Military Aircraft Graveyard
This airfields journey into modern defence began in the late 1950s when it was selected as the testing ground for Britain's proposed Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM). Prior to this, the region was largely inactive and known locally as ‘The Waste.’
The initial construction was overseen by the Ministry of Aviation, with Rolls-Royce managing the operations on their behalf. The name Rolls-Royce is often linked to the station's formative years.
In 1960, the IRBM program was scrapped, but it was quickly succeeded by the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO), where Britain collaborated with France and Germany to create a European alternative to the American and Russian dominance in satellite launch capabilities. However, in 1972, Britain exited ELDO, leading to the consortium's departure from the base. Subsequently, the site was transferred to the Proof and Experimental Establishment for static firing and range operations.
By 1976, the airfield was officially designated as an RAF Station and became home to Western Europe's first full-scale Electronic Warfare Tactics Range, which opened in January 1977.
Hidden within a secluded part of the site lies what can only be termed a plane graveyard, an expansive area filled with a variety of aircraft, tanks, trucks, and helicopters, all in varying degrees of disrepair. This intriguing section is the focus of the photographs below.
