Alconbury

Alconbury, Huntingdonshire

Alconbury / Alconbury Weald

Opened :
Closed :
Current use :
IATA :
ICAO :
EDOFBID :
This page updated :
USAAF Sta No :
Website :

May 1938
15 April 1995
USAFE / Housing / Industry
AYH
EGWZ
e10703
6 April 2025
102
www.501csw.usafe.af.mil

My thanks go to Paul Bellamy for his help with the correct terminology and captions for these photos.

AIRFIELD SITE : A-10 Arm and De-Arm Pad (Runway 12 end)

AIRFIELD SITE : A-10 Arm and De-Arm Pad (Runway 30 end)

AIRFIELD SITE : Aerial Mast Site

AIRFIELD SITE : Aerial Photos of RAF Alconbury Airfield

AIRFIELD SITE : Aircraft Hardstand No.35

AIRFIELD SITE : Aircraft Hardstand No.47

AIRFIELD SITE : Aircraft Hardstand No.49

AIRFIELD SITE : Aircraft Hardstand No.50

AIRFIELD SITE : Aircraft Parking Stand with Jet Efflux Deflector

AIRFIELD SITE : AN/GPN-22 Precision Approach Radar

The AN/GPN-22 Precision Approach Radar, known as the GCA, was located about half way along the main runway on the southern side.

AIRFIED SITE : Bomb Stores (WW2 Bomb Store Site)

AIRFIELD SITE : Crew Chief's Cabin

The Crew Chief's Cabin was usually found in the Hardened Aircraft Shelter (HAS) or TAB-Vee and date from the 1980s.

AIRFIELD SITE : Diesel Fuel Tank for the 1st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron Tippie Pad
(PPIF trailers) Generators

AIRFIELD SITE : ILS Calibration Studs

The main marker stud is located on the centreline of the over run at the northwest end of the main runway, central and in front of the ILS Localiser Array. This is marked at 0° 0m and it is understood the portable test set would be referenced to this datum point. The first arc of studs is located 300 metres from this point and spans 20° either side of the runway centreline. The other arc is located over 3000 metres away at the south east end of the runway and only spans 1° either side of the centreline due to the distance.

AIRFIELD SITE : Latrine Block

AIRFIELD SITE : MA-1A Arrester Barrier Installation (Runway 30 end)

AIRFIELD SITE : NATO North BFI Filtre House

AIRFIELD SITE : Petroleum Fuel Tank

AIRFIELD SITE : Protected M & E Plinth with Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament Graffiti

An interesting cold war relic with some graffiti painted on by some anti-war protestors. It is located near the southern area TAB-Vee perimeter fence. From what I can transcribe, the following is written,

East Side : REMEMBER HIROSHIMA

North Side : STUFF NATO
North Side : PEACE PLEASE
North Side : unreadable

South Side : NO US BASES HERE

West Side : ALCONBURY TOMORROWS NUCLEAR GRAVEYARD

AIRFIELD SITE : RAF Alconbury Main Gate Sign

AIRFIELD SITE : Runway 06/24 (Wartime)

AIRFIELD SITE : Runway 12/30

AIRFIELD SITE : Runway 18/36 (Wartime)

AIRFIELD SITE : Runway Arrestor Cable Installation (Runway 30 end)

AIRFIELD SITE : Runway Visual Range Tower

AIRFIELD SITE : Taxiways

AIRFIELD SITE : TR-1 Flight Line Maintenance Hut & Tool Crib

AIRFIELD SITE : Unknown 01

AIRFIELD SITE : Unknown 02

AIRFIELD SITE : Vehicle Traffic Lights

BUILDING 3 : Wash Rack Effluent Pumping Main / Sewage Pumping Facility

BUILDING 4 : Chemical Store

BUILDING 6 : Paint Shop

This building is a Butler Shed that dates from the 1950s and was originally sited at RAF Molesworth. It was re-located to RAF Alconbury in the 1970s and became the Paint Shop. It was demolished during 2015.

BUILDING 8 : Wash Rack Pump House

This building dates from the 1950s and was built at the same time as Building 9 and Building 10. It was demolished during 2015.

BUILDING 9 : Wash Rack Oil Separator Facility

This building dates from the 1950's and was built at the same time as Building 8 and Building 10. It was demolished during 2015.

BUILDING 10 : Wash Rack Secondary Treatment Waste Plant

This building dates from the 1950s and was built at the same time as Building 8 and Building 9. It was demolished during 2015.

BUILDING 11 : Petroleum Oil Lubricants Laboratory

BUILDING 13 : Aircraft Equipment Maintenance Facility

Built in in the early 1970s and opening in late 1973, this was originally the 10th Field Maintenance Squadron building. The building included the Aircraft Maintenance Job Control and the Deputy Commander for Maintenance, along with a snack bar that was staffed by the Field Maintenance Wives Club. This was one of the first buildings to be demolished at Alconbury at the start of the redevelopment of the site in 2014.

BUILDING 14 : 17th Reconnaissance Wing Headquarters

BUILDING 15 : General Aircraft Maintenance & Overhaul Hangar

BUILDING 16 : Aero Engine Repair Shop

BUILDING 18 : Wash Rack & Corrosion Control Facility

BUILDING 19 : Squadron & Flight Offices / 10th Fighter Wing Operations & Training

BUILDING 21 : Heat Exchanger

BUILDING 23 : Boiler House

BUILDING 24 : Generator Compound

BUILDING 25 : Command Post (Soft) and the AUTODIN Annexe

The nissen hut part of this building was originally built in about 1942 as the Crew Rest, Locker and Drying Rooms to Air Ministry Drawing Number 15657/41. When the Americans moved in it was used for general and specialist crew briefings. After the war and into the 1950s the use changed and it acme the Base Headquarters and Operations, at this time the internal layout changed. Latterly it has been used by various based units as a headquarters facility and the communications centre.

