Visited this site in May with a couple of friends and have to say we had a really fab day wandering around. There's both lots to see and not a lot really! The site is vast, literally huge with loads of buildings to explore in but they're all very empty and covered a lot in graffiti. Still pretty cool to have a look round though! :)
Ti give you an idea of the scale, at it's peak the base had over 2,500 personnel working and living there.
History:
The site was first acquisitioned in 1917 in time for the first world war and used until November 1918, when it was decommissioned after the end of WW1. By 1934 the RAF began a huge expansion in time for WW2, building began in 1936 and the first squadron began working from there in February 1937.
Due to the field not being great and the local weather being a bit damp, there were frequent times where flying wasn't possible from the airfield. This probably lead to it's untimely demise as a flying-base.
From the end of WW2 up until 1961, Upwood saw many Squadrons came in and out of the base and most were disbanded or moved to other bases throughout the decades. It was recommissioned as a base for various training and other activities, including radio services, cadet training etc but by 1981 was practically dormant again.
To be honest, the history of this base is so confusing who's in and who's out etc! Even reading it I got confused... but basically it was decommissioned fully in 1995 after it was returned to the MOD, this was after various RAF and USAF squadrons had used it for all sorts of activities. Now it's officially derelict but used by airsoft groups quite often and there's Urbexers and photographers and graffiti artists and skateboarders teeming all over the place most of the time!
Interesting tid bit of history: When captured, German spy Joseph Jakobs was found to have RAF Upwood maps in his possessions amongst other things. He was court-martialled and sentenced to death by Firing Squad in 1941.
Anyway....
Onto the pictures!
Full set here aerials coming soon! :)
Ti give you an idea of the scale, at it's peak the base had over 2,500 personnel working and living there.
History:
The site was first acquisitioned in 1917 in time for the first world war and used until November 1918, when it was decommissioned after the end of WW1. By 1934 the RAF began a huge expansion in time for WW2, building began in 1936 and the first squadron began working from there in February 1937.
Due to the field not being great and the local weather being a bit damp, there were frequent times where flying wasn't possible from the airfield. This probably lead to it's untimely demise as a flying-base.
From the end of WW2 up until 1961, Upwood saw many Squadrons came in and out of the base and most were disbanded or moved to other bases throughout the decades. It was recommissioned as a base for various training and other activities, including radio services, cadet training etc but by 1981 was practically dormant again.
To be honest, the history of this base is so confusing who's in and who's out etc! Even reading it I got confused... but basically it was decommissioned fully in 1995 after it was returned to the MOD, this was after various RAF and USAF squadrons had used it for all sorts of activities. Now it's officially derelict but used by airsoft groups quite often and there's Urbexers and photographers and graffiti artists and skateboarders teeming all over the place most of the time!
Interesting tid bit of history: When captured, German spy Joseph Jakobs was found to have RAF Upwood maps in his possessions amongst other things. He was court-martialled and sentenced to death by Firing Squad in 1941.
Anyway....
Onto the pictures!
Full set here aerials coming soon! :)
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