Some years ago, very late eighties at a guess, we went to an “open day” at was was said to be a rocket site, near Finningley. I don’t remember exactly where it was although I’m pretty sure I could find it again, possibly Missen or Austerfield. East or south eastish of Finningley airfield itself anyway.
Nothing wildly exciting, a few obviously military old buildings, some large ex-military vehicles rumbling around and various stalls but a pleasant couple of hours or so.
Anybody any idea what it was? My guess then was a Thor site but I’ve never found any references to it anywhere.
By: dhfan - 4th April 2004 at 17:36
Thanks for that. It was just nosiness, wondering what it was for. I suppose I should have thought of Bloodhounds really, not very convenient for Thors down those lanes and too close to sizeable towns.
By: Arabella-Cox - 4th April 2004 at 11:49
Rocket site
Little bit more on the rocket site.
Aeroventure at Doncaster tell me the base was a Bloodhound missile site , employed as part of the defense of bases such as Finningley (it had Vulcans) during the cold war era.
Not much to give it’s past away now.I thought the two Bloodhounds that guard the airfield at Sandtoft (just down the road from Misson) might be relics of Misson’s past , but alas no , they are from elsewhere.
By: Arabella-Cox - 2nd April 2004 at 10:06
Rocket site
Hi dhfan
The ‘Rocket Site’ as you note , is at Misson , sat roughly as you described it , nestled between several villages , including Finningley.
The site is still used as an ex MOD surplus outlet , and over the years has had several aircraft pass through , though nothing aircraft related in a decade or so as far as i can tell.
On my last visit , there were still Shackleton wing sections , and Victor under nose pannier sections, but not much else.
Not much history is readily accesible , but there are one or two very old signs around the perimeter of the site that warn would be trespassers that it is a bombing range ?
This seems an odd place to have such a thing , and i would say it was too close to nearby villages , but who know’s how things may have been many decades earlier.
The general area holds a special aura for me , as my father took me to my very first crash site that he guarded whist in the RAF regiment (Wellington T10 – 1947).
I can find out more if you need to know ?
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April 2, 2004 at 1:05 am