Former RAF Oakley

[Cluny]

I apologise in advance , this is going to be a long post
Needed to get out the house today so i grabbed my stills camera [and a few of my r/c planes ] and headed to one of local old Airfields .

Bit of history first .
The Airfield was opened on the 27th May 1942 as a satellite Airfield to RAF Bicester [till August when it was adopted by RAF Westcott] comprising of the usual 3 runway Airfield pattern . It housed 11 OTU's Wellington Ic and Hurricane IIc but it was common to see Halifaxes , Lancasters and Stirlings that had diverted there on the dispersals . In May 1945 the Airfield was selected to be a repatriation center for POWs , so Hangar 2 [pics to follow] was cleared to become makeshift accomodation . By the end of the repatriation flights in August 1945 , over a 1000 POWs passed through Oakley and the Airfield closed . In the 1970's , parts of the Airfield was used for car storage by British Leyland but now the Airfield is left to Dog walkers , microlights , Agriculture and Weirdos like me [well apart from the small industrial estate at the old technical site]

Anyway , heres a few pics if your stll awake

Looking south down the main runway.


Fuel tank breather and sign left by BL.




Looking along the NW taxyway.


Windsock post by the NW taxyway.


Track leading to the Gun Butts [otherside of the M40 now and unaccessable but still there].




NW taxyway curving to meet the secondary runways at the western end.


SW end of the SW-NE secondary runway.


Western end of the E-W secondary runway.


Remaining dispersals in the SW corner.






SW taxyway looking across at the runways.


Site of the Watch Tower [demolished in the 90's ]


Industial units on the site of Hangar 1.




Looking north along the main runway.


The SE taxyway.


Operations bunker ? Looks to fortified to be agicultural .


Eastern end of the E-W secondary runway.


Eastern taxiway [hangar 2 in background] .


Taxiway to a dispersal point off the eastern taxiway.


Hangar 2.




NE end of the NE-SW runway.


Looking south over the active stip of the main runway.


Flour bomb target


Looking north over the active strip.


Patch of surviving runway surface [Tar with dyed woodchip as a camoflage finish].


Google map.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=51.785046,-1.077175&spn=0.02384,0.054932&t=h&z=14

[RLN]

Good stuff Cluny. These old airfields are fascinating, sad and a bit spooky all at the same time. I suppose they'll put a new housing estate on it when the market picks up.

[Mackrick]

Fantastic photos clunny, its amazing that there is so much concrete left as in the past it was common practice to break it up and use it for nearby motorways.

you might be interested in this link http://www.pixture.co.uk/Airfields/Pages/Oakley.htm

and for those interested in ex military airfield control towers...
http://www.controltowers.co.uk/listing.htm

[Cluny]

Thanks mate , just added the links to my favs

[Mackrick]

I can look at sites like that for ages. The amount of ex airfields out there is incredible when you look at it, and of course they don't include the dummy airfields that were constructed.

[Hihonyr8811]

I can look at sites like that for ages. The amount of ex airfields out there is incredible when you look at it, and of course they don't include the dummy airfields that were constructed.

Same here, I am obsessed with them.

Spent my childhood working with my dad on the site of RAF Bardney, and learnt all it's history from one of the old chaps my dad worked with.

Also got yelled at by a mad farmer when I went with friends snooping around RAF Fiskerton he didn't like us being on his land lol

[Mayfly]

You're right RLN sad & spooky............

