History
The airfield opened during May 1939 and was used by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War with the loss of 86 aircraft. The station closed in 1994, though the Ministry of Defence (MoD) retained it as a strategic reserve. Having laid derelict since closure, the MoD elected in 2004 that it was surplus to requirements, and the site was sold in 2006 to the Welbeck Estate Group who sold the entire site in October 2007.The airfield opened during May 1939 and was used by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War with the loss of 86 aircraft. The station closed in 1994, though the Ministry of Defence (MoD) retained it as a strategic reserve. Having laid derelict since closure, the MoD elected in 2004 that it was surplus to requirements, and the site was sold in 2006 to the Welbeck Estate Group who sold the entire site in October 2007. Built between 1938 and 1939, RAF West Raynham was an expansion scheme airfield. The grass landing area was aligned roughly north-east to south-west. The main camp, with housing and headquarters, was located immediately west of the landing area. To the south-east were bomb stores.[1] The airfield was originally equipped with a Watch Office with Tower (Fort Type), of pattern 207/36 (made from concrete), although the tower was later removed and new control room built to pattern 4698/43. Later in the war the station was provided with a "Control Tower for Very Heavy Bomber Stations" to pattern 294/45, one of only four such towers to be built
The airfield opened during May 1939 and was used by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War with the loss of 86 aircraft. The station closed in 1994, though the Ministry of Defence (MoD) retained it as a strategic reserve. Having laid derelict since closure, the MoD elected in 2004 that it was surplus to requirements, and the site was sold in 2006 to the Welbeck Estate Group who sold the entire site in October 2007.The airfield opened during May 1939 and was used by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War with the loss of 86 aircraft. The station closed in 1994, though the Ministry of Defence (MoD) retained it as a strategic reserve. Having laid derelict since closure, the MoD elected in 2004 that it was surplus to requirements, and the site was sold in 2006 to the Welbeck Estate Group who sold the entire site in October 2007. Built between 1938 and 1939, RAF West Raynham was an expansion scheme airfield. The grass landing area was aligned roughly north-east to south-west. The main camp, with housing and headquarters, was located immediately west of the landing area. To the south-east were bomb stores.[1] The airfield was originally equipped with a Watch Office with Tower (Fort Type), of pattern 207/36 (made from concrete), although the tower was later removed and new control room built to pattern 4698/43. Later in the war the station was provided with a "Control Tower for Very Heavy Bomber Stations" to pattern 294/45, one of only four such towers to be built
The Explore
Explored with @hamtagger and with a little help from a non member, we wanted to check out a few places around Norfolk and this was a place we had wanted to visit for a while. With time not on our side we did what we could here and obviously I haven't pictured everything we could have done but we saw as much as we wanted to when we visited. This was a very wintery morning, foggy on the drive and so bloody quiet. Hardly a soul to be seen at that time of the morning and equipped with a fatdonalds breakfast we were ready to check out RAF West Raynham. It didn't disappoint. Very peely in areas, lots of natural decay and literally NO vandalism or graffiti, bonus! Really nice explore this. The Restaurant staircase was very photogenic. Very samey in comparison to most other RAF sites but with the added bonus of how well preserved it is.
As a lover of wallpaper I loved this Grandma design...
That lovely staircase...
(Sorry about the blur)
And some of the Industrial side..
Urbex faces....
I do love a Gauge...
