# Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) Bedford - April 2011



## nelly (Apr 24, 2011)

Starting in 1946, construction work began on the airfield to turn the site into what became known as the Royal Aeronautical Establishment, Bedford. The runway was extended in the post-war period to accommodate the Bristol Brabazon aircraft (which required a very long runway) that ultimately never went into production. One local road was dropped into a cutting so that it would not sit above the level of the runway.

It was the site of experimental aircraft development and was once described as “the finest research and development establishment outside the U.S.A."



























This building is a "Kinetheodolite tower" (Cine Camera Tower) there was a further tower located elsewhere on the field. Two beams were projected up onto a taking off aircraft which would then lock the camera's on and follow it around ( hence the observatory dome)while trials were carried out over the field! the data being fed to computers for trajectory analysis














































































































A trip down memory lane here. There was and old rover abandoned near one of the buildings with these inside, I remember it being my job to lick and stick these when my Mum had been shopping 



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## Tstranger1066 (Apr 24, 2011)

great report Nelly, I had no idea thats what that domed tower was! Great pics mate, once again. Looks like you had a good day there


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## nelly (Apr 24, 2011)

Tstranger1066 said:


> great report Nelly, I had no idea thats what that domed tower was! Great pics mate, once again. Looks like you had a good day there



It was a good day and the weather was great too.


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## John_D (Apr 24, 2011)

Superb report, hadn't realised that there was anything like that site near here.


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## night crawler (Apr 24, 2011)

Good report and I also remember licking and sticking Green Shield Stamps.


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## skeleton key (Apr 24, 2011)

Nelly you covered the site well.
Was great to get back out there and shame about Mr 7 ancle
Quite a little maze of a place and one where you always see somthing you missed.
Its suprising how the things you thought in exploring wouldnt interest kinda grow on you 
I spy with my little "Roc post Eye " hahaha
I have a secret lol 

Night crawler, do you know whats worse regarding those stamps!
I can still taste them 

SK / Neil


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## nelly (Apr 24, 2011)

skeleton key said:


> Nelly you covered the site well.
> Was great to get back out there and shame about Mr 7 ancle
> Quite a little maze of a place and one where you always see somthing you missed.
> Its suprising how the things you thought in exploring wouldnt interest kinda grow on you
> ...



Lol, ROC posts eh?? I'd love to get down one of them!!!

This place wins with the peely paint!!!


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## nelly (Apr 24, 2011)

Aggghh, forgot to credit Skeleton Key for the photo with the Official Secrets Act Sign.
Some little bastard had gone at it with a paint can and SK had one from his previous explore

Thanks mate


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## kevsy21 (Apr 24, 2011)

Good pics,was that tower doable?


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## jonney (Apr 24, 2011)

Great stuff there Nelly, nice to see that some of the electrics are still in place and not in a scrapyard somewhere. Haven't seen Green shield stamps in a long long time, god I feel old now lol


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## skeleton key (Apr 24, 2011)

kevsy21 said:


> Good pics,was that tower doable?



Indeed it is and not a bad place to brake for lunch






SK / Neil


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## nelly (Apr 25, 2011)

kevsy21 said:


> Good pics,was that tower doable?



Yeah, sorry mate, forgot to mention, I sent my boy up there to get me some piccies as you can see 

(God, I'm in trouble now!!!)


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## skeleton key (Apr 25, 2011)

Nelly ,will be round for tea latter about 18.30 seeing as i m now yer boy 
For that i think you should post your ROC Post pics .
i know theres alot of people who would enjoy them and srtongly feel you should share as thats what the forums all about 


SK / Neill ,Yer buddy


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## Priority 7 (Apr 25, 2011)

You impatient bstrds  nice work lads...guess I will have to finish this one solo only problem will be where to put my crutches while I take photo's...good news is I will be able to fend of any guard dogs I could run into


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## nelly (Apr 25, 2011)

Priority 7 said:


> You impatient bstrds  nice work lads...guess I will have to finish this one solo only problem will be where to put my crutches while I take photo's...good news is I will be able to fend of any guard dogs I could run into



Don't you go worrying about dogs and security. You just enjoy your holiday mate and leave the exploring to us mate


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## Foxylady (Apr 25, 2011)

Tstranger1066 said:


> ...I had no idea thats what that domed tower was!


