Well most of the old site of RAF Chigwell has gone the same way as parts of North Weald and Duxford. It`s buried under the M11 motorway, while the rest of RAF Chigwell has been turned into a nature reserve. But if you look in the right places you can still find the `bones` of the old base.
Why..? Well, Chigwell may not be one of the `famous` bases but it played a rather important role during WW2 and beyond. Opened in 1938 and sold off by the RAF in 1964, it began life as a barage balloon launching site until around 1943 when the base took on many secret trails, testing and training of comunication equipment for the allies. One `operation` involved 220 and 206 Sqns during Operation `Intone` and to date there are not many records regarding this action.
It continued in this role right up to 1958. Unknown by many the Royal Observer Corps had a bunker in operation in a field by the old launching areas right up to 1991 when it was closed down.
I have a special bond to the place as it`s where my old Air Training Corps unit was `stood up` and became the last RAF `unit` to leave the base after it was sold on.
There are many areas I couldn`t get too as time was an issue, but I will be returning soon to find these areas and update this post. For now, on with the show....
A sports centre now dominates where the officers mess and main winch lorry and trailer hangar used to be.
This area was where the balloons and trailers would be assembled. A balloon hangar would have been on the left of the concreted area.
Various hard tracks leading to the launching sites......
.....then a junction leading to two of the three launch areas......
.....and finally the circular area where the balloons were launched....
A few bits of concrete I could see from the paths that will warrant further investigation when I return.
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