RAF Collyweston

Badger Exploration · Dec 25, 2022

This was the second to last urbex of the year of 2022. The photos here were taken 18th September 2022.

History: This site was opened in 1917 as No. 5 Training Depot. In 1918 it was renamed RAF Collyweston following the formation of the Royal Air Force in April 1918.
During World War Two, a number of different units were stationed there including the 133 Squadron, one of the famous Eagle Squadrons formed from American volunteers
In 1941, the runways of Wittering and Collyweston joined together to make a 2-mile grass runway.
In April 1943, No. 1426 Enemy Aircraft Flight (Rafwaffe) was relocated to Collyweston airfield.
The flight flew captured German aircraft of tours to British and American airfields to give their crews a chance to learn about the planes and spot weaknesses.
This rare unit was based at Collyweston until 17th January 1945.
On 13th October 1944, F/Lt Lewenden was piloting a Flocke-Wulf FW.190 and the engine caught fire. He tried to return to Collyweston but sadly crashed on the Stamford to Collyweston road.
His plane crashed through stone walls, skidded across the road and landed in the garden of someone's house. F/Lt Lewendon was killed age 30.
In 1955 The site was converted into bomb storage and was also home to the nuclear missile Thor. The site eventually closed in an unknown year and has hosted many illegal raves in the 1990s and 2000s.
Nowadays some of the site is still being used as storage.

This was very risky as there were people there on the day but very fun at the same time because of the risk.

This site was also home to some amazing graffiti art.

Merry Christmas everyone.

BikinGlynn · Dec 28, 2022

Good to see this old classic again. I heard they had tightened security up since the recent rave but evidentially not.

HistoryBuff · Dec 29, 2022

Badger Exploration said:
Nowadays some of the site is still being used as storage.

Nice pics, very interesting, and worth the risk! What's been stored? Not bombs I hope.

Badger Exploration · Dec 31, 2022

HistoryBuff said:
Nice pics, very interesting, and worth the risk! What's been stored? Not bombs I hope.

No bombs. Probably building material

Badger Exploration · Dec 31, 2022

BikinGlynn said:
Good to see this old classic again. I heard they had tightened security up since the recent rave but evidentially not.

They have tightened up security from what I can remember. There were spikes or wires on the fence but there was a way in through the fence. Hard to find though and to enter and leave the site. I can hardly remember though because it was a while ago.

BikinGlynn · Jan 1, 2023

Badger Exploration said:
They have tightened up security from what I can remember. There were spikes or wires on the fence but there was a way in through the fence. Hard to find though and to enter and leave the site. I can hardly remember though because it was a while ago.

I'm evidently local to u myself, iv been here more times than I can remember, used to b like a holiday park, I went in once, there were load of pokey types riding crosses in there, some drone guys flying the racing drones & 2 polish guys in one of the sheds firing air rifles lol