RAF Watton

[kevjb64]

Borrowed my sisters dog and drove down to RAF Watton this evening ( good excuse to get into the places you ain't meant to , blame the dog ) as I heard demolition / construction of the new village was underway ( don't you just loath Prescott ) and I had not been on the base since I moved out of Watton 5 years ago . Saddened to see the hangers fenced off from the public ( cough , almost ) and the on site air museum demolished .

[charley]

How sad... North Weald looks like its next... they think a fitting tribute is to name the streets after pilots or planes...It about time somebody put Britain First!

[Agent X20]

Didnt know your dog could drive Kev...!! :D :D

[charley]

:D V Good! Im going to work now!!!! :rolleyes:

[goonybird]

How sad... North Weald looks like its next... they think a fitting tribute is to name the streets after pilots or planes...It about time somebody put Britain First!

Probably be Axis names to be politically correct! :rolleyes:

[kevjb64]

This one drove me round the twist , it appears to be a cross between a labrador and a shetland pony , damn things huge . Sis has had it about 5 weeks ( its only a pup of about 6-8 months I have warned Sis when its grown she will have to move to a bigger house ) . Anyway its a shelter dog that had never been taken out and also it had obviously been kicked about a bit .Consequently its grown confident within the house , outside is a different story !! A bird takes off from a tree , it bolts , a car sounds its horn a mile away , it bolts , the wind whistles through a hanger , it bolts .
Several members of the public were treated to me being dragged from a standing start to about 30mph in 6.2 seconds on more than one occasion !!

[warbirdguru]

at Watton for seven happy years (Eastern Radar) - a very historic place. About two years after it closed I paid a visit and was really saddened to see the mess. Apparently the Army have the airfield site? Am often tempted to go back but I don't really want to see an even bigger mess.

[Agent X20]

This one drove me round the twist , it appears to be a cross between a labrador and a shetland pony , damn things huge . Sis has had it about 5 weeks ( its only a pup of about 6-8 months I have warned Sis when its grown she will have to move to a bigger house ) . Anyway its a shelter dog that had never been taken out and also it had obviously been kicked about a bit .Consequently its grown confident within the house , outside is a different story !! A bird takes off from a tree , it bolts , a car sounds its horn a mile away , it bolts , the wind whistles through a hanger , it bolts .
Several members of the public were treated to me being dragged from a standing start to about 30mph in 6.2 seconds on more than one occasion !!

Rescue pooches are more rewarding... Had that with me third Golden Retriever.. been badly beaten up and starved (before I got her :D ) she needed a lot of attention as to who was who and what was what before we all settled down.. (even chomped the ex wife in the process.. :D :D :D ) ..... but she never raised a growl at mini agent when she turned up... always concerned me but in the end I had nothing to worry about... She was 16 when the arthritis that was no doubt started by the bastards that beat her up finally claimed her...

Clever bitch.....obedience.. naw.. agility naw... flyball.. naw... but 100% on the 'find the hanky' scent test... must be me fishy smell...!!

[kevjb64]

The runway and perimeter track ( Griston side ) are still in service , there is a Glider Club there now. On the Watton side of the runway said glider club has built a ghastly green pre-fab hanger for storage and what looks like a social club . Four hangers are still up but not for much longer , control tower still up , hofficers mess had been turned into a school for service children , cinema and also had the museum in it ( the building opposite the memorial with the blenheim prop ) but has been demolished .
Americans currently in housing over the otherside of the Norwich road , this is a guess due to the large amounts of left-hand drive 4x4 on the house forecourts . Hofficers houses on Trenchard Drive sold to private wealth !
Going back next week with camera , PM me your address and I will post you some pics , if you can stand it .

[kevjb64]

Originally posted by Agent X20 .Rescue pooches are more rewarding

Too true and there was a beaut of a moment when a jobsworth from the Glider club ( I guess ) came out of the club house to challenge me . It was dusk and in his line of sight the Hound of the Baskervilles was behind me , he got out " What ..... " before he saw the pure white beast hove into view . No messing when the Mutt puts its feet on yer shoulders its well over 6ft and I am 15 odd stone and it was pulling me around for a laugh . I do not know if he reminded the hound of something from the past but for the only time of the entire 2 hours I had it out instead of bolting it stood its ground and went ape !! The geezer aged 10 years in seconds and appreciating if I lost the tug of war I was desperatly engaged in he was in a world of sh*t he went for his coat at some pace !!!

