RAF Binbrook.....and finally.

When we were at RAF Binbrook the local fire brigade were testing out some of their equipment and we were invited to photograph them.

Stop Cock at 6 feet, but don't ask me in which direction!

The firemen are practicing using a high pressure lance which

can cut through solid brickwork and concrete using pressurised

water. 

In a matter of just a few minutes they were able to cut right

through this old brick wall!

Although the airbase is now redundant and for the most part

abandoned someone seems to be looking after the shrubs in

this little corner of the grounds.  The Rhododendrons were as

good as any I've seen. 

And finally....the RAF operate state of the

art aircraft nowadays that are faster, full of electronic

and digitally operated equipment, can fly higher and

further with much more devastating fire power than

the aircraft from the past.  They are also MUCH SMALLER

and require smaller Pilots to fly them as can be

seen here.  This officer pilot very kindly posed for me!!


That's the last of all the images from RAF Binbrook, all taken on
my Panasonic G6 camera with a 14 - 140mm zoom lens.

RAF Binbrook, a Nissen Hut.

On our recent tour of the disused RAF Binbrook airfield we saw several old building in various states of decay.  This Nissen Hut probably dates from WW2 and might have been used as a store or, more likely, as a place for pilots waiting to be "scrambled" for an air raid.

It's in a very sad condition now and I can't help wondering what stories this old building could tell.

The final pictures of the Lightning Jet Fighter.

A few more detail pictures from the Lightning.

I was surprised to see how the fuselage was

held together by rivets.

This image was taken looking right into the lower exhaust

outlet of the Rolls Royce Avon jet engine.

All pictures in the series taken on my Panasonic G6 camera with

a 14 - 140mm zoom lens.

A few more images of the Lightning Jet Fighter.

A view from below, showing the nose wheel undercarriage.

Detail from part of the jets' engine.

Landing wheel below one of the wings.

A headlight mounted on the undercarriage.

RAF Binbrook, disused airfield (somewhere in Lincolnshire!).

In WW2 Lincolnshire had numerous airfields flying squadrons of bomber aircraft, the most famous being 617 Squadron.  Known forever as "The Dambusters" after the famous raids on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany.  They were based at RAF Scampton and breached the dams using the now infamous "bouncing bombs" invented by Barnes Wallace.

Lincolnshire was known as "Bomber County" because of the number of bomber bases.

After the war these bomber bases were closed down being no longer needed and a new threat was realised in the east and that was nick named "The Cold War".  To combat this threat the RAF used a supersonic fighter jet named "Lightning".

The Lightning was designed and manufactured by the English Electric Company as a fighter aircraft capable of rapid interception of any enemy aircraft approaching British airspace.  It was the only all British Mach 2 aircraft, powered by 2 Rolls - Royce Avon turbojet engines.  The pilots who flew them described the experience "like being strapped to a sky rocket"!

2 squadrons of Lightning jet aircraft were based at RAF Binbrook between 1965 and 1988.  They were decommissioned and replaced with more modern aircraft but the men who flew them say nothing has ever been better!

RAF Binbrook base was closed completely in 1992.  However my son Michael and I were fortunate enough to be allowed back onto the base to take photographs and see a redundant Lightning jet.  It was in poor condition but still a super photo opportunity.

English Electric Lightning Jet.

Set 1 of 3.

Redundant Lightning jet, a relic from the "Cold War".

I decided black and white was more suitable for these images.

The twin Rolls Royce Avon engines were mounted one above the other.

Detail images.