# RAF Alconbury



## IncompletePete (Jun 11, 2007)

A vast base that made up the the Tri-Base area with Molesworth and Upwood. Alconbury served as a major bombed base during WW2 and came to notoriety during the Cold War as it stationed the U-2 spy planes.

The place is pretty vast and a relic of Cold War military architecture and is now largely used for industrial purposes, however there's a lot left alone.

The site is absolutely massive and very busy, but whilst this is annoying, it also makes exploring the base easy so long as you have a car as no-one will think anything of it as there's so many cars and lorries on site. If you just walk about, you'll probably gain more attention!

I had to cut the trip short and didn't see nearly enough!

U2 spy plane hanger:






Alongside the U2 hangers was the infamous "Magic Mountain" which the films from the U2s were processed and analysed:





Surprisingly I found a tunnel throught the middle of the building, meaning entering the place is well and truely out of site. However, it was well locked up unfortunately.





Whilst the place is now in civilian hands, there's still many military remnants, which the police and SAS, who train on site, seem to take shots at:





As I cruised about the site I noticed this massively protected, imposing building:





However, I did find a door, which, to my delight, swung open!





I went throught 3 very secure doors to enter the place, but it seemed the SAS had been training there too, knocking through the 3 foot thick concrete walls!





The place had 5 decontamination airlocks in a row:





The first gate on the road to the 'hot row', where the nukes were stored:





The place was in use as a fireworks store and a police car had just stormed past, so didn't fancy trying my luck!





A scenic shot of the control tower, which was very locked up!


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## indy (Jun 11, 2007)

nice.... like that tunnel shot


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## smileysal (Jun 12, 2007)

Like the Control Tower with the sunlight behind, what are the markings on the tower please? 

Especially like the 4th pic down. 

Cheers,

 Sal


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## Foxylady (Jun 12, 2007)

Hi IP
Wow, what a find!
Love that U2 hangar and the control tower. Excellent stuff!

Cheers for that
Foxy


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## King Al (Jun 12, 2007)

I would love to see this place, great pictures


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## smileysal (Jun 12, 2007)

Just remembered, isn't RAF Alconbury the place where the McDonalds is shaped like a UFO? 

 Sal


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## krela (Jun 12, 2007)

smileysal;13835; said:


> Just remembered, isn't RAF Alconbury the place where the McDonalds is shaped like a UFO?
> 
> Sal



Indeed it is!

clicky for picture


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## smileysal (Jun 12, 2007)

hehe, thanks krela.

my mate nearly crashed the car when we went past there years ago. She gave it a fleeting glance, then had to look again then we nearly came off the road. hehehe. Is the place still there or has that closed as well? would love to see inside there. 

Thanks again.

 Sal


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## krela (Jun 12, 2007)

smileysal;13837; said:


> Is the place still there or has that closed as well? would love to see inside there.



Now that I really don't know


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## Lightbuoy (Jun 12, 2007)

Like the pics IP 
Interesting bit of history too. Thanks.

Lb


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## smileysal (Jun 12, 2007)

Cheers krela. Will have a search.

 Sal


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## james (May 1, 2009)

Hi
Nice to see the photos, and its taken me a long time to find this site but glade I did as I had 3 years their many years ago.


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## UrbanX (May 1, 2009)

Nice one! I didn't realise there was so much left, will def have to pay a visit! 

I had my 10th nbirthday party in the UFO, it was a restaurant canned 'Megatron' at the time!


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## jonney (May 4, 2009)

Great site. Any idea why there would have been 5 decontamination air locks in a row. Wouldn't like to be around there when the SAS are training though


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## adamrobertson (Jul 13, 2009)

i used to work on that base, there's some cool locations up there, i never got to check them out when i was there


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## mexico75 (Jul 13, 2009)

jonney said:


> Great site. Any idea why there would have been 5 decontamination air locks in a row.



So they could get as many people de-contaminated and into the 'clean' side of the building as possible. The theory during the cold war was that the Russians wouldn't nuke airfields as they would want to capture and use them in the event of war. The Russians would instead spray liquid nerve agent from 'Blackjack' bombers to try to kill as much resistance as possible while keeping the infrastructure intact. They would then drop para's to mop up survivors and hold the airfield untill the advance arrived.

Nice explore there fella, didn't realise there was so much left.


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## wearethemoos (Aug 9, 2009)

I remember going there in the 80's for an airshow. I was only 7 or 8 at the time but remember the american parachute display team landing in the crowd and nowhere near the target. Our para's then jumped in windier conditions and every one landed where they were meant to! Oh, and the traffic control on the way was messed up when the american's forgot that in britain, we drive on the left and directed cars the wrong way - into oncoming traffic! Didnt realise it was possible to get on there. May have to have a look when i go on tour next year


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