KingCornetto Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Has anyone else noticed the former airfield at Watton on Google Maps recently? The satellite view clearly shows the four hangers still in situ, while street view shows a very different scene. I wonder if the new residents are aware of the history under their feet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wilson Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 How odd. It's still notified as a gliding site. Spent five months there in '83, nice place. Crikey, can't believe it was 32 years ago. Arghhh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 They've probably got no idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 But a quick look at the road names might make you wonder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I last saw Watton airfield during 1994 during Northern Ireland training on the nearby Training Area and it looked just as it probably had during WW2,......has this become a housing estate too now? Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I was born and grew up just down the road. It's changed out of all recognition. Large parts have been sold off and built on/over. I guess over time the rest will go the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HP42 Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I stayed there in 1984. I remember the mess did a superb breakfast, industrial amounts of scrambled egg and tomato with Lazer 558 in the background playing the Eurythmics 'Must have been talking to an angel'. I was an air cadet and we stayed in one of the H shaped blocks. The TV would go fuzzy every few seconds and I think we figured it was the sweep of a nearby radar dish on the base that caused it. If I remember correctly the gate guard was a Meteor nightfighter? Whatever happened to it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Fond memories as I had my first ATC camp and first flight there in July 1967.Chipmunk (obviously!) and was lucky to get an hour in a Varsity too. We sent a request on the station radio to all the WAAFs. 'Let's spend the night together' (Stones) Next night they replied with the song 'Go away little boys' Just finished reading 'Listening in' which tells quite a bit about the base but still has you wondering. RG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wilson Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I stayed there in 1984. I remember the mess did a superb breakfast I was doing the Bucc course at Honington at the time ('83) and there were about twenty of us living in the mess. There wasn't room at Honington. First morning there we trundled in for brekky and the chef asked us what we wanted for dinner when we returned. We looked at each other a bit askance as you usually got what was on the menu for dinner. He actually cooked whatever we wanted individually, within reason obviously. Had the same in Belize, we had a chef for seven of us and chef was excited about all the local produce. Had some of my best meals in the RAF there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I stayed there in 1984. I remember the mess did a superb breakfast, industrial amounts of scrambled egg and tomato with Lazer 558 in the background playing the Eurythmics 'Must have been talking to an angel'. I was an air cadet and we stayed in one of the H shaped blocks. The TV would go fuzzy every few seconds and I think we figured it was the sweep of a nearby radar dish on the base that caused it. If I remember correctly the gate guard was a Meteor nightfighter? Whatever happened to it? The Meteor was the gate guardian for the Eastern Radar installation, which (IIRC) was separate from the main part of RAF Watton. There was a propellor up near the main gate (a long walk from the radar!). I have very fond memories of playing at the house of a friend, whose dad was an officer at Honington (something to do with the ex RN Buccaneers, I think). They had a real camoflage net (big deal for a ten year old) in the garden! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLC1966 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I was doing the Bucc course at Honington at the time ('83) and there were about twenty of us living in the mess. There wasn't room at Honington. First morning there we trundled in for brekky and the chef asked us what we wanted for dinner when we returned. We looked at each other a bit askance as you usually got what was on the menu for dinner. He actually cooked whatever we wanted individually, within reason obviously. Had the same in Belize, we had a chef for seven of us and chef was excited about all the local produce. Had some of my best meals in the RAF there. I take it you were not at Airport Camp then obviously !!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wilson Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 Oh no, i was down the hides... I remember getting off the a/c and my Sengo said 'Ah, you're not on main camp, you're down at Foxtrot/Golf.'. I was a bit dischuffed as the thought of living in a portacabin away from everything didn't impress. Of course 24 hours later when I was relaxing in my air conditioned portacabin with an ice cold beer and the chef popped his head round the door to say 'Your dinner is ready' I had changed my mind somewhat...one of the best dets I ever did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I was on the housing estate a few years back when the first lot of houses has just been thrown up. It still very much had the feel of an old airfield. There were quite a few reminders of what had been there before. STANTA training area still exists. And probably still as pleasant as it was back in '94 Tony, a lot flatter and less snowy than Brecon/Otterburn/Warcop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 (edited) I was on the housing estate a few years back when the first lot of houses has just been thrown up. It still very much had the feel of an old airfield. There were quite a few reminders of what had been there before. STANTA training area still exists. And probably still as pleasant as it was back in '94 Tony, a lot flatter and less snowy than Brecon/Otterburn/Warcop. You are not wrong there,.....STANTA is nice and flat and the weather was lovely too! The base camp that we stayed in during one stay back in the 80`s had the feel of a WW2 American dispersal,......it was made up of Nissan Huts with a large wooden one used as a cookhouse and I`m pretty sure that it was within sight of Watton too,.....it felt like all that was missing was a USAAF Musang or Mossie parked up outside! We even did a exercise around the Dads Army Bailey Bridge crossing the river,..happy days! Cheers Tony PS- I knew some brilliant Army Catering Corps Chefs,........the good ones were fantastic but the bad ones wee awful and let the majority down. They could do wonders out in the field with a 10 man ration pack and we even had a pair of Para trained, Commando qualified Chefs,.....both great lads! I bumped into the best chef that I ever