# RAF Yatesbury



## godzilla73 (Oct 1, 2010)

The RAF base at Yatesbury dates from WWI, when a small fleet of Avro 504s were run out of it by the Royal Flying Corps. In WWII it became the RAF's major centre for training airborne radio and radar operators and the base became No2 Radio School, which operated alongside the rather grand buildings of the flying school which had opened in 1936. After the war the base became Group HQ RAF Cherhill until 1969 when it was closed and left to rot. More recently, there was a proposal to turn the flying school into luxury apartments and the hangars to industrial units. Clearly, quite recently the money ran out and it turned into the "building site that time forgot"! Visited with Fluffy as part of our epic Wiltshire day!

Firstly, the old flying school buildings


















Inside these buildings - there is not much left, like ceilings and floors. This main building was offices and training rooms.





















Underneath this building, the ever eagle-eyed Fluffy spotted this little gem in the old boiler room





Across from here is what looks like the accommodation block for the ranks, including the omnipresent bogs!





























The officers accommodation was obviously a beautiful old building once, but it is here that the recent construction work stopped

















Over to the old hangers. We thought that the frame of the hangars was probably original but all the refurb work on them was obviously very new. Lucky enough, we managed to clock a tawny owl up in the rafters













And finally a few other bits and bobs including the gun range butts and other things

















We were wondering what that last building is; its the only totally secure building on the site and has a partially glass roof. Answers on a postcard please to the usual address.
Enjoy the pics!
GDZ


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## tommo (Oct 1, 2010)

did this last year but there workman all over the place so didnt get chance to see it all, nice to see some more pics of it,


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## klempner69 (Oct 2, 2010)

Great report there..I was following the progress of this site at various stages till RBS went tits,then it stopped as you said,its a shame as the plans were to indeed create luxury appartments plus an estate of smaller houses and shop,but to be honest,I always thought it was a bold gamble seeing as the site is well out of the way really.The last building you showed was used as a squash court.There are many blast shelters round about too worth seeing.


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## night crawler (Oct 2, 2010)

Great report an I love the owl


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## Simon-G (Oct 2, 2010)

Excellent report and pics and what about that old rusty boiler brilliant, bet the place had real character.

Simon


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## fluffy5518 (Oct 2, 2010)

Thought i'd add a few of mine to compliment your already excellent set Godzy boy !!
First of all a few of the Barrack Block-in all its derelict glory !!!












...an unknown slice of dereliction.




And a couple of the Guard House,the last of which shows the Poplar lined approach road to the main site (on the LHS)








Oh nearly forgot we found this in the flight hut a few years back,don't know if its still there though !!




Lastly, i thought i'd have a dabble with HDR-as this place really suits it !!Please dont shoot me if you dont like it,it is only a dabble !! Unfortunately i am too tight to buy the full program at the mo,so each phot has ' a small unobtrusive logo in it'












Well there you go,'tis truly a lovely location,full of atmosphere and well worth a visit.Though what the future holds is anybodies guess !! Just enjoy the dereliction for the moment !!


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## night crawler (Oct 2, 2010)

Nice one Fluffy though I did think there was a free program you can use for HDR


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## nij4829 (Oct 2, 2010)

Try photomatics for free HDR programme.

Great site and a shame that money ran out.


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## klempner69 (Oct 2, 2010)

I took this in 2005...think it has collapsed now



Officers mess 2005



Just found this shot of the first hanger..quite fooked as of 2008


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## godzilla73 (Oct 2, 2010)

I like the HDR shots Fluff, despite what anyone else says - they do bring out a certain feeling to the place that does reflect how great it looked on what was a glorious Autumn day!


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## TK421 (Oct 2, 2010)

The boiler has a bit of a 'skull' look about it! Really like your report and photos, looks like you had a good weather for the explore also! Nice one!


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## Badoosh (Oct 2, 2010)

One of my fave explores this year, mainly because of the history of the site. You guys have captured this well!!


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## godzilla73 (Oct 2, 2010)

Thanks Badoosh - it certainly was a good 'splore. We would have stayed longer only I got spooked by what I thought was a dog (but was probably only one of the Muntjac deer that hang around there!)


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## Foxylady (Oct 3, 2010)

What a great site! Lovely stuff, guys...some really interesting remains there. 
But...where's the owl? It might be my old monitor, but I can't see it.


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## godzilla73 (Oct 3, 2010)

5th picture up from the bottom Fox - I didn't have my zoom lens on, so its whacked up on Photoshop. Not ideal, but it is there, centre left of the pic!
GDZ


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## hydealfred (Oct 5, 2010)

Excellent stuff you two. Nice sectional cast iron boiler in one of the shots. I believe several Gloster Meteor's were being restored here by the Meteor Flight but they moved out in 2008.


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## Foz77 (Oct 6, 2010)

Nice pics and explore. Good to see the old buidlings pretty much unchavved...


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