# RAF Binbrook - Late 2008



## MaBs (Feb 14, 2009)

Visited in late 2008 with Kaputnik.

RAF Binbrook opened in early 1940 as a bomber base initially under 142 Sqn the station closed in 1942 to allow the laying of concrete runways. On 14 May 1943 Binbrook reopened as the home for 460 Sqn of the Royal Australian Air Force. This sqn suffered the highest loss rate o any Australian sqn and lost over 1000 men while stationed at Binbrook. It was quite erie when walking around to think that a thousand soles passed through the gate of the station never to return. 

After WWII the base was again under RAF use with 617 sqn the Dambusters being based there for a time. The Canberra Britain’s first jet bomber was stationed here before the station was handed over to fighter command in 1960. The English electric Lightening was based here for a long time from 1962 to 1988. The station closed when 5 and 11 sqn’s were disbanded and the lightening removed from active service in 1988. Since then parts of the base have been used by industry with others becoming derelict. The contrast was quite surprising. The control tower has gone with only a few tiles remaining to show where it was. 






^ We started off in the Officers mess which was in a bad way and is only a shadow of its former self!





^The former entrance to the officers mess. Earth has been dumped in front of the entrance some time after 2007 presumably to try prevent access. 




















^ Ante-Room





^ One of the accommodation wings in the officers mess. 





^One of the fireplaces in the Officer mess. 





^Upstairs Pano





^ One of the staircases leading to the accommodation wigs. I would have imagined this being a grand wooden banister here when it was in use. 





^Batman’s Room

























^Additional officers mess accomdation block, this of later build than the main officers mess block that dates from WWII.










^Inside










^ Squash court that has suffered greatly at the hands of arsonists. 





^Garages outside officers mess.





^Next we moved on to have a look in some of the H-Blocks. 





^Although one had some fire damage they were in a lot better state than the Officers mess. 





^One of them was filled with TV’s I’m sure Kaputnik has some better pictures than this. I’ve never seen so many tellys in all my life there was hundreds of them!










^ 





^One of the blocks was still in a reasonable state and had various bits still remaining from it military use. 




















^ Toilet (well sort of) shot 










^One of the hangers now used for storage. 





^A WWII era nissen hut. 











There was some sort of military surplus yard with loads of all vehicles that were for sale. 















^Which also included a train!






Now finally we came across this!






The story of this particular aircraft unfortunately has a sad ending. Lightening tail number XR724 was constructed as an F3 at Samlesbury, with her first flight being on the 10th of February 1965. She was converted to an F6 almost immediately after construction and went into service with 11 sqn on the 16th June 1967. Most of her life was spent at Binbrook, with her final days being spent as a test bed for British Aerospace. 

The plane was fully operational when the lightening association took over her. They used to run her up and down the runways until they were ripped up for hardcore. She used to be stored in the old 5 sqn hanger until it was sold off by the MOD and the new owners turffed it out. The engines have been removed and taken away for inside storage, XR724 now sits outside near to the old control tower slowly rusting away, there is talk of removing her but would mean cutting her up to allow it to fit on a low loader, her future is unclear. 































A few pictures that didn’t really fit in anywhere else.





^ An old No.1 RAF Jacket that was made in 1956.





^Mini 















^ Sea Harrier

There is quite a famous incident at Binbrook where a Lightening was “shot down” by a UFO. Click here for more info.


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## DigitalNoise (Feb 14, 2009)

Nicely done, that lightning is a great find, amazing aircraft.
EDIT: Did you not try and find the Battle HQ?


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## Foxylady (Feb 14, 2009)

Excellent tour of the base, MaBs. The aircraft are amazing, so too the UFO story.
Great pics and write-up...I thoroughly enjoyed that. Cheers.


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## ww2nut (Feb 14, 2009)

*amazing*

this post is by far the best i have ever read on the site, love the pictures that take you thought the time line of the station a truly great explore, well done!


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## Kaputnik (Feb 14, 2009)

Really great write up, Mabs, good to meet up again, and i and love your pics from the visit!
Lots of graffiti in one of the accomodation blocks....










That wonderful Lightning... many parts from another lightning were stacked on pallets nearby






















The Loco.....





And inside the cab, good to get out of the freezing cold wind in here!






Some of the many vehicles stored at the site...















Partly restored steam loco, (well, they'd painted the wheels anyway)





Parked-up Harrier on pallets, minus engine and direction ducts,


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## V70 (Feb 14, 2009)

Excellent stuff MaBs.... still plenty interesting things to see and your photographic record is excellent, lots of great textures and plenty artifacts amongst the rubble and decay 

I love the old Lightning, always admired these old jets since the days I cycled past one here in Edinburgh every morning.

EDIT: I was typing my reply to MaBs post when the second batch of pics was being uploaded. Again excellent captures... I love them!. That graf at the top of the stairs is freaky. Imagine shining a torch on that during a night explore... hehe


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## Kaputnik (Feb 14, 2009)

V70 said:


> That graf at the top of the stairs is freaky. Imagine shining a torch on that during a night explore... hehe



Haha, enough to make you run away screaming!


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## Neosea (Feb 14, 2009)

Great place to visit, what with the aircraft and trucks. I would be happy for hours just playing with them and then I see you found a steam engine - BLISS. Thanks guys!


