RAF Wroughton, Wiltshire HQ

RAF · Wiltshire · England · United Kingdom

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Head Quarters site to the Aircraft Storage Unit. With the threat of war in the 1930s the government set up a programme of airfield building including this one on a high plateau to the south of Wroughton occupied then by Rectory Farm. The initial setting out took place in May 1939 by driving a timber fence post in to the ground at each end of the proposed mile long main runway. The airfield was opened less than a year later on April 1st 1940. It was set up as an MU (Maintenance Unit ) and during the second world war some 7,000 aircraft were prepared for service at Wroughton.
From Wroughton’s military connections.

Maintenance workers & aircrew at an ASU.

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

USAAF air photo of the HQ site.

1944

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

The view from the top of the downs.

20 June 2010

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Top left is site No.5, top right is Site No.6. Below HQ Site.

20 June 2010

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Andy very kindly has allowed me to use his air photo and it shows at the time, the completely unspoilt site this is. The main Head Quarters of RAF Wraughton with all the technical buildings, HQ, heating plant in one area.

Andy Amor

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Main entrance and Wardens office. The wardens I believe when the airfield was designed, were to be civilian workers and they lived on site and many of the dispersed sites have wardens housing within the site

25 May 2004

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

RAF guard room. Although this airfield was built away from the eyes of most people the RAF stuck to their principle of the expansion era and built these very good looking buildings.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Station Office (2878/37). There would be a mix of RAF and civilians here.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Station Office (2878/37).

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Station Office (2878/37). I have embedded this photo from a Flickr site on Wroughton when it was 15 Maintenance Unit in the 1960's. This photo was taken around 1968/9 showing some of the personnel involved with the servicing,repairing, modification and storage of aircraft held at No 15 Maintenance Unit RAF Wroughton. The RAF Unit was here from around April 1940 to April 1972, it was then decided by the Mod to transfer the work requirements to the Royal Navy, there after being known as the Royal Navy Aircraft Yard Wroughton Wiltshire.

15 MU RAF Wroughton

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Main Store. This would have been a very busy place, all RAF stores would be here, from 'pens for the use of' to boots. Then there would be aircraft items, from fabric, wood, nuts & bolts, etc.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Main Store.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

I believe this is the civilian canteen, but may have been for service personnel as well.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Civilian Canteen.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Main workshop.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Main workshop.

21 October 2007

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Motor transport or just plain MT. Parking for around ten lorries, with an office and a workshops inspection pit.

21 October 2007

Queen Mary aircraft delivery tractor and long articulated trailer.

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

MT.

21 October 2007

AEC crane, this or a Coles crane would have been very busy, lifting aircraft parts.

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Gas decontamination centre type 'G'.

03 August 2005

Hot water plant room.
a hot water tank in a 94118/40 decontamination centre. — Hot water plant room. a hot water tank in a 94118/40 decontamination centre.

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Gas decontamination centre type 'G'.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Heating station 9299/38. The heating plant would have been coal or coke but later it was converted to oil, note the oil tanks.

20 June 2010

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Heating station 9299/38. Also here was the MT petrol filling area for vehicles.

20 June 2010

RAF Petrol pump at RAF Stanton Harcourt, now removed.

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Heating station 9299/38. This station would heat all the buildings and hangars in the HQ area. The tower is a water tower and a chimney.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Petrol tender shed 2773/34.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Parachute store.
All parachutes were checked and packed then placed in a rack. When a pilot needed one, he would sign one out. Very strict records were kept and every so long, the parachute would be un packed, aired and then re packed. Crew parachutes were made of silk.

03 August 2005

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

Parachute store.

RAF Wroughton, Head Quarters Site

'D' Hangar 2313/36 & the 'C' Hangar D type Aircraft Sheds (hangars) were designed for ASU's to store complete aircraft. They were made of reinforced concrete and armoured doors. Two steel sheets with an infill of gravel.

20 June 2010