Dalton Barracks

Argh the Abingdon rumour does keep re-surfacing as philo has stated but interesting to read or hear conflicting news.

When i worked at Abingdon in the last few years of RAF Ops & first 5 yars of Army reign, i do seem to recall the big “F” Hangar (you can’t miss it!) which once was used for Beverely, Belfast & latterly Jaguar major maintenance of talk that the Army wanted to build inspection pits inside but there was a claus which said ” no inspection pits were to be built inside as the hangar maybe used for future aircraft use”…

But being as my office was in “E” hangar (once used for Hawk major servicing), i clearly remember the whole hangar floor being ripped up & relaid with inspection pits in.

Its funny since the Army took over in late 92, many thought basically no more Aircraft will ever land there – but within 10 months the RAF staged Exercise Roaring Lion which saw up to 20 odd C130’s deployed to Abingdon for a few weeks.

Then Bensons 60sqn Wessex used the airfield regular for training
until 60sqn disbanded, in 94 or 95 the RAF 612VGS Motorglider school moved in with a new low hangar & offices in the SE corner flying the Grob Vigilants as they are today… & Bensons Puma force & Merlin HC3’s use it regular for training purposes so it hasn’t really been dormant.
The odd C130 have used it for Parachuting as have Skyvans, & the localised Army club will be using it in the future at times for Parachuting.

Oh nearly forgot the Armys Apache helis have started using it recently when needed!!

The Air Control Tower has sadly been vandalised & left to the elements which is a shame as up to 5 years ago it all worked fine as in Lights, Heating & Air Con!

The one thing that i personally think is needed is a localised Air Traffic Control due to the movements at times and with some kind of control back, it would keep those ****heads off the airfield who use it as a dog walking area / familys walking across active runways…. who disregard warning signs.
As someone else has told me, it will take somebody to be killed before action happens & i know of a few close shaves in the past!.

But at least it sees action regular unlike the likes of Upper Heyford!
And of course my annual Abingdon Fayre event!!!
😀 😀 😀

Of course the other interesting scenario that went around was a swap between Dalton Barracks and Duxford. Based on it being better for Logistics corps to be closer to London (why?) and a working museum being away from the M11 pressure

ROFLMAO:D 😀 😀 😀

I didn’t say I believed it either, the 1st person that told me is, lets say …. unreliable and prone to fantasy and the second I believe was told by the first. As you say MOTF it crops up every few years, in fact I think it was the same fantasist that told me last time.
I would, as would you other local guys, dearly love to see Abingdon as an operational station again,but with a sensible head on I know that won’t happen. At least its runway does see some action now and then (other than Grobs), thanks Neil P, and hopefully that can continue.
Of course the other interesting scenario that went around was a swap between Dalton Barracks and Duxford. Based on it being better for Logistics corps to be closer to London (why?) and a working museum being away from the M11 pressure (agreed 😀 ).

Knowing the way the MOD works they will only make the final decision to reinstate the airfield after all the planned deolition has been done. The government will say think of the jobs it will bring to the area hoping we’ll forget how much tax payers’ money will be wasted in the process. To cap it all the end result will be 5 years late on completion and 300% over budget

Ahh the old RAF Abingdon rumour, it seems to run every 5 years or so, its a bit early this time.

So the RAF are downsizing everywhere and the rumour says they will re-open and old Airfield.

I very much doubt it, especially as they have major reconstuction plans at the airfield that will remove much of the hardstanding by the hangers and the new control tower.

But that said stranger things have happened

Hope so, says I thinking about a return of the old Battle of Britain At Home days……:D

But, I won’t hold my breath, as I can’t see the logic (not that MOD ever use such a sense:rolleyes: ) as they are closing Lynham to move everything to Brize, so what would they want to re-open nearby Abingdon again for, can’t see it being as a maintainance facility again..?
New base for the civvie tanker fleet perhaps..?
Moving 32 Sqn and Queens flight from Northolt so as to close that for it to become a civvie airport, as has been stated the Govt/MOD want…
🙁 😡