RAF Watton closed in 1991 and sold in 1998. The residential areas were sold for residential use; and most of the technical buildings have been demolished, ie control towers, water towers, boiler rooms etc.
Not much remains of the base when I visited – most of it had been demolished.
There were four hangars concrete C-Type hangars at Watton…
Hangar 1
This has been partly demolished. Just the roof remains…
Hangar 2
This is still complete, and full of dirt.
Hangar 3
This has been totally gutted, and the doors taken off. The offices on the airfield side have been demolished. Half of the ones on the other side are gone too. There are lots of red crosses painted on the side – I can only assume for drilling and filling with explosives…
Hangar 4
This hangar was full of diggers – presumably owned by the demolition contractors. The offices on the side are relatively un-interesting. But colourful.
The little building
The armoury was once here.
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Hi michael bet it looks different there now compared to when i was there in october.
I was here for 5 days in summer of ’74 with RAF TSW providing fuel support ‘in the field’ for an intensive Harrier MK3 exercise. I remember the mature trees and neatly cut grass near the main hangars on what were super balmy summer evenings.I thought then it was a beautiful place. Tragic to see recent photos. T2 hangars were being stripped at that time on another side of the airfield. Novelties we discovered down in the bomb dumps were a Victor flap and an ancient horse drawn open carriage! All things are transient.
Spent a great week at Watton on ROC summer camp in June ’91. As Paul Gregg said, lovely balmy evenings and a beautiful Station which we weren’t allowed to explore, much to my regret. Anyone know if the OM and the accom blocks are still up ? From multimap it looks like they are.
HI,I WAS AN MT DRIVER,IN THE 60s LOVED THE STATION,MADE SOME REAL GOOD MATES AT WATTON,ITs A SHAME TO SEE THE PLACE,TORN APART LIKE THIS.FRANK DOWSE,EX LIVERPOOL,
Fantastic photos although sad to see destruction. Lived in one of the barrack blocks whilst stationed at Honington as a Fireman from 82-85. Any body got photos of the old Fire Station here.
Great shots, i live across the road from the old camp, anyone got any pictures from when it was a working station, would be well recieved.
Nothing left of the 1st hangar now, just a few stumps in the ground where the supporting pillars were, and i beleive “the little building” actually extends quite a way underground. nowerdays its busy being demolished and gliders occasionally use the runway, but essentially apart from the hangars the whole place has been levelled.
I was a Cpl Cook from August 1954 till demob on 11/01/1957
The airmans mees is now a carpet store
I was af Watton from May 88 – Nov 89. Us airmen lived in the Watton Lodge. There were only about 30 of us who lived in but we all had a good crack. It was like going back in time on that camp to the days when the RAF was still good fun. Such a shame that it is now all gone and just a fading memory.
Spent an very enjoyable 10 days here (as a base of operations) whilst attending an Air Cadets summer camp – twinned with Honington during the late 1980′s.
Very sad to see it in it’s demolished state !
Great site though !
Last two hangers being demolished now.
It’s funny how you look back on certain times of your life with great affection. I did my national service at Watton, 56-58, working in Flying Wing HQ, 2 Hangar. I too remember the balmy summer days, peddling out to the tower for docs of one description or another. Went back to have a look about five years ago and was so sorry to see the place in such a state. The good memories remain.
Oh dear – a ‘senior’ moment! I did, of course, pedal, not the other sort! Also, on recollection I think Flying Wing was in 3 Hangar rather than 2. I can still remember all the various types of aircraft in there – some real oddities like the Swift and Javelin and the old Washington’s belonging to 192 Sqdn.
hi i live in the houses that are built on raf watton on the spot that was the officers club and sherlie club heard it was haunted
we have completed the demolition of hanger 2 – not supprisingly they are a tough structure and very challenging. we start the demolition of hanger 4 early march – anyone wishing to take a last look please contacy us.