# RAF Wyton Bomb Store & Photographic Department



## UrbanX (Dec 14, 2009)

I thought I’d already posted this, but evidently not….I only remembered it when SimonCornwell made a comment about it on another recent post. 

RAF Wyton is famous in urbex circles for it’s photographic department. Loads of history posted before so I wont repeat it. 
Thanks to an epic cock up with my geography skills we found ourselves in the bomb stores instead. Oh well, such is exploring. 

Grim looking perimeter











So desolate:

























By now time was really getting on, but we decided to visit the Photographic department anyway. 
Apologies for the quality of the pics – it was pitch black.






Main processing room:
A bit of light painting has bought out the beautiful colours of decay. 





Safe, Innit?





Secret…





TOP SECRET!!


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## Lightbuoy (Dec 15, 2009)

Looks to be an interesting explore -love the "field" telephone 

Ta


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## klempner69 (Dec 15, 2009)

I found this very interesting,but perhaps if you add a little history it would help.Cheers all the same,not heard of this one.


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## HypoBoy (Dec 15, 2009)

I really should get round to paying the bomb store a visit, seeing as I can just about see it from home 

Not got the time to fill in all the historic details in urbanx's post, but one little bit of info I've picked up is that, before the station became home to the Pathfinder Force in '42, RAF Wyton's "photo factory" was used for developing reconnaissance photos taken during WW2. If the rumours are true, the very first recon mission of the war was flown from Wyton, with the resulting images processed in the photo factory. Demolition has been on the cards for a fair while, and always looks like its about to go ahead, but it still stands at the moment.


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## klempner69 (Dec 15, 2009)

Thanx for that Hypoboy.


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## UrbanX (Dec 15, 2009)

Apologies to Klempner, I’ve been blaze on my info. Apologies to everyone else, as I may have had a glass of wine before writing this, so I might go a bit ‘Fieldy’. Yes, I’m using FieldyM as a verb. 

For starters, RAF Wyton itself is still a live site...Luckily for us the 'wire' (perimeter fence) has been reduced over the years, gradually placing some gems of our of military history well inside the urbexers domain. 

It's live bit is used for general shenanigans by “Equipment Support” (Air) and Corporate Technical Services. The airfield is used for flying training by 57(R) Squadron EFT, the University Air Squadrons of London and Cambridge and No 5 Air Experience Flight, very posh. 

Wyton has been a military airfield since 1916, when it was used for training by the Royal Flying Corps. In 1935 it was upgraded to ‘contemporary’ standards. I cant help think of (Ian lavender and Captin Mannering, fannying about, stupid boy) During World War II it was used primarily as a bomber base, flying Bristol Blenheim, de Havilland Mosquito and Avro Lancaster aircraft. In 1942 it became the home of the Pathfinder Force under the command of Group Captain Don Bennett.

After the war Wyton became home to the Strategic Reconnaissance Force, adding English Electric Canberra to the aircraft flown. Vickers Valiants, modified for reconnaissance, moved there in 1955 and a Handley Page Victor in 1959. Provision was made to store nuclear weapons if necessary. This makes our visit exciting, and epic. 
Although TBH I wouldn’t store my wine in there, let alone a nuke. 

The Victor belonged to a separate Radar Reconnaissance Flight (initially of one aircraft - rising to three by the time RRF was disbanded in 1962) to supplement the work of the Valiants of 543 Sqn. The Canberras of 58 Sqn were a mix of PR7 and PR 9s.

Also based at RAF Wyton were the T17 and T17A Canberras of 360 Sqn, the only joint RAF and RN Sqn specialising in ECM training. 

In the early 90's one of its pilots was Ft Lt Rory Underwood, yep, the cauliflower eared chap who used to be on A Question Of Sport, who used to play with an egg shaped ball. 

Other residents at RAF Wyton were 100 Sqn with a mixture of Canberra types in the Targeting Role also resident but "never officially present" were the three Nimrod R1s belonging to 51 Sqn used in the Elint and Sigint role.

RAF Wyton hosts the annual Pathfinder March, a 46 mile walk which starts and finishes at RAF Wyton. The mentals. Don’t they have cars?


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## Pugstar (Dec 15, 2009)

I remember when the Commanding officer, whilst trying to keep his flight pay up, decided to Crash a canbera in my ex's dads back garden, about 25 years ago give or take. Wyton was massive employer when active, wide area site. 
Nice history, thanks for posting pics.


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## klempner69 (Dec 15, 2009)

UrbanX,Now thats what I call history!Dont think I was diggin at you ok..its just a lot of peeps like me wont have heard of this place..fair enough with places like West Park,Pyestock et al,there is a plethora of info around,but places like these,history really makes it.Never heard of the Underwood geezer with the ear tho`..

cheers from Stu


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## Pugstar (Dec 15, 2009)

Ah I remember Rory Underwood England Rugby Player, Thanks Klemp it reminded me when you mentioned him


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## UrbanX (Dec 15, 2009)

Ha no worries, it's one of those assumptions, I only just remembered it myself. 
It was part of our "6 RAF bases in 2 days mission". What a weekend!


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## tommo (Dec 16, 2009)

nice one fella the place does look a good size, loving the old bomb stores there




klempner69 said:


> I found this very interesting,but perhaps if you add a little history it would help.Cheers all the same,not heard of this one.



when we going stu this sounds interesting and i know u like your RAF sites, i think 2010 will be a busy year lol


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