Ahhh RAF Upwood, the perenially trashed, empty, easy explore. It had been four years since my first and up to this point only visit, back when the tanks were still there as well as the ladder in the water tower, and I decided it was time for a revisit with a couple of noobies and a friend who hadn't been before.
This time I managed to get around pretty much everything although I baulked at the way up the tower, having been up there once before when it was easy I decided it wasn't necessary for me to go up again. Houses are now being constructed on the site of the old medical centre, so I'm not really sure how much longer the rest of the place has left sadly.
It was a beautiful Sunday morning to wander around, and I'm amazed we didn't see or hear anyone else the whole time we were there. I managed to totally forget about the large Upwood House just down the road from it despite mentioning it on the way in as well, bummer.
Thanks for looking
This time I managed to get around pretty much everything although I baulked at the way up the tower, having been up there once before when it was easy I decided it wasn't necessary for me to go up again. Houses are now being constructed on the site of the old medical centre, so I'm not really sure how much longer the rest of the place has left sadly.
RAF Upwood originated in September 1917 when the War Department requisitioned Hill Farm, then owned by Lord de Ramsey, for use as an Emergency Landing Ground. The airfield was later used as a Home Defence 1st Class Night Landing Ground for BE2 aircraft of 7 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. By the summer of 1918 permanent huts and five large hangars had been constructed and the site renamed Upwood Airfield, under 6th Brigade, Midland Area of the 47th Home Defence Wing of the newly formed Royal Air Force. When World War I ended the airfield reverted to agricultural use with the buildings being salvaged by local farmers.
The Royal Air Force returned to Upwood Airfield in January 1937 when Squadrons 52 and 63, equipped with Hawker Hind and Audax bi-planes, were located there. Squadrons 90 and 53, equipped with Bristol Blenheims, replaced 52 and 63 Squadrons by February 1940 - their main mission to train RAF personnel for bombing missions. These two units later merged to form 17 Operational training Unit (OTU).
By April 1943 the airfield came under No. 8 PFF (Pathfinders) Group but as the grass runways were frequently waterlogged, upgrading work was required.
Three new concrete runways were constructed by October 1943, allowing the first of the Pathfinder Squadrons, No. 139 (Jamaica), to use the airfield the following January. From this time forward, Upwood Airfield was home to 139 Squadron equipped with Mosquitoes as well as 156 Squadron with Lancaster bombers.
At the end of the Second World War, 156 Squadron was relocated at Wyton whilst 139 Squadron remained at Upwood until February 1946. After this it was used as a training centre for some time and was later leased to the USAF. It was vacated in 1994 when US troops returned home after the Cold War, although the USAF retained a modern medical centre on site until 2013, which was then demolished in 2015.
It was a beautiful Sunday morning to wander around, and I'm amazed we didn't see or hear anyone else the whole time we were there. I managed to totally forget about the large Upwood House just down the road from it despite mentioning it on the way in as well, bummer.
Thanks for looking