[NeilD]

The runway and perimeter track ( Griston side ) are still in service , there is a Glider Club there now. On the Watton side of the runway said glider club has built a ghastly green pre-fab hanger for storage and what looks like a social club . Four hangers are still up but not for much longer , control tower still up , hofficers mess had been turned into a school for service children , cinema and also had the museum in it ( the building opposite the memorial with the blenheim prop ) but has been demolished .
Americans currently in housing over the otherside of the Norwich road , this is a guess due to the large amounts of left-hand drive 4x4 on the house forecourts . Hofficers houses on Trenchard Drive sold to private wealth !
Going back next week with camera , PM me your address and I will post you some pics , if you can stand it .

So are they building on all the airfield then?? I think at the moment its still used for stuff like para drops..? well I seem to keep seeing NOTAMS for that anyway!
Neil.

[kevjb64]

The plans for the new village ' Greenacres ' ( I think ) is huge , self-contained with its own shops , doctors , entertainment etc . Though we are looking at a very big site ( RAF Watton ) to begin with , most people's estimates is that half the base has been sold off ( including all the interesting historical bits ) .

[Martin Bull]

Too depressing for words.

Don't forget that Watton has an AA connection - the USAAF based the 25thBG (R) here for a while, operating Mosquitoes.

[Albert Ross]

at Watton for seven happy years (Eastern Radar) - a very historic place. About two years after it closed I paid a visit and was really saddened to see the mess. Apparently the Army have the airfield site? Am often tempted to go back but I don't really want to see an even bigger mess.


Ditto! I was there with Warbirdguru at the same time! Very sad! :(

[planejunky]

Rescue pooches are more rewarding... Had that with me third Golden Retriever.. been badly beaten up and starved (before I got her :D ) she needed a lot of attention as to who was who and what was what before we all settled down.. (even chomped the ex wife in the process.. :D :D :D ) ..... but she never raised a growl at mini agent when she turned up... always concerned me but in the end I had nothing to worry about... She was 16 when the arthritis that was no doubt started by the bastards that beat her up finally claimed her...

Clever bitch.....obedience.. naw.. agility naw... flyball.. naw... but 100% on the 'find the hanky' scent test... must be me fishy smell...!!

Here here Agent! I'd never go the cute puppy route either, not cos they're not cute, but my concience wouldn't allow me to leave an unloved dog in a kennel with the fear of being euthanised! ;)

I'm probably going against popular opinion here, but just how many of the former bases would we like to see "Preserved"? Lets face it, there were loads around East Anglia were I live and grew up, and most are virtually unrecognisable nowadays.
For example, take Great Ashfield home of the 385th BG, like most other former 8th AF bases, that place was put up for disposal in the 1950's and very little remains (though I believe that part of the runway and the tower still exsists on private farm land).

It is 60 years since the end of WWII, progress happens, so with that in mind I agree that the best thing is to at least remember the places with relevant road names as they did with the former RAF Martlesham Heath. We are a relatively small island nation which is running out of space, new houses are needed, plus on a personal level, if it means that Snapper and myself have half a chance of affording a house of our own, that must be a good thing.

That said though, North Weald is different as it still is an operational airfield and home to numerous warbird companies/owners, as well as a great site for general aviation. How long before Biggin Hill goes too? Funny thing is that if they built on somewhere like the site of the Battle of Hastings, there would be uproar! North Weald like Biggin Hill are of historic importance for their part in the Battle of Britain, Watton presents a much more difficult case to argue.

Steel helmet is now on, and kevlar body armour in place! :eek: :D

[Agent X20]

if it means that Snapper and myself have half a chance of affording a house of our own, that must be a good thing.

Naw... dont worry about a house.. go straight to a semi detached .... hangar..

[planejunky]

Naw... dont worry about a house.. go straight to a semi detached .... hangar..

Mmmm yes great idea!! :D So how many hangars are still standing at Watton? ;)

[spitty]

i had too do a job in watton friday kev.its disgusting how they tear down these places,just sat there for a good hour looking,and imagining what it must have been like......such a shame,i havent got a dog..................maybe i could take the cat for a walk there...............he's damn vicious