RAF Oakington closed many years ago – in 1999 to be precise. A year later the domestic areas were turned into a high security immigration reception centre.
The good news is that technical buildings such as boiler-rooms and hangars aren’t on the IRC site. The even better news is that there’s a car boot sale on this part of the site every weekend, making access really easy.
But now for some bad news. The whole site is to go to make way for a new Cambridge commuter town…
Hangars
There are four hangars on site – two J-types with curved rooves, and two T2 metal hangars.
I managed to get inside one of them. Despite being really empty, I was awestruck by it’s size. Things banging on the roof made it ever-so-slightly scary in there (pigeons? expanding metal in the heat?).
Water Tower / Boilers
There was a delightful brick water tower attatched to a boiler house. As with most places, the ladder had been cut off 
Inside the boiler house were, er, boilers…
A metal water tower was also there.
An office
A lot of the buildings were sealed up, but I managed to get into a few. The first seemed to be some sort of office/records building.
A stores building
The other seemed to be a stores building. It had ramps & bays for (un)loading vans
Other buildings etc
All locked up.
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I visited Oakington a couple of months ago, the first time I had been back since 1966. It was my first posting out of training and I worked on Vampire T 11′s and Varsity T 1′s (Pigs). In those days ther were 3 aircraft lines. No. 1 Line was at the top end of the airfield operating Varsities, No. 2 Line in front of the tower also with Varsities and No. 3 Line at the bottom of the airfield operating Vampires originally but later Varsities. It was a great place to be young at. The Black Bull in Longstanton was a favoured watering hole, and there was always something happening in Cambridge.
I WAS AT OAKINGTON FROM 1954 TO 1956 I WAS BILLITED IN G BLOCK.AND WORKED IN THE SAFETY EQUIP SECTION/ OUR OFFICER WAS FLT LT GREEN .I PLAYED RUGBY FOR THE STATION ALL THE TIME I WAS THERE THE TEAM CAPTAIN WAS PILOT OFFICER Mc GREGOR WHO WAS THE EDUCATION OFFICER.
I was stationed at RAF Oakington as a young 17 yr old LAC/SAC teleprinter operator 1973/74 – I have many great memories of the station – Group Capt McCorkindale (his son Simon went on to become a famous actor – Currently in ‘Casuality’) was station commander – Warrant Officer Sooley was the legendary Firebreathing SWO – I had some great mates – Graham Moylan, Pete Thornton, Taff (PABX Cpl) Sam Dimmock (SGT Comcen) – loads of tasty young birds at the station discos ! Happy days and no mistake (anyone remember the station Piggery ? – used to generate profits that some times came the way of the airmans mess ! 17p a pint of Tartan !…
I visited this website as I lived in locally as a young school boy from 65 – 68 ish. My dad was stationed there and worked as an aircraft technician then transferred to Scampton. I remember Varsity aircraft flying around a lot and wasn’t some of the filming for Batlle of Britain done there? I have vague memories of arial action being filmed, us watching from the school playground. Dad was Ed “Eddie” Walter who sadly passed away last summer. Anyone who knew him please post? Thanks
IREMEMBER SQUAREN LEADER TUNSTALL I RECOLLECT HIM IN TROUBLE WITH HIS AIRCRAFT ON A TRAINING FLIGHT HE AND HIS STUDENT ERE IN A VAMPIRE T 11 WHEN THE HOOD ACCIDENTLY JETTISONED..HE ROUGHT THE AIRCRAFT IN SAFELY AND THE TWO OF THEM WHERE RUSHED TO SICK QUARTERS THEY HAD HAD THEIR MASKS AND BONEDOMES RIPPED OFF THEIR FACES WERE LIKE JELLY
What a fantastic website, illustrative of true dedication to research and recording…just how valuable will this resource be when such sites are lost forever? . with regards to Oakington I have just written a book called War Torn Skies Cambridgeshire. Oakington is heavily featured in the book…….should anyone like further details please do contact me on j.evenhart@ntlworld.com
Kind regards Julian Evan-Hart
I was stationed at oakington as medic 1952_54
lots of nostalgia looking at old place on web sight have many fond memmories have tried to view on google map buy cant quite pinpoint as i know it will look so different am still in contact with one old buddy
I HAD A GOOD PAL AT OAKINGTON IN 1954, HE GOT MADE UP TO CORPORAL IN 55 THEN WAS POSTED TO SWANTON MORLEY.I KNEW THAT HE LIVED IN SHEPSHED LOUGHBOROUGH, BUT I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF HIS ADDRESS, I WENT ONTO THE 192 WEBSITE, TYPED HIS NAME THEN SEARCHED. LO AND BEHOLD HIS NAME THE NAME OF HIS WIFE AND PHONE NUMBER CAME UP.I CONTACTED HIM AND AFTER 53 YEARS WE HAD A GREAT RE UNION.
i was in the atc in 50 53 as as course of training i was sent to oak the things i remeber is we were put under canvas woken 0700 field shower then how do the day ok just go over 303 practice today here is a map 5 miles 80 f temp o feet to big hills done that also every 2 3 days a vampire crashed and the bits came back the camp no 1 put the wheel from a vamp at the front of the mess anyway my best remberance was a drink called dragons blood apv 0
A fascinating site. It feels strange to actually see a place I have been researching. I am particularly interested in a crash landing that happened there on March 10th 1942 when a Wellington bomber from 101 sqn at RAF Bourn crash landed and struck another parked Wellington from 304 sqn. Both aircraft were destroyed by fire. I believe the pilot of the 101 sqn plane was named Waterkeyn. Anyone who has more details, please contact me at neville.bougourd@yahoo.com
REPLY TO JOHN BATES . AS YOU WERE A PILOT OFFICER AT OAKINGTON ON A FLYING TRAINING COURSE I MORE THAN LIKELY ISSUED YOU WITH YOUR PARACHUTE, DINGHY. LIFE JACKET AND ETC. YOU MAY RECALL WING COMMANDER TRENT V.C OF THE RNZ AIR FORCE HE WAS CHIEF INSTRUCTOR THE CAMP C,O WAS GROUP CPT HAWKINS.
Does anyone have any photos of Wing Commander Trent. He was a guest in my house in the US when I was a child. My father, Gene Vuozzo, was in SAC and often in England in the late 50s and early 60s on exchange missions. My email address is
venndiagram8@aol.com
Thanks
I SERVED UNDER WING COMMANDER TRENT V.C AT OAKINGTON HE WAS THE CHIEF FLYING TRAINING INSTRUCTOR. A REAL OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN. IF YOU GO ON GOOGLE SERCH AND TYPE..WING COMMANDER TRENT VC A PAGE WILL COME UP CLICK ON .. SQUADREN LEADER TRENT V.C.NZETC AND INFO ABOUT HIM .AND A PICTURE CAN BE HAD.
Can anyone help – my grandfather Arnold Upex served at Oakington as an electrician but also prepared the mines for minelaying. He also played football on station as well and I believe helped with the cinema and link trainer.
I was wondering if anybody remembers him or where on Oakington he may have worked – he said it was in the bomb dump or near it.
The reason I ask, is he passed away this week and, as always the case, I so wish I asked him more.
MARK.DO YOU HAVE ANY DATES WHEN YOUR GRANDFATHER WAS AT OAKINGTON?