruddles Smooth, on tap).

It’s still (essentially speaking) well preserved, as W.W.II bases go, & a fantastic array of R.A.F. stuff flew from here, but obviously given it’s current usage (& C.C.T.V. coverage), I wouldn’t wanna take liberties wandering round.

25degSth – Yes, suprisingly the Control Tower at Docking is still standing, albeit in shell like form.

I was chuffed & interested to hear your tale of the ‘Ops’ board & it’s markings.

Reminded me of a (chronologically) much later visit (early ‘Nineties) to my (then) local U.S.A.A.F. airfield – the 387th/B.26 base at Willingale/Chipping Ongar.
My son & I, with a mate of mine, went inside the old Ops block, still painted up in the original mid-blue & white (& most fixtures & fittings intact).
In a dark corner, two old rusted churn looking thingy’s – transpired it’s (2 of )the original containers the ground crews used to use, in order to top-up the P&W R.2800’s with oil !!!

Said mate returned (around ’94) & found one of the exhaust tail-pipe sections (that end under the nacelle) whilst rummaging round the 557th’s dispersal area/foliage (jammy ******).
At the time, I had access/entry into North Weald, so I drove him over to the ‘Aces High’ Dak’s that stood outside (1x Camo, 1x Sky-Blue marked ‘Ian Drury’) & showed him the (slightly larger/similar) matched up component.