RAF ace’s tower up for sale
(Daily Telegraph 16/06/2005)
The control tower at the airfield where the Second World War flying ace “Johnnie” Johnson was based is up for sale as a holiday home.
It is the first time that a wartime control tower has been given planning consent as a home. Offers over £135,000 are being sought.
The tower, surrounded by an acre of grass, stands at the former site of RAF Ludham in Norfolk, where Johnson, the RAF’s greatest ace with 38 kills to his credit, took command of 610 Squadron in July 1942.
The two-storey tower, complete with balcony, is in need of extensive restoration.
Melvyn Stone, of NPS Property Consultants, said: “It will make a fantastic house for a family or someone interested in history.
“We have had a lot of interest, both from people interested in its military history and those who think it makes a perfect holiday home.”
By: BlueNoser352 - 18th June 2005 at 05:01
Great Topic.. wish I had to money & time to restore and save the tower at Bodney, perhaps place a small museum inside. Hope someone can save the tower you talk about where Johnnie Johnson flew from…a very fine man & one heck of a fighter pilot! Hope all FlyPast forum members will have a good and safe weekend !
A Salute from:
BlueNoser352!
By: Papa Lima - 17th June 2005 at 19:49
“the guide price for the Hinstock tower is £1.95 “
What a fantastic price! I’ll take it, will they accept 30 Swedish crowns, do you think? (The price of a good cup of coffee over here . . .)
By: Atcham Tower - 17th June 2005 at 18:09
I’m not very good at this but will try to attach a photo of the Hinstock tower.
By: Atcham Tower - 17th June 2005 at 18:03
Further to my last message, the guide price for the Hinstock tower is £1.95 but it includes 156 acres for the setting up of an equestrian centre, ie most of the wartime airfield site. For that price, I’d expect a Barracuda parked outside. Whatever, the tower looks wonderful, complete with restored visual control room on the roof. See photo at dusk with all internal lights on, on Strutt and Parker website under Ollerton. The little derelict watch office on the old Ollerton SLG site nearby is more my price range …
By: Atcham Tower - 17th June 2005 at 17:35
In Shropshire, RNAS Hinstock’s derelict three storey Navy tower has just been converted into a beautiful dwelling. On sale at about £1.25M as I remember! Tastefully done, too.
By: Learning_Slowly - 17th June 2005 at 17:19
Better than losing it completely.
By: Stuart - 17th June 2005 at 17:17
What a nice job they’ve made of the conversion. I mean, errrr, you can’t do that to a historic control tower!
Stuart
By: Mark V - 17th June 2005 at 17:12
Yes – almost certainly the most dramatic ‘then and now’ contrast I have seen.
By: black-panther - 17th June 2005 at 16:48
Hi just thought I add this one R.A.F Warmwell Dorset both pictures taken from the Control towers website http://www.controltowers.co.uk/
Cheers
Rob….
By: Stuart - 17th June 2005 at 16:37
We had a thread on this topic a while back. There are a few towers used as homes. The tower at the old RAF Honeybourne in Worcestershire is one quite close to where I live.
Stuart
By: Moggy C - 17th June 2005 at 16:26
RAF ace’s tower up for sale
(Daily Telegraph 16/06/2005)
It is the first time that a wartime control tower has been given planning consent as a home.
I never believe journalists.
I know of a couple of wartime towers used as homes (possibly without planning permission)
This isn’t a ‘home’, it is very definitely a holiday cottage, 12 month occupancy would not be legal because of its situation.
Moggy
By: whalebone - 17th June 2005 at 16:01
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June 17, 2005 at 3:46 pm