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Report - - RAF Polebrook - Aug 19 | Military Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - RAF Polebrook - Aug 19

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Bikin Glynn

28DL Regular User
Regular User
RAF polebrook is all but invisible on google now but there is still a few secrets to be found!

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The airfield was built on Rothschild estate land starting in August 1940.
It was from Polebrook that the United States Army Air Forces' Eighth Air Force carried out its first heavy bomb group (Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress) combat mission on 17 August 1942, and from which Major Clark Gable flew combat missions in 1943.

looming out the woods the first thing you come across is a lovely old water tower

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It would of been rude not to & the the treetop view from the top was excellent

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Post-war the station came under No. 273 Maintenance Unit RAF and the airfield was kept in usable state until October 1948 when it was closed. RAF Polebrook was kept in caretaker status until 1959.
The Thor missile deployment was an emergency response by the US to what was perceived as a missile gap with the Soviet Union. Launch orders for Thor missiles were to be given jointly by UK-US officers from HQ Bomber Command, High Wycombe and USAF 7th Air Division, co-located at the same base. An RAF officer could order a missile to be launched, but a USAF officer had to authenticate arming the warhead. The W49 thermonuclear warhead fitted to a Thor missile had a destructive yield of 1.44 megatons, and weighed 1680 lbs. The missile itself had a CEP of approximately two miles.

Unfortunately I have no pics of whats remains of the missile launchers, just some old military buildings full of agricultural goodness!
Iv got quite a few pics from here so hope u enjoy!

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Thanks For looking


 
Last edited:

Calamity Jane

i see beauty in the unloved, places & things
Regular User
Some nice bits there. Like the water tower. But I do like a bit of agricultural goodness too. I photography many bits my self. Nice explore this :thumb
 

Ordnance

Stay Safe
Staff member
Moderator
Interestingly the RAF first flew the Fortress I, otherwise known as Boeing’s B-17C from PoleBroke before discontinuing the use of the aircraft type. The USAF used mainly B-17E's in England.

This site has an interesting series of pics of what to look for including the Thor site:


The runways were lifted during the 70's. The Control Tower was also demolished in the late 70's
 

Bikin Glynn

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Interestingly the RAF first flew the Fortress I, otherwise known as Boeing’s B-17C from PoleBroke before discontinuing the use of the aircraft type. The USAF used mainly B-17E's in England.

This site has an interesting series of pics of what to look for including the Thor site:


The runways were lifted during the 70's. The Control Tower was also demolished in the late 70's

Yeah it’s an interesting site but didn’t go into much history as my post hardly shows any military stuff (they could just b sheds anywhere tbh)
I have been to the Thor launchers too but again they r just about identical to Harrington which are much easier access.
I walk Harrington regular as it’s somewhere I spend a lot of time birdwatching too
 

mookster

grumpy sod
Regular User
I've wondered what was here if anything for a while, had it pinned on my map for ages but never found myself with the time to pop in. Good to see it's not a total waste of time!
 

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