September 2024
On a trip to up north with @Mr Budge and @MotionlessMike we decided to pay a visit to RAF Spadeadam, little did not know how hard this would be. Satellite images showed a simple walk across fields from the car. This part of northern England seemed easy, but it was not. Thick trees and marshland made me quickly doubt my life choices. We headed to our goal and quickly found dense pine trees, these were not visible on Apple or Google Maps. They were hard to get through, and the ground was soft with hidden holes littered everywhere. We reached more open ground and trudged across a deep, wet bog. We watched our steps but sank to our knees or waist in water. After what felt like hours, we reached the airfield.
Am I glad I did it, yes. Would I do it again, fuck no.
History
This airfields journey into modern defence began in the late 1950s when it was selected as the testing ground for Britain's proposed Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM). Prior to this, the region was largely inactive and known locally as ‘The Waste.’ The initial construction was overseen by the Ministry of Aviation, with Rolls-Royce managing the operations on their behalf. The name Rolls-Royce is often linked to the station's formative years.
In 1960, the IRBM program was scrapped, but it was quickly succeeded by the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO), where Britain collaborated with France and Germany to create a European alternative to the American and Russian dominance in satellite launch capabilities. However, in 1972, Britain exited ELDO, leading to the consortium's departure from the base. Subsequently, the site was transferred to the Proof and Experimental Establishment for static firing and range operations.
By 1976, the airfield was officially designated as an RAF Station and became home to Western Europe's first full-scale Electronic Warfare Tactics Range, which opened in January 1977. Hidden within a secluded part of the site lies what can only be termed a plane graveyard, an expansive area filled with a variety of aircraft, tanks, trucks, and helicopters, all in varying degrees of disrepair. This intriguing section is the focus of the photographs below.
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Fujifilm X-T2, 10-24mm f4 R OIS WR
