West Raynham airfield.

Take a look over on AIX, there has been quite a bit about this airfield and the ambitious plans to faithfully maintain and develop the site.
Certainly your pictures would be very welcome Hornchurch.

`

Wyvern, gimme a ‘P.M.’ with your E-mail address & when I ‘upload’ ’em from “ye ol’ point & snap” (digital) camera, to the (steam-powered) P.C’:D I’ll send ya a few (if, big ‘if’ here, they’re any-good:D)

Cheers mate.. PM sent.

Thanks for the update Hornchurch.. its one of those airfields i’ve always wanted to have a good walk around and soak up the atmosphere.
I can still just remember the rows of Bloodhound missiles that were to be seen there during the seventies when my father drove us out that way to ‘have a look’.
And yes, Sculthorpe is another relatively well preserved airfield.. although i quite agree with your reference to it resembling a ‘ghost town’.
Any pics you can post would be welcome.!;)

`

Wyvern, gimme a ‘P.M.’ with your E-mail address & when I ‘upload’ ’em from “ye ol’ point & snap” (digital) camera, to the (steam-powered) P.C’:D I’ll send ya a few (if, big ‘if’ here, they’re any-good:D)

Thanks for the update Hornchurch.. its one of those airfields i’ve always wanted to have a good walk around and soak up the atmosphere.
I can still just remember the rows of Bloodhound missiles that were to be seen there during the seventies when my father drove us out that way to ‘have a look’.
And yes, Sculthorpe is another relatively well preserved airfield.. although i quite agree with your reference to it resembling a ‘ghost town’.
Any pics you can post would be welcome.!;)

I think it was a couple of years ago that i read that the houses and the site upto and including the hangers have been sold for development.. does anyone know if work has started yet.?

I also believe that WR was voted the best preserved 1950’s or 60’s RAF base left in existence. What a shame it is going the way of most redundant airfields.!:(

`

Wyvern; I was there on Sunday.

For the 1st time (ever) I was able to see a number of buildings previously hidden from view (“behind the wire” & security-staff, etc).

The “Station-Headquarters” was one of them.

Seemed strange, parking our car across the “85-Sqdn Cmndr’s” private space !
(the individual Station-V.I.P’s allocated spaces are STILL ledgible)

I have taken some pix, (but not uploaded yet……)

On the previous visit (last-summer) I’d ridden my 900cc up to the gate which was Guarded & despite a friendly-chat at the barrier, was told “not allowed past here”.

There was no ‘Guard'(s) for a change, on Sunday.

It would appear that any “development” is moving apace slowly……

Looks like they’ve tidyed-up some of the housing & put Double-Glazing in most, if not all remaining (fit) residential-homes….

TBH, the site reminded me of a miniaturised ‘Watton’:(:(:(

It’s now reverted back to it’s (former) pre-1930’s name, “Kipton-Wood”, BTW.

As of Sunday 15.03.09 there was no general “public-access” to the Hangars or Control-Towers however, as these are fenced-off with archtype construction type fencing, at every possible gap.

I’ll keep ya posted, as to any increased level of access….

BTW, your comment about “going the way of….” is (predictably) occuring.

Ironic that we’d previously driven-direct from Sculthorpe, which was like a (tatty) “GhostTown” :(:(:(

Proctor 3 LZ 791, based West Raynham

We know from the records office at Kew and the RAF museum that from late 45 to 47 Proctor 3 LZ791 was based at West Raynham with the CFC, we think possibly as a high ranking officers hack. Stripping back fabric and paint has revealed an overall dark blue scheme, applied post wartime over the brown and green upper surfaces and yellow undersides. The fuselage has revealed her LZ791 in silver in the correct position. She also wore a standard fuselage roundel, wing roundels top and under side, and fin flash. This scheme is favored to her wartime one, can any reader direct us to a photo of her finished like this either at West Raynham or away from base.