Same here...cheers for the explanation, Nelly. That's a blinking interesting place and some great features remaining. 

Me too with the stamp licking.


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## hydealfred (Apr 25, 2011)

What is that aircraft in the first shot as it appears to be a French Mirage of some sort.


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## nelly (Apr 25, 2011)

hydealfred said:


> What is that aircraft in the first shot as it appears to be a French Mirage of some sort.



I'll be honest mate I got it from Google images, it was titled "Hunting 126 XN714 Test Flight from RAE Bedford"

Wiki says......................................

The Hunting H.126 was an English experimental aircraft designed and built by Hunting Aircraft in order to test the concept of blown flaps, or as they were known in Britain, "jet flaps". Only one aircraft was built, being flown in a series of one-hundred test flights at the Royal Aircraft Establishment's Aerodynamics Flight at RAE Bedford. It was then sent to the United States for wind tunnel testing by NASA, and eventually made its way to the museum at RAF Cosford.


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## nelly (Apr 26, 2011)

hydealfred said:


> What is that aircraft in the first shot as it appears to be a French Mirage of some sort.



A big thank you, the photo that I thought was a Hunting H126 turned out to be a mirage that had probably never been near Bedford in its life, all changed now


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## fluffy5518 (Apr 26, 2011)

Nice one Nelly !! Really informative and interesting post with the best piccies i've seen of the place.Will have to get my fat cockney bum up there !!


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## TheSarge (Jul 26, 2011)

Wow! This location is awesome


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## urban phantom (Jul 26, 2011)

This looks intresting great job thanks for sharing


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## outkast (Jul 28, 2011)

Nice pics there mate, looks a cracking explore

Thanks, Dave


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## Patch1977 (Aug 6, 2011)

*Good work!*

Looks good, is it a 'safe' place to break my urbexing duck?


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## nelly (Aug 8, 2011)

Patch1977 said:


> Looks good, is it a 'safe' place to break my urbexing duck?



The RAE section is pretty much out of the way and not covered by sec as far a s I know.

But it may be a good idea to stay away from the runway full of cars and the control tower if you are of a nervous disposition security guard wise, a few have been found by sec here and they told one of the guys that the Police are going to be taking a heavier approach to it.

Good luck


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## Patch1977 (Aug 28, 2011)

*Thanks!*



nelly said:


> The RAE section is pretty much out of the way and not covered by sec as far a s I know.
> 
> But it may be a good idea to stay away from the runway full of cars and the control tower if you are of a nervous disposition security guard wise, a few have been found by sec here and they told one of the guys that the Police are going to be taking a heavier approach to it.
> 
> Good luck



I'm gonna give it ago, not interested in the cars but as for the rest.......nothing ventured nothing gained!


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## Pincheck (Aug 28, 2011)

really interesting mate well done


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## TeeJF (Aug 29, 2011)

Another nelly-spesh! Great report my man! But why aren't you home chaging Daisy's nappies??? Tonto was apopletic when she saw this!

Green Shield stamps... hee hee... I used to collect them... I think I got enough books for a Dinky toy car once...


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## nelly (Aug 29, 2011)

TeeJF said:


> Another nelly-spesh! Great report my man! But why aren't you home chaging Daisy's nappies???



Now somebody isn't paying attention TeeJF, this report was back in April  It has simply been resurrected by some peeps, of course I am at home changing nappies!!! And myself, Skeleton Key, UrbanX and Madaxe never went anywhere near a rooftop (and a pub) yesterday evening


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## TeeJF (Aug 29, 2011)

Hmmm... a likely story! Just watch it if you meet Tonto, I told you she'd gotten broody after seeing Daisy, now she's getting vengeful!  yrrrrrrr doomed!

Was it a good 'splore then?


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## nelly (Aug 29, 2011)

TeeJF said:


> Hmmm... a likely story! Just watch it if you meet Tonto, I told you she'd gotten broody after seeing Daisy, now she's getting vengeful!  yrrrrrrr doomed!
> 
> Was it a good 'splore then?



It was a re visit to a place that I done last week, but we got to the roof this time and I do love a roof, also took the opportunity to meet a couple of guys for the first time, so all was good.

A new photo of Daisy for Tonto, just to start her off again!!!


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