RAF West Raynham, Norfolk, UK

History of RAF West Raynham

Opening in May 1939, Royal Air Force West Raynham was used by RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War.

RAF West Raynham was an expansion scheme airfield with a grass landing strip and a Fort-type lookout tower. The lookout tower was replaced with a “Control Tower for Very Heavy Bomber Stations” later in the war. The headquarters and accommodation blocks were built to the west of the landing area and bomb stores to the south-east.

In 1943 two concrete runways were built to replace the grass landing strip. One runway was 1.8km and the other 1.3km in length. The housing on the base was also expanded at the same time, providing accommodation for 2,456 men and 658 women.

The station had a Rapier missile training dome, in which a 180 degree simulation could be projected onto the inside of the dome to simulate flight in a fighter jet.

Many of the facilities were similar to those provided by the stations sister base RAF Kirton in Lindsey in Lincolnshire, including the training dome.

The station closed in 1994 but was retained as a strategic resrve. The site laid derelict until the RAF decided it was surplus to requirements in 2006 and was sold to developers in 2007. Part of the site has been used as a new housing estate, and the land around the main runway is now a solar farm.

Airman’s Restaurant

RAF West Raynham – Twin staircases in the Airman’s Restaurant

RAF West Raynham – Top of the twin staircases

RAF West Raynham – Peeling paint

RAF West Raynham – Decaying room

RAF West Raynham – Airman’s Restaurant

RAF West Raynham – Servery area

RAF West Raynham – Kitchen

Officer’s Mess

RAF West Raynham – Officer’s Mess External

RAF West Raynham – Officer’s Mess main entrance

RAF West Raynham – Dining hall

RAF West Raynham – Dining hall

RAF West Raynham – Top officers dining room

Station HQ

RAF West Raynham – Station HQ

RAF West Raynham – Bars on windows

RAF West Raynham – Telephone Equipment

RAF West Raynham – Doorway with serving shelf

Accommodation Blocks

RAF West Raynham – Accommodation Block External

RAF West Raynham – Staircase

RAF West Raynham – Chair in a room

RAF West Raynham – Ivy growing inside a dorm room

RAF West Raynham – Sinks in shared bathroom

Medical Block

RAF West Raynham – Medical block entrance

RAF West Raynham – Medical block entrance lobby

RAF West Raynham – Treatment room

RAF West Raynham – X-Ray room

RAF West Raynham – Cabinets in treatment room

Sports Hall

RAF West Raynham – The sports hall is well preserved

RAF West Raynham – Climbing ropes

RAF West Raynham – Weight training bay

RAF West Raynham – Plant room

RAF West Raynham – Changing room

Control Tower

RAF West Raynham – Control Tower

RAF West Raynham – Control Tower

RAF West Raynham – Control desks

RAF West Raynham – On top of the tower

Hangers and Training Dome

RAF West Raynham – One of the hangers and the dome

RAF West Raynham – Inside the training dome

RAF West Raynham – Dome external

RAF West Raynham – Hangers

Water Tower and Externals

RAF West Raynham – View down a tree lined avenue

RAF West Raynham – Building and courtyard

RAF West Raynham – View from water tower

RAF West Raynham – The water tower

RAF West Raynham – Admin building

RAF West Raynham – Squadron Garage

RAF West Raynham – Front gates