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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sorry – I think it was around 1941 to about 45 – give or take a year. He also served on nearby bases.
Near the end of the war he was transferred out of the RAF to the Infantry to be shipped out to the War in the Pacific.
HI MARK IT WAS MUCH LATER WHEN I WAS AT OAKINGTON CHEERS .
I was stationed at Oakington 1955/56 as a wireless mechanic in air traffic control I ran the Birmingham coach with the help of airmen from R.A.F Wyton.The officer in charge of air traffic was Squadron Leader Stephens
DO I REMEMBER SDN LDR PIGGY STEPHENS,,HE ONCE HAD ME ON A FIZZER FOR HAVING A MATCHSTALK INSTEAD OF THE REGULATION CLIP HOLDING ME BERET BADGE IN PLACE , AS YOU MAY HAVE READ MY POST EARLIER. THE STATION ADJ WAS A FLT LT MOLLOY WHO OCCAISIONALLY TURNED OUT AS HOOKER WITH OUR FIRST TEAM,
Fascinating to see these now rather evocotive pictures of RAF Oakington. I visited it in around 1969 as a cadet with my school (West Buckland) CCF, RAF Section.
I had broken my arm shortly before my first camp and was delighted when our CO said I could still go. It was used by RAF Training Command, flying Varsity’s then. I even managed to get permission to fly in a Varsity – despite having an arm in plaster but had to wear a chest parachute – as it was felt, in an emergency, I would not be able to put on a parachute with one arm!
I also spent a bit of time in the Station link trauiner when my broken arm prevented me from takinging part in some activities. I believe the building in photo 34 was the lonk trainer building. I recall the Station Commander ticking me off for running when I was on my way there!
I also remember a very arogent stuffy young Flt Lt Medical Officer accusing me of malingering when I attended the medical centre to get a new sling as mine was looking scruffy. The section activity was swimming – so not something I could do with an arm in plaster! I wonder what happened to him!
Somewhere I have some photos in 35mm colour slides of Oakington in 1969 – if I find them – perhaps you might be interested,
I fly a C172 from Popham airfield threse days but my lifelong love of flying owes much to my RAF CCF days and the nostalgia of RAF Oakington.
David Pulman
Yateley
Hants
Ooops – wish there was an edit function – my poor typing having left a number of clumsy typos above!
I was at RAFOakington from 1955 -1958 worked in the major servicing hanger mostly on the aircraft handling section but then promoted to JT and spent some time in the tyre bay .taken ill in1957 and sent to RAF Halton where i was discharged in 1958
AS YOU MAY SEE I WAS AT OAKINGTON FROM 1954 TO56 WORKING IN THE SAFETY EQUIP SECTION. IF YOU WORKED IN A,S F, YOU WOULD REMEMBER CHIEFY ENGLAND, AND MEN LIKE STAN MC CABE.TONY FAULKENER.
Worked at oakington 1950/60 in the officers mess kitchen had some good times met a lot of officers and some good mates , went across the airfield home to cambridge waiting for the jets to land, will go back soon to have a look while we can
I MET A GIRL IN CAMBRIDGE. AND AFTER MY DEMOB.WE MARRIED IN 1957.
ps Lived in amq longstanton from 1948/58 father fl/sergent at oakington for some time cecil(tommy) weston engine fitter served 27 years . when father posted stayed in married quaters for a while when family moved stayed and worked on the camp for a few years as a civy in both offices mess,failed my medical for raf but still worked there met a lot of guys one being ac2 craft who i saw in last couple of years who was mess manager at raf wyton left raf as s w o
HI MICHAEL.I RECOLLECT CHIEFY WESTON AND HE WOULD HAVE KNOWN FLT SGT SPALDING WHO WAS THE PTI CHIEFY..WHO ALSO LIVED IN MARRIED QUARTERS. I HAD MANY A GOOD NIGHT AT THE BLACK HORSE AND THE HOOPS PUBS,,HE WOULD ALSO REMEMBER TWO OF MY SERGEANTS, I.E SRG MONTY RUTHERFORD AND SRG WINDIATE BOTH OF THE SAFETY EQUI SECTION,LET ME KNOW IF HE HAS ANY RECOLLECTIONS OF THEM CHEERS RAY
high ray sorry to say my father passed away a few years ago but glad of your interest also you mensioned flt /sgt spalding did he suffer with chest problems as i remember a pti from the married quaters who helped me with my asthmas regards mike weston
YES MICHAEL CHIEFY SPALDING WAS A BIG BARREL CHESTED BLOKE AS A MATTER OF INTEREST HE, ALTHOUGH,NOT A PARACHUTIST, MDE 99 LIVE DESCENTS. NOTHER FLT SRG FRON THE AIR SERVICING FLIGH WAS CHIEFY ENGLAND. A VERY FIT MAN AND A CHAMPION RAF POLE VAULTER , I HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF OAKINGTON , CHEERS RAY
My uncle was there as a civy for many years and was called “Fred” he was the cleaner and as I recall a popular character, I can remember once that he brought a photo home signed by the “Red Arrows” when they regulary stop off there, he lived in nearby Girton -Anybody remember him!
Mo