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RAF Bruggen 2019 - Abandoned Film


tonyot

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Hiya Folks, 

                For those who were stationed there or those who want a bit of diorama inspiration,....... this is an interesting film;

 

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What a fascinating video and thanks for posting. Particularly interesting to see HAS area close-ups and the nuclear weapons storage area. I noticed that pretty much all of the base housing seems to be unoccupied with little or no sign of vehicles or people. I really regret never going to any of the RAFG open days while the Cold War was on given that they weren't  really that far from the Calais ferry. Similarly both my wife and I wish we had visited Berlin before reunification.

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Thanks for that. We were there 95-98 and my wife and I both huddled around the iPad and watched the video. We can see our old Married Quarter! and other memory pointers around the base. The street parties and something called Pink Polar Bear (lethal). Those sports fields, I went along to watch Cricket match induction and got asked to have a go. I got 3 people out in 3 balls, I was asked if I wanted to join the station club. I declined as cricket is not for me. Secondly I was in the Bruggen Karting club doing the RAFG championship. The track went around the perry tracks in and around the HASs’. Great memories and I could go on.........

Edited by speedy
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Glad you like it,...... the station was used by the Army after the RAF left,...... and the MQ`s were still in use for some time after the Army left too,....... wonder what will happen to it eh? Be nice to keep some of the dispersal areas as a museum. 

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Ignoring the  bee bop  beach MTV music. Which I usually  like in context. It really is quite interesting. 

As speedy indicates it was a place  where people lived and worked. Looks empty now, only ghosts inhabit the place.

 

I  think it's sad to  see a once bustling place empty and dead. A place where many a young man and women started his/her career. 

 

If walls could talk. Christmases, parties, Hangar parties, yes if only hangars could  talk. Tragedy...........

 

All human life. It was a village once.

 

Only the ghosts remember.

Edited by noelh
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Fascinating film clip!  I spent a week there one summer in 1970 courtesy of the ATC on summer camp. I recall that the first RAF Germany Phantom squadron was there.No. 14 Squadron. Also both the Gutersloh Lightning units were temporarily stationed there due runway work at their home base.  I had my only helicopter flight from there and recall those dispersal at the western end as we came in to land.  Opposite the main gate was a certain type of "club" that we were banned from going to in the evenings. But a couple of the lads managed to get in and reported back what they enjoyed....    I will try to find my print scans and post here if that's OK.  My avatar. pic at top left was taken there by one of the F.2A Lightnings!

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 Similarly both my wife and I wish we had visited Berlin before reunification

 

Ha ha ..I did then I got arrested by 247 provost  Coy RMP....🤔 got let off .....blinking pongos leading a young matelot in to bad habits .....useful life skills 🤣🤣🤣🤣

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7 hours ago, Paul J said:

Fascinating film clip!  I spent a week there one summer in 1970 courtesy of the ATC on summer camp. I recall that the first RAF Germany Phantom squadron was there.No. 14 Squadron. Also both the Gutersloh Lightning units were temporarily stationed there due runway work at their home base.  I had my only helicopter flight from there and recall those dispersal at the western end as we came in to land.  Opposite the main gate was a certain type of "club" that we were banned from going to in the evenings. But a couple of the lads managed to get in and reported back what they enjoyed....    I will try to find my print scans and post here if that's OK.  My avatar. pic at top left was taken there by one of the F.2A Lightnings!

That club is part of RAF,..... and later Army folklore!! 

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I spent two and a half happy years there ( 1971 - 74 ) as an armourer on 17 Squadron Phantoms, and it's sad to see the base now deserted. I often thought about going back for a visit, but it wouldn't be the same. Great memories, though.

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Great film (despite the dire soundtrack!) and very evocative. There must be lots of these sites on both sides of the old Curtain, I visited one, Hahn, a couple of years ago while tech repping a C check. The check hangar was a new state of the art facility but you had to drive through the old F-16 hardened alert area to get to it, all the old shelters were still there but were now the most secure lock and leave storage units!

 

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I understand this last one was the old ops planning centre, painted to look like a "normal" building.

 

It's amazing to think of all the money spent on these sites in the past that are now just abandoned or being knocked down to provide housing estates or car storage.

 

Dave

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