Hello again !!
Way back in the mists of time (well last September actually!!) my hairy buddy(Newage) and i headed off on possibly our first real explore,the former RAF base at Grove-just to the North of Wantage.For some reason neither of us posted anything about it on here so i thought i would belatedly let you see a few bits of whats left.!!!
RAF Grove was built in 1942 as a bomber base but was used instead as a satellite to Brize Norton training glider pilots.In May 1943 it became part of the Advanced Flying Unit and in Sept the airfield was taken over by the USAAF.In 1946 it reverted to RAF usage and was briefly used as a disposal point for redundent aircraft before being placed on a 'care and maintenance'regime.In 1955 part of the airfield was acquired by the UK Atomic Energy Association as a companion for their Harwell base.The end came in 1969 when the base was sold for private use.
Quite a few areas still stand and it is well worth a trip before it passes into oblivion !!
Obviously being built for bomber use it was equipped with a bomb dump,here is a componant store complete with rusting light fitting.
This is the large drive through Fusing Shed;
Walking back up to the main part of the airfield you meet this Picket Post before finding the Ops block.
Inside the ops block, although heavilly stripped,is still an RAF 'flavour'
An increasingly rare find these days is an abandoned Nissan Hut
Then onto the Firing range which has a very still and calming 'feel'
Well there you go,there are a few bits more to see including a complete RAF built sewage farm but nature is well n truly taking over !!!!
Way back in the mists of time (well last September actually!!) my hairy buddy(Newage) and i headed off on possibly our first real explore,the former RAF base at Grove-just to the North of Wantage.For some reason neither of us posted anything about it on here so i thought i would belatedly let you see a few bits of whats left.!!!
RAF Grove was built in 1942 as a bomber base but was used instead as a satellite to Brize Norton training glider pilots.In May 1943 it became part of the Advanced Flying Unit and in Sept the airfield was taken over by the USAAF.In 1946 it reverted to RAF usage and was briefly used as a disposal point for redundent aircraft before being placed on a 'care and maintenance'regime.In 1955 part of the airfield was acquired by the UK Atomic Energy Association as a companion for their Harwell base.The end came in 1969 when the base was sold for private use.
Quite a few areas still stand and it is well worth a trip before it passes into oblivion !!
Obviously being built for bomber use it was equipped with a bomb dump,here is a componant store complete with rusting light fitting.
This is the large drive through Fusing Shed;
Walking back up to the main part of the airfield you meet this Picket Post before finding the Ops block.
Inside the ops block, although heavilly stripped,is still an RAF 'flavour'
An increasingly rare find these days is an abandoned Nissan Hut
Then onto the Firing range which has a very still and calming 'feel'
Well there you go,there are a few bits more to see including a complete RAF built sewage farm but nature is well n truly taking over !!!!
