RAF Wigtown

[tumble112]

RAF Wigtown opened in August 1941 as No1 Observers' School to acclimatise Observers trained abroad to RAF procedures, UK terrain and weather conditions in NW Europe. Originally opened with grass airstrips, these were upgraded to concrete in 1942.
The school operated throughout the war, closing in December 1945.
Bomber Command Trials Unit operated here from June 1947 to May 1948 with Lancasters.
The base closed in May 1948 and was given over to civilian use.
Today the base is mainly farmland and a busy sawmill.

The runways

RAF Wigtown by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
174 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
175 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr

The Control Tower

176 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
RAF Wigtown by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
178 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
RAF Wigtown by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
181 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
RAF Wigtown by tumble112 explores, on Flickr

Other buildings

189 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
005 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr

RAF Wigtown by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
190 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
001 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
003 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr

The Bases' Squash Court

RAF Wigtown Squash Court by tumble112 explores, on Flickr
008 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr

A very overgrown pillbox beside the perimeter road

194 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr

A pillbox nearer to the coast

195 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr

197 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr

Thanks for looking, more https://flic.kr/s/aHskeQgCTb

 

[krela]

Oooh nice.

 

[HughieD]

Loving that set...can't beat a bit of RAF Base action. Plenty to see there by the looks of it.

 

[tumble112]

Oooh nice.

Loving that set...can't beat a bit of RAF Base action. Plenty to see there by the looks of it.

Thank you both. Yes there are a lot of the buildings still standing, the sawmill occupies a lot of them. Apologies for the spots on the lens, it was raining during my visits (naturally for summer) .

 

[Greenbear]

Great pics - love WW2 airbases

 

[smiler]

Comprehensively covered, I enjoyed it, Thanks

 

[Newage]

Cracking set of pictures, I was up there a couple of years back looking at the Battle headquarters
If you are up that way again pop in to see the farmer/land owner, he's a great guys, just ask if you
Can go have a look at his "Bunker".

If you need a location go have a look on WW2 Airfield Battle Headquarters

Cheers Newage

 

[tumble112]

Cracking set of pictures, I was up there a couple of years back looking at the Battle headquarters
If you are up that way again pop in to see the farmer/land owner, he's a great guys, just ask if you
Can go have a look at his "Bunker".

If you need a location go have a look on WW2 Airfield Battle Headquarters

Cheers Newage

Thanks very much indeed for the info!

 

[night crawler]

Nice work, like the pillboxes

 

[Rubex]

Very nice photographs Sludden!

 

[dmundy01]

Really enjoyed these pictures-thanks.

 

[oldscrote]

That were good,cheers

 

[Sam Haltin]

Superb! I do like derelict RAF bases as they have so much history attached to them. Nicely photographed and shame about the rain.

 

[Kentishwolf]

Thanks for these, brings back a lot of memories. I have family that live just up the road and overlook this site. I have not been up there for some time now. The domestic site used to span the two fields up near the main road, but they demolished it in the late 70's early 80's.

 

[tumble112]

Thanks for these, brings back a lot of memories. I have family that live just up the road and overlook this site. I have not been up there for some time now. The domestic site used to span the two fields up near the main road, but they demolished it in the late 70's early 80's.

Glad to have brought back memories for you, I didn't know that about the domestic site. Thanks.

 

[leftorium]

A pillbox nearer to the coast


197 by tumble112 explores, on Flickr

Thanks for looking, more https://flic.kr/s/aHskeQgCTb

unusual AR wall, embrasures and wooden posts

 

[Under one sky 63]

Thank you both. Yes there are a lot of the buildings still standing, the sawmill occupies a lot of them. Apologies for the spots on the lens, it was raining during my visits (naturally for summer) .

Hi
we had a walk on the Airfield in November 2021 and most of the remaining buildings in the photos where remaining. Had a walk round in the 2nd week of February 2022 and sadly they are now demolished with the rubble being cleared. The control tower is still standing.

 

[BikinGlynn]

Hi
we had a walk on the Airfield in November 2021 and most of the remaining buildings in the photos where remaining. Had a walk round in the 2nd week of February 2022 and sadly they are now demolished with the rubble being cleared. The control tower is still standing.

thats nuts really, why bother demolishing them?