# RAF Chilbolton



## hydealfred (Mar 22, 2010)

RAF Chilbolton is located on a plateau 91 metres above the River Test and Chilbolton village in Hampshire. 

The airfield was intended to act as a dispersal site for the bomber base being built at Middle Wallop. By the time the work was finished Middle Wallop was a Fighter Command Sector Station for No 10 Group. In order to relieve the pressure on Middle Wallop during the Battle Of Britain, Hurricanes of No 238 Squadron were dispersed to Chilbolton. Various units and squadrons continued flying from Chilbolton until 1943 when the airfield was rebuilt prior to the USAAF moving in. During the rebuild three concrete runways were laid, along with forty eight loop type hard standings and two T2 hangars were constructed. The USAAF flew P47 Thunderbolts (395th 396th and 397th FS) from the airfield and was involved in support of D-Day operations. Following the departure of the P47’s to France, C-47’s arrived at the airfield bringing back wounded and undertaking supply flights. C-47 and Hadrian gliders continued to fly from Chilbolton in support of the on-going invasion of Europe. This included participation in Operation Market Garden - which led to a bridge too far. 

Chilbolton returned to the RAF in March 1945 with the final squadron No 247 being the first to fly the De Havilland Vampire in front line service. In November 1946 the airfield was abandoned by the RAF. 

In February 1947 Vickers Armstrong Ltd moved in and test work on the Attacker and Swift was undertaken. In 1953 Folland Aircraft Ltd also moved in to test the Gnat trainer and Midge fighter. Vickers left in 1957 with Folland following in 1961. 

In 1963 work commenced on building an observatory for the Radio Research Station, this opened in 1967 and is a very prominent landmark in the area being visible for miles. A small grass strip is located near the communal site to the east where flying continues to this day. 

Aerial View 





Stanton Air Raid Shelter Entrance 




Stanton Shelter Escape Hatch 




Internal View Stanton Shelter 




81mm Mortar Round Ammunition Box 




Original AMSL Marker 292'




Cockpit Remains Piper 112 Tomahawk G-REPM




Internal Cockpit View G-REPM




General Store 




Wartime Storage Hangars 




Wartime Buildings 




Piper 112 Tomahawk G-PRIM With Station Gymnasium Behind




Wartime T2 Hangar 




T2 Hangar Roof Structure Detail 




Original Hangar Lighting 




Original Lighting Switches 




Remains Of Runway 12 




Remains Of Runway 02 




Remains Of Runway 25 




Redundant Electrical Box Looking Towards The Observatory




Airfield Defence Pill Box 




Unidentified Wartime Building 




Even Modern Technology Becomes Redundant Very Quickly 




High Level Water Tower - Still In Use By Southern Water 




T2 Hangar Door Runner 




Airfield Memorial 





Thanks for looking


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## Urban Mole (Mar 22, 2010)

Great pictures matey, but they are mahoooosive, I think you need to resize them a bit...


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## hydealfred (Mar 23, 2010)

Thanks hopefully now they will be OK.


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## chaoticreason (Mar 23, 2010)

Wonderful photos.
It is astounding to see no graffiti whatsoever,if only all sites could be of such perfection.
My last thread was more a documentation of vandalism,as oppose to the decay of the site.
It is great to see a place hitherto untouched by the hand of vandals.
Many thanks for such great photos.


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## RichardB (Mar 23, 2010)

Nice pictures and report, it's good to see so many well-preserved buildings. 

I'm afraid the pictures are still too big though, 1024x768 is the limit really. Some members have quite slow connections and/or low monthly bandwidth allowances.


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## krela (Mar 23, 2010)

The photos are too big really. 1024 x 768 is the suggested max.


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## hydealfred (Mar 23, 2010)

I'm new to this so will reduce pics down to 1024 and resubmit later this evening.


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## Winch It In (Mar 23, 2010)

Fantastic pictures and a great report. Great to see so much unspolit dereliction and original details on a site these days.
I particularly like the air-raid shelter for its condition, the hangars and the water tower. Did you manage to climb the water tower on your visit?


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## night crawler (Mar 23, 2010)

Good report with some interesting photos, nice one.


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## hydealfred (Mar 23, 2010)

Winch It In said:


> Fantastic pictures and a great report. Great to see so much unspolit dereliction and original details on a site these days.
> I particularly like the air-raid shelter for its condition, the hangars and the water tower. Did you manage to climb the water tower on your visit?



No it is fenced in and I'm not good with heights - which is odd being that I've climbed many Scottish mountains!


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## TK421 (Mar 24, 2010)

I really like your report, what a great site. I got to the photo of the ammo box and thought 'great some relics', and then you surpassed it with bits of aeroplane! Great report, and a top site.


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## cptpies (Mar 24, 2010)

Great report, that tomahawk is looking mighty neglected. Could you confirm that the pillbox is the one listed as S0012708 in the DoB database.

Cheers

Steve


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## hydealfred (Mar 24, 2010)

cptpies said:


> Great report, that tomahawk is looking mighty neglected. Could you confirm that the pillbox is the one listed as S0012708 in the DoB database.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Steve



I have checked the OS map ref SU 389 374 and it is the same pillbox as on the DoB Database.


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## Foxylady (Mar 24, 2010)

Ooh, excellent site. Love the ammo box and the original fittings and fixtures. Very nice explore and write-up.


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