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## Goldie87 (Feb 14, 2009)

Some really nice moody looking shots there. Been meaning to get to Binbrook for ages, really must get round to it soon


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## TK421 (Feb 15, 2009)

Military and RAF stuff normally isn't my scene, but this is a great site, and you have captured it really well. I have seen a few of these purple loco's at various sites, If I remember correctly they were for overseas use and the loading gauge in the UK is too small for them, so what future it has I am not sure. Great parking of that Mini!! Well done guys.

Just looked at the site on 'live maps' it's bloody HUGE!!


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## Lightbuoy (Feb 15, 2009)

Absolutely brilliant Report guys! 

Thanks for the history. So much to see!

Thanks a lot for sharing these pics with us,


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## NobodyGirl (Feb 15, 2009)

Oh wow!!!! ACE! Fantastic shots guys!!!!


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## Urban-Warrior (Feb 16, 2009)

WOW.. just wow what an amazing site love the pics of the lightning and trucks.. thanks MaBs & Kaputnik great report..


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## SnakeCorp (Feb 16, 2009)

Some great pics. Binbrook has had an interesting recent history:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/b...e-charged-more-expected-to-follow-404427.html

Researching the two main individuals in the above fraud, Lincoln Fraser and Jared Brook, also brings up lots of Binbrook related info.

SC


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## MaBs (Feb 17, 2009)

Cheers for all the comments 

Managed to find a few pictures from when the base was in use. Please note pictures and text from the IWM website. 





^Lancaster at Binbrook in it's WWII days!
_The Duke of Gloucester, Governor-General Designate of the Commonwealth of Australia (standing fourth from right), watches armourers bombing up Lancaster I LL964/AR-D2 of No 460 Squadron, RAAF, during his visit to Binbrook in July 1944._






_A Royal Air Force Canberra PR3 Photographic Reconnaissance aircraft in April 1951. This photograph is believed to show one of the first Canberras to enter operational service with 101 Squadron at RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire._






_October 1962. Aircraft past and present of the Central Fighter Establishment (CFE) at RAF Binbrook. The aircraft pictured here represent the various aircraft used by the constituant organisations which merged to form the CFE. The aircraft are (left to right): Supermarine Spitfire (P5853) of the Central Fighter Establishment, English Electric Lightning F.1 (XM136) of the Air Fighting Development Squadron, Gloster Javelin, Hawker Hunter F.6 (XF515) and Huwker Hunter T.7 (XL595) both of Fighter Combat School. In the background are training versions of (left to right) Avro Anson, two Gloster Meteors and a De Havilland Chipmunk. In the foreground are personel representing the CFE including RAF, Fleet Air Arm, Army Air Corps and United States Air Force._






_1966, A Senior Aircraftsman of the RAF checking the arming circuit of a Firestreak air-to-air missile attached to an English Electric Lightning aircraft of No 5 Squadron RAF at RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire._






_1966. An English Electric Lightning aircraft of No 5 Squadron RAF about to be towed by tractor to the runway at RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire.
_


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## MaBs (Feb 17, 2009)

Also managed to find a few pictures of XR724 back in the day.





^Lightnig XR724 on the 1st June 1979
Please note Picture © Terry Waddington Collection of Aviation Picture Hangar





Please note Picture © Terry Waddington Collection of Aviation Picture Hangar





^XR724/AE, English-Electric/BAC Lightning F.6, RAF/5 Squadron, landing, Binbrook RAF, 1986
Please note Picture © www.paulnann.com


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## Kaputnik (Feb 17, 2009)

Digital Noise.... wasn't aware that there was a battle hq here, will def try to find that next time, as a return visit is planned, i've only seen one at Wymeswold before, which was flooded to a depth of around 5ft,
Snakecorps..... some interesting reading about the fraudulent goings on in that link, thanks for that,
and good to see the pics from when the site was in use, and the Lightning we saw was still operational, Mabs.


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## luckystar (Feb 19, 2009)

Great explore. This is a really intresting place. I'm getting right into this urban exploration thing.
Are those MOD trucks abandoned?
Whats the score here. Can you just wonder in or are you likely to be arrested?


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## Kaputnik (Feb 19, 2009)

the trucks are most likely awaiting buyers, some had lot no. tickets attached, and your 2nd question.....
afraid you'll have to find out yourself! that's the whole fun/dissapointment/research/amazement/being escorted off the premises etc etc, that goes with exploring sites that are worth exploring. if someone tells you where to park, how to get in, where to look, etc, there's really isn't much point


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## luckystar (Feb 20, 2009)

Kaputnik said:


> the trucks are most likely awaiting buyers, some had lot no. tickets attached, and your 2nd question.....
> afraid you'll have to find out yourself! that's the whole fun/dissapointment/research/amazement/being escorted off the premises etc etc, that goes with exploring sites that are worth exploring. if someone tells you where to park, how to get in, where to look, etc, there's really isn't much point



O yeh I see your point 
So between me and you where do you park, where do you get in, is it legal, should I take my wellies, is it a good place for a picnic, what?


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## Sl4yer (Feb 20, 2009)

Love the pics of 724. Such a shame to see a Lightning left like that. Strange that both ailerons are down - I thought the control system would prevent that, even when hydraulic power is lost.

Hopefully someone will look after it soon!


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