I have made a couple of visits here over the last eight years. But it’s always been in the winter months when the overgrowth has died down. Problem is it is always very wet and muddy here in the winter. Some of the stores flood as well. So thought I would go in early spring, when it’s not too hot and the greenery is growing up nicely. Luckily it had been dry for days so nice easy going. The bomb dump is all that now remains derelict of this former large airfield. The hangars have long been demolished. The runway side of the site has been demolished and replaced with housing. Though the runways did still in situ not many years ago, not sure if they dug them up. The domestic site has been repurposed for light industrial use, keeping several buildings intact.
RAF Watton was first opened in 1937 as a light bomber airfield for RAF bomber command. In 1943 it was handed over to the US eighth air force. The airfield was expanded upon then and a new concrete runway was constructed, a new concrete premier track and lots of new buildings. After the war it served quite a lot of years. It was handed back to the RAF and used by the signals and lots of other squadrons. In the latter years it was used by the RAF regiment and for training and radio signals use. A lot of the airfield was sold in the mid 90s and housing built. The hangars were used by farmers before being demolished. The rest was used by the air cadets and gliding club before finally all bring sold. The airfield with runways are still there but used by the farmers and slowly bring lost. This really is the last substantial bit left now.
Starting off with an indoor firing range. This backs on to the shooting butt.
The shooting wall.
Levers in the main firing house opposite the butt wall.
A row of larger stores, these have always been very flooded on previous visits.
The standard stores with concrete blast walls between each one.
Hidden in the corner are some smaller stores covered with concrete roofs.
looking across the site from the middle. Quite a few of the buildings had been demolished years ago.
RAF Watton was first opened in 1937 as a light bomber airfield for RAF bomber command. In 1943 it was handed over to the US eighth air force. The airfield was expanded upon then and a new concrete runway was constructed, a new concrete premier track and lots of new buildings. After the war it served quite a lot of years. It was handed back to the RAF and used by the signals and lots of other squadrons. In the latter years it was used by the RAF regiment and for training and radio signals use. A lot of the airfield was sold in the mid 90s and housing built. The hangars were used by farmers before being demolished. The rest was used by the air cadets and gliding club before finally all bring sold. The airfield with runways are still there but used by the farmers and slowly bring lost. This really is the last substantial bit left now.
Starting off with an indoor firing range. This backs on to the shooting butt.
The shooting wall.
Levers in the main firing house opposite the butt wall.
A row of larger stores, these have always been very flooded on previous visits.
The standard stores with concrete blast walls between each one.
Hidden in the corner are some smaller stores covered with concrete roofs.
looking across the site from the middle. Quite a few of the buildings had been demolished years ago.
