RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
RAF · Oxfordshire · England · United Kingdom
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Due to the expansion of Bomber Command, RAF Morton-in-the-Marsh needed another Satellite airfield, so around 1942 fields to the N/E of the village of Enstone, Oxfordshire. The Air Ministry design of three runways, an airfield site for the control tower, hangars, etc, a full bomb store, a communal site, WAAF site and five accommodation sites. 26 pan aircraft dispersals and three scissor type aircraft dispersals. A rifle range and a sewage plant. Completion was around 1943 and it continued as an OTU (21 Operational Training Unit) for pilots and crew of Wellington bombers . They would arrive here as individually trained crew and then all meet up and gradually sort themselves out as a full crew. So they picked each other, nobody was ordered into a crew and that way they were a much happier crew. Built by George Wimpey and Co for £591,000. Officially closed in 1947.
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
The 1948 site plan showing the runway, 30 dispersals and communal sites to the S/W. Two hangars a T2 & B1 types. 1865 RAF and 430 WAAF.
Plan 2528/48
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
This is the west end of the main runway taken from the B4022 and is in very good condition.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Control tower:
Watch Office for Bomber Stations and OTU's 13726/41 across the airfield.
History: Opened as a satellite to 21 OTU Moreton-in-the-Marsh September 1942. It was not used for seven months and then Wellington's of the OTU arrived and did not leave until April 1944.
A detachment of 178 FTS used Enstone until November 1946 with Harvard's & Oxfords.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Runway 18 looking south with 20 to our right.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire Sportflying club uses the north side and have several hangars and a very nice clubhouse.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Take off.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
There were originally two hangars here, a T2 (main picture) and a B1 (removed). The T2 was for the general servicing of aircraft and the B1 was major repair after landing accident or battle damage.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Just outside the north boundary is the 25 yard range. To the left the brick wall with sand in front to catch the bullets and to the right the armourer's office and the other side the range target store.
The two buildings are still there as far as I can see, but the butts themselves have been removed and a very large house built there.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
25 Yard Range. 59 - Machine Gun & Cannon Range on the site plan.
The two small buildings would have been joined by a shelter, where shooting could continue, dry or wet weather.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
25 Yard Range.
HAVE YOU READ THE RANGE RULES?
ALL EMPTY CASES HERE.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
25 Yard Range.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
25 Yard Range.
All airmen had to be proficient in rifle shooting, one to guard and defend the airfield and two, to help when serving abroad.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
25 Yard Range.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Light aircraft tie down.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Looking north on runway 33.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
A closer look at the T2 hangar now used by an aggregates firm. To its right is a large barn style building that is built on the base of the B1 hangar.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Marston Hut 71 - Crew Procedure Centre. Here crews would be put through their paces with dummy/mock up fuselages, etc. To train in and also emergency procedures. Use of life rafts. And so many other things.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Romney Hut.
6 - Crew Rest, Locker and Drying room. part of three joined up hats. They could be in Romney, wooden, Seco or temporary brick.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Romney Hut.
This hut is not on the plan so may have been moved here later.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Romney Hut.
Quit a vast area, these huts could be used for storage, repair, mess halls, all sorts of uses.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Romney Hut.
The view from the
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Watch Office/Control Tower.
A bomber satellite station watch office 13726/41.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Watch Office/Control Tower.
A bomber satellite station watch office 13726/41.
The block on the roof is a water tank and was placed there when it was used by the gliding club and the short steel ladder also.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Watch Office/Control Tower.
A bomber satellite station watch office 13726/41.
In use 2001, upper floor windows and doors have been replaced with smaller size double-glazed units
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Watch Office/Control Tower.
A bomber satellite station watch office 13726/41.
Control room.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Watch Office/Control Tower.
A bomber satellite station watch office 13726/41.
Out on the balcony.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Watch Office/Control Tower.
A bomber satellite station watch office 13726/41.
View from the Roof.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Petrol Installation roads only left now.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Petrol Installation where it rounds out at the bottom.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Petrol Installation looking back at it.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Plan of the bomb storage area.
Works Directorate AM 2628/48
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
91 - Light bomb fuzing point, 24ft Nissen hut.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
91 - Light bomb fuzing point, 24ft Nissen hut
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
93 - Heavy bomb fuzing point.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
92 - Light bomb fuzing point 24ft Nissen hut now the flying clubs office & rest room..
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Roadway connecting the fusing points to the bomb storage area.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
85 - Detonator & Components Stores.
This is the roadway out to the detonator & component store, where the sheep now are.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
82 - Bomb stores. Four units in all.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
The main way (top) is the off loading bay with the low walls, and the (bottom) road is the loading onto bomb brollies to trundle off to a fuzing point and then the plane.
Four x 50ton high explosive bays (gray), open storage 24'x24'. three earth banks grassed over as blast walls (green).
Works Directorate AM 2628/48 plan
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
82 - Bomb Store.
The actual storage space 25' x 25' and 50tons of bombs would be stored between the two blast walls.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Bomb store.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Hangars of Enstone Flying Club.
To the left is a Robins type B and attached to it is an enlarged Blister. Together they make a quite a big storage for small aeroplane's Enstone did not have a Robins B or an enlarged Blister hangar, so they would have been brought in as surplus by the flying club.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Enlarged Blister hangar.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
The View into the Robins Type B Hangar.
If you look into the roof of the Blister hangar, at the far end you can see extra strengtheners (wind braces). These are to strengthen the ends against wind pressure, you will see them on all hangars.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Mainair Pegasus Quick GT450.
This is the microlight that was in one of the earlier pictures taking off. He flew to RAF Long Marston and back.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Aircraft Dispersal for Heavy Bombers.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
An RAF AEC Petrol Bowser
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
G-BVAH.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Enstone Flying Club House.
Flying club house was a light bomb fuzing point and is in very good condition.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Enstone Flying Club House.
Lovely club house now. The members were very kind and invited us in for coffee and also to look around their hangar. Thank you. We also met a member making a computer model of RAF Enstone then & now, we saw several stills and they looked very good.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Light bomb fuzing point Nissen hut.
We have now walked a full circle around the bomb store.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Site plan of the communal sites
Works Directorate AM 2628/48
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Dispersed Communal/Accommodation Site.
Site 3 : Officers accommodation off to the right, in Nissen huts, drying rooms, ablutions, picket post, officers & servants latrines & M&E plinth.
Site 4 : to the left is for more accommodation.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Site 4.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Site 4.
Ablutions and a Stanton air-raid shelter.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Site 4
Stanton air-raid shelter in the foreground, in the back ground is an M&E plinth.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
Site 4.
9026/41 latrine.
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
9026/41 latrine.
Note the electrical connection pole to attach the latrines to mains power, so you could go in the night.
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RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
WAAF-Site
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
WAAF site with Nissen and Laing huts, NAAFI & dining room, Anti-room for NCO's, Bathblock & decontamination, ablutions and lavatories and in the entrance a Picket Post. Three air-raid shelters (green on plan).
10 February 2008
RAF Enstone, Oxfordshire
10 February 2008