[Wedgy]

Thanks Cluny - great pics

[Dan4th]

An Old Story:::::

Back in WWII when my Dad was stationed at Kimbolton with the
379th Bomb Group, he was first an armo(u)rer and then in supply.
Because they would be hugely over-supplied with some things and
had nearly nothing of others, there was a great deal of trading with
other air stations, both American and British. This was all fine as
long as no black market activities were going on.
Anyhow, one day Dad and his pal Huffnagel went out on a "trade"
mission to an RAF station they'd never been to driving probably
a Deuce-and-a-Half loaded up with God knows what -- could have
been toilet paper or canned hams or practically anything. As you all
know, the road signs during the war could be cryptic or even non-
existant. Guess what? They got LOST!
While simultaneously driving along and scratching their heads, along
comes a gentleman on a bicycle all tweeded-up in fine fashion. Dad
and Huffnagel naturally flagged him down to ask: "What's the most
direct route to the air station?" The question came back: "Which One?"
Turns out there were FIVE within easy driving distance.
Yes, they finally got "there" and found their way home alright, and I
guess that's an example of why it was called "Fortress Britain".

Dan4th

[Mayfly]

An Old Story:::::

Back in WWII when my Dad was stationed at Kimbolton with the
379th Bomb Group, he was first an armo(u)rer and then in supply.
Because they would be hugely over-supplied with some things and
had nearly nothing of others, there was a great deal of trading with
other air stations, both American and British. This was all fine as
long as no black market activities were going on.
Anyhow, one day Dad and his pal Huffnagel went out on a "trade"
mission to an RAF station they'd never been to driving probably
a Deuce-and-a-Half loaded up with God knows what -- could have
been toilet paper or canned hams or practically anything. As you all
know, the road signs during the war could be cryptic or even non-
existant. Guess what? They got LOST!
While simultaneously driving along and scratching their heads, along
comes a gentleman on a bicycle all tweeded-up in fine fashion. Dad
and Huffnagel naturally flagged him down to ask: "What's the most
direct route to the air station?" The question came back: "Which One?"
Turns out there were FIVE within easy driving distance.
Yes, they finally got "there" and found their way home alright, and I
guess that's an example of why it was called "Fortress Britain".

Dan4th

I knew you were from good stock Dan4th

[RLN]

Dan4th, you will be pleased to know that it hasn't changed much. The family and I have been visiting the mother-in-law today and returning home the Police had closed the A1(a major route in England)so I had to go cross country. It's a good job i knew where i was going, because there weren't any road signs, even at major junctions, so any people who weren't local could easily have got lost.

[Dan4th]

RLN:

So, how did the CAR do??????????????

Dan4th

[RLN]

Sorry Dan4th, we were in the wife's car(don't know if you have them in th US - it's a Renault Grande Espace). Basically MPV as the mother-in-law wouldn't get in the Alfa as she has 2 false hips and a false shoulder due to Osteoporosis.Anyway, I wouldn't want to frighten the old girl

[Dan4th]

DAMN!

A Wasted Day Out!

I know what an Espace is, but Renault gave up on
USA a L-O-N-G time ago.

Watch Out! Alfalfa will be MAD at you!

Dan4th

[RLN]

It's nowhere near as cold as it is in New England, but they are forecasting sleet/snow and icy roads. To be honest, If I'm going to bend a car, I'd rather bend the wife's than my "precious".

[Newage]

Hey Cluny

Im in the process of recording all the raf air field Battle HQ's through out the UK
So far the list of visited BHQ's standes at 34 and counting.
But Oakley is not on my list or any other, I'v looked on google earth and wheres the path but can't see it
can you give me a grid ref or a link to its location any help would be great.

Cheers Mike

You can contact me via e-mail

on new.age@virgin.net

[Cluny]

Time to bring this thread back from the dead .
Had a quick look around the old bomb store this morning [separated from the airfield itself now by the M40 , and long since thought by myself as having been destroyed by it] , surprised by the amount that is still there considering Oakley was a OTU . Might have to make a return visit in winter when the undergrowth has died back a bit .

[Mayfly]

It's good to see yet at the same time sad.

Very atmospheric.

[Aceyone]

Very interesting !

[Hihonyr8811]

Great work
It's nice when you find something that you think has been lost, I felt the same way when I wandered around the woods at RAF Skellingthorpe. I had no idea there was that much left.

When are you going to come and help me explore some places?

[Cluny]

Soon Helen , after Duxfords Autumn show tbh