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Report - - RAF Upwood, Cambridgeshire - May 2015 | Military Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - RAF Upwood, Cambridgeshire - May 2015

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SuperNiki

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Good afternoon people

Visited this site in May with a couple of friends and have to say we had a really fab day wandering around. There's both lots to see and not a lot really! The site is vast, literally huge with loads of buildings to explore in but they're all very empty and covered a lot in graffiti. Still pretty cool to have a look round though! :)

Ti give you an idea of the scale, at it's peak the base had over 2,500 personnel working and living there.

History:

The site was first acquisitioned in 1917 in time for the first world war and used until November 1918, when it was decommissioned after the end of WW1. By 1934 the RAF began a huge expansion in time for WW2, building began in 1936 and the first squadron began working from there in February 1937.

Due to the field not being great and the local weather being a bit damp, there were frequent times where flying wasn't possible from the airfield. This probably lead to it's untimely demise as a flying-base.

From the end of WW2 up until 1961, Upwood saw many Squadrons came in and out of the base and most were disbanded or moved to other bases throughout the decades. It was recommissioned as a base for various training and other activities, including radio services, cadet training etc but by 1981 was practically dormant again.

To be honest, the history of this base is so confusing who's in and who's out etc! Even reading it I got confused... but basically it was decommissioned fully in 1995 after it was returned to the MOD, this was after various RAF and USAF squadrons had used it for all sorts of activities. Now it's officially derelict but used by airsoft groups quite often and there's Urbexers and photographers and graffiti artists and skateboarders teeming all over the place most of the time!

Interesting tid bit of history: When captured, German spy Joseph Jakobs was found to have RAF Upwood maps in his possessions amongst other things. He was court-martialled and sentenced to death by Firing Squad in 1941.

Anyway....


Onto the pictures!

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Few aerial shots taken by my quadcopter. It was pretty windy so couldn't get too many pictures sadly as only had 7 minutes of flight time before I brought it down in the interest of safety (and my wallet...)

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Just a bonus hideously over processed picture!
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SuperNiki

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
I don't knot to be honest, I know that an airsoft group uses it probably quite regularly (evidenced by the huge amounts of BBs around!) But I didn't think they owned it, could be wrong though! Last I knew there was plans to redevelop the land for houses but the planning per,mission fell through or something, no idea it seems to have been a 'he owns it, you own it, I own it, no-one owns it, back to him' etc very confusing!!
 

Thor873

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
i understand what you mean a lot of people seem to claim it is theirs but i have a feeling that urban assault own it , hence why no one cares if you roam around in it. id love3 to go around in it , its probably worth going round raf driffield if you liked upwood as its still prettey much abandoned but with bits left. look at my report on it
 

SuperNiki

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Thanks! I have to admit... after my first explore I was staunchly "I am doing this for fun, I am not a photographer" £1k later on photography equipment, still doing it for fun but really enjoying
the photography side of things and have been taking trips out with a friend of mine who is an incredibly good photographer. So yeah... kinda fell into the ophotography trap! My favourite camera is of course my quadcopter! :D
 

Ordnance

Stay Safe
Staff member
Moderator
:thumbLike the use of the quadcopter

Geat photos loved the report, i thought that a company called urban assault airsoft own it

A development company called Strawson Holdings Limited purchased the land from the MoD with the intention of building a sustainable community on the site, so far with no success on the planning front!

So far they have re-sold part of the Tech Site to Turbine Motor Works who purchased a large amount of property on the former base including the four C-type hangars. Their plan is/was to convert the hangers into a jet engine overhaul facility.

Nene Valley Gliding Club lease part of the airfield and another part of the facility is used by Urban Assault Airsoft Players, who I think also only sub-lease it.
 
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Will Knot

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Nice write up and great pics :thumb....do like this place, gonna have to go back for a wander next time I'm in the area :D
 

SuperNiki

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Thanks :) I want to get back and get my quad up again. I've got a faster card and able to borrow a few batteries so more scope to take some better pictures .... Just hoping for less wind.... :rolleyes:
 

superpaul39

28DL Member
28DL Member
Went with superniki on her first explore went to upwood a few years ago for the first time it really starting to fall apart now and was in much worse condition.
 

SuperNiki

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Wasn't the first one! We did the POW camp last year... And there's a report of the mill in Hailshasm with Twatt, but the less said about that one the better!! :D did enjoy it though, we shall have to go back with a picnic...!

Edit: blo
ody auto correct....
 
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