knew a few years ago and he was working as a security guard in the Manchester Arndale,.....what a waste of an amazing talent but he said that catering just didn`t pay in civvie street. The RAF cooks were good in camp and while based at Brize the food and selection was amazing,....steak every night, salad bar, roast,....no wonder I put weight on there! Edited March 7, 2015 by tonyot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 You are not wrong there,.....STANTA is nice and flat and the weather was lovely too! The base camp that we stayed in during one stay back in the 80`s had the feel of a WW2 American dispersal,......it was made up of Nissan Huts with a large wooden one used as a cookhouse and I`m pretty sure that it was within sight of Watton too,.....it felt like all that was missing was a USAAF Musang or Mossie parked up outside! We even did a exercise around the Dads Army Bailey Bridge crossing the river,..happy days! Cheers Tony PS- I knew some brilliant Army Catering Corps Chefs,........the good ones were fantastic but the bad ones wee awful and let the majority down. They could do wonders out in the field with a 10 man ration pack and we even had a pair of Para trained, Commando qualified Chefs,.....both great lads! I bumped into the best chef that I ever knew a few years ago and he was working as a security guard in the Manchester Arndale,.....what a waste of an amazing talent but he said that catering just didn`t pay in civvie street. The RAF cooks were good in camp and while based at Brize the food and selection was amazing,....steak every night, salad bar, roast,....no wonder I put weight on there! Maybe Bodney Camp? That's still there. There's a small memorial at the front gate dedicated to the American Airmen who flew out of Bodney. I will need to look into it however I'm sure it was Mustangs. Something to do with blue tails sticks in my mind...anyone know more? The bridge is still standing. There was another airfield on the other side of the training area, near to Wretham Camp. A hanger still exists and Tarmac/dispersal areas can still be found in the woods and under the foliage. I don't know anything about it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixII Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 (edited) Maybe Bodney Camp? That's still there. There's a small memorial at the front gate dedicated to the American Airmen who flew out of Bodney. I will need to look into it however I'm sure it was Mustangs. Something to do with blue tails sticks in my mind...anyone know more? Colours right, as is the aeroplane, just wrong end! 352nd Fighter Group, commonly know as the "Blue nosed sweethearts* of Bodney" Edit due to the 'civilised' systems in place! sweethearts SHOULD read b'stards! Edited March 7, 2015 by PhoenixII 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLC1966 Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Oh no, i was down the hides... I remember getting off the a/c and my Sengo said 'Ah, you're not on main camp, you're down at Foxtrot/Golf.'. I was a bit dischuffed as the thought of living in a portacabin away from everything didn't impress. Of course 24 hours later when I was relaxing in my air conditioned portacabin with an ice cold beer and the chef popped his head round the door to say 'Your dinner is ready' I had changed my mind somewhat...one of the best dets I ever did. Foxey/Golf... Only time I had food over there was on a Friday morning doing the Exlosives checks....counting the number of SNEBS, Carts etc on the site. Used to have a couple of slices of toast for a mid-morning snack, always remembering to bang the toaster on the table before holding it upside down and dropping the 'roaches out before putting the bread in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Wilson Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 always remembering to bang the toaster on the table before holding it upside down and dropping the 'roaches out before putting the bread in... We use to bang our boots before putting them on to shift the scorpions. Do you remember the land crabs? We had a shower rigged up with water from the fire section. You had about five minutes before the crabs would begin marching towards the source of water.. Don't know when you were there but Charlie/Delta had a pet parrot and we had two dogs, Pedro and Griswald. We used to have trouble with the locals taking short cuts across the runway at night so we trained them to bark at anybody wandering around the hides come night time. We also had a very pretty 16 year old cleaner...which might make me seem like a dirty old man do bear in mind I was only 20 at the time.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ascoteer Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 As stated, Bodney was home to the Mustangs of the 352 nd FG. East Wretham eventually became home to the 359 th FG (who had green noses). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch K Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Maybe Bodney Camp? That's still there. There's a small memorial at the front gate dedicated to the American Airmen who flew out of Bodney. I will need to look into it however I'm sure it was Mustangs. Something to do with blue tails sticks in my mind...anyone know more? The bridge is still standing. There was another airfield on the other side of the training area, near to Wretham Camp. A hanger still exists and Tarmac/dispersal areas can still be found in the woods and under the foliage. I don't know anything about it though. Bits and pieces of Bodney airfield still exist as part of a local farm - the water tower and bits of the dispersal were put to use to build chicken huts on. RAF East Wretham had been RAF then went over to USAAF P51/47. The whole area is peppered with old airfields! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeaidah Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 RAF Watton in the 1960s was home to 831 Sqd FAA! I know cos I was there. We operated a mottly collection of cabs in the electronics warfare role. For Jack this was a great posting......miles away from mainstream Navy. We were a scruffy bunch and were once accused of looking like a bunch of pirates which chuffed us no end! Happy days, Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 RAF Watton in the 1960s was home to 831 Sqd FAA! I know cos I was there. We operated a mottly collection of cabs in the electronics warfare role. For Jack this was a great posting......miles away from mainstream Navy. We were a scruffy bunch and were once accused of looking like a bunch of pirates which chuffed us no end! Happy days, Mike. Must be bad if the RAF were calling you scruffy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAG058 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I've just stumbled across this. It's about George Preddy, the U.S. Mustang ace. He spent time flying out of Bodney. There are some photos and footage of Bodney on the documentary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now