BUILDING 28 : Corrosion Control Complex Sandblasting Shop

BUILDING 29 : Gas Governor and Meter House

BUILDING 30 (Original building number) : Watch Office Annexe & Additional Crew Briefing Rooms

This Air Ministry Type B prefabricated timber hut was originally built at nearby RAF Wyton as its temporary watch office during that base's reconstruction in the mid-1930s, and was relocated to Alconbury by 156 Squadron in mid-1942. It was dismantled and moved in the late 1940s to a farm in Little Stukeley for use as a barn, however in recent years it has been under threat of demolition. In later years the building number 30 was re-allocated to the British Pipe Line Agency Compound that was built to house the piped aviation fuel supply intake. As of February 2018 this building still survives.

BUILDING 30 (Re-used building number) : British Pipe Line Agency Compound

BUILDING 31 : 10th Security Police Squadron Headquarters and Central Security Control

Originally built as the Watch Office & Operations Block with attached Crew Briefing Room in 1941, this is the second 'Control Tower' at Alconbury. Building 31 is a listed building and been restored as a comminity cafe and bistro..

BUILDING 32 : Interim TR-1 Sensor Maintenance Facility / APQ-170 Radar Mock-up

BUILDING 34 : Tele-Communication Building

BUILDING 34 : Communication Squadron Headquarters

BUILDING 35 : Communication Squadron Headquarters Annexe

BUILDING 36 : Rod & Gun Club

BUILDING 42 : General Workshop

This General Workshop was originally the WWII Dinghy Store.

BUILDING 43 : Aircraft Ground Equipment Workshop

BUILDING 44 : Aircraft Ground Equipment Workshop / Store

BUILDING 45 : Electronic Security Command Offices

BUILDING 46 : Pave Tack Facility

BUILDING 47 : Photo Processing Lab

BUILDING 48 : Squadron Headquarters for 1st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 509th Tactical Fighter Squadron & 67th Special Operations Squadron

BUILDING 49 : Command Post (Hard)

BUILDING 50 : GSE POL Shelter / Defueling Facility

BUILDING 51 : Parachute & Dinghy Shop

This building was demolished in March 2015.

BUILDING 52 : Electronic and Armament Technical Shop

Building 56 was later used as the 352nd Special Ops Group intelligence cell. This building was demolished at the end of 2016.

BUILDING 54 : Security Police Building

This building was originally built as one of Alconbury's three WWII radar workshops.

BUILDING 56 : 17th Reconnaissance Wing Deputy Chief of Maintenance Facility

This building is scheduled to be demolished towards the end of 2016.

BUILDING 57 : 10th TRW / TFW Deputy Commander Maintenance Facility

This was originally constructed as the Field Training Facility and later became the 10TRW / TFW DCM Facility. It was demolished in November 2014.

BUILDING 60 : Link Trainer Building / Scheduling / Waste Disposal Shop

BUILDING 61 : Aerospace Ground Equipment Shop

BUILDING 64 : Airfield Lighting B-Centre

BUILDING 66 : Power Conversion Building

BUILDING 68 : 10th Component Repair Squadron Hush House Facility

This building was demolished in January 2015.

BUILDING 69 : Hardened Photographic Processing & Interpretation Facility

BUILDING 70 : Weapons System Maintenance Administration Facility

BUILDING 72 : Guardhouse and Entrance Gate

BUILDING 73 : Field Training Facility

This building was demolished in September 2015.

BUILDING 79 : Power Conversion Building

BUILDING 83 : Fire Station

BUILDING 85 : Admin Offices

BUILDING 86 : 10th Communications Squadron Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems Maintenance Building

This was originally the 1950s Base Operations Building.

BUILDING 87 : Hydrogen Balloon Building

BUILDING 88 : Flight Line Fire Station

BUILDING 90 : Control Tower

This was the he fourth control tower and it was built in the 1950s. Sadly it was demolished on 15 June 2015.

BUILDING 91 : Airfield lighting 'B' Centre, and base of Weather Observation Tower

BUILDING 94 : TR-1 Phase Overhaul Hangar

BUILDING 97 : Squadron Operations Block (Soft)

BUILDING 98 : 511 TFS Bar 'The Pig Sty'

BUILDING 102 : Squadron Operations Block (Hard)

BUILDING 103 : Guard Mount & Hardened Central Security Control Facility

BUILDING 106 : Wing Dock Hangar

BUILDING 107 : Wing Dock Hangar

BUILDING 108 : Heating Plant

BUILDING 111 : Hardened POL Vehicle Shelter

BUILDING 113 : POL Tanker Repair Shop

BUILDING 118 : Central Security Control Garage / Peacekeeper Maintenance Facility

BUILDING 119 : Aviation Fuel Store Type F

BUILDING 120 : Remote Transmitter Building (WW2 Watch Office)

This is the third watch office and was built in 1943 near the Abbotts Ripton Depot site on the south east side of the airfield, it was demolished in 2013.

BUILDING 123 : Single Bay Hardened POL Truck Shelter

BUILDING 126 : Fixed TACtical Air Navigation (TACAN) Facility

BUILDING 131, 132, 133 & 138 : Aviation Fuel Installation / POL 'Site C'

BUILDING 139 : Microwave Relay Facility

BUILDING 148 : MOGAS Fuel Installation

BUILDING 154 : Communications Support Facility

BUILDING 165 : F-5 Maintenance Facility / 7th Special Ops Squadron Building

BUILDING 166 : Unknown

BUILDING 167 : Hardened POL Vehicle Shelter

BUILDING 168 : Latrine

BUILDING 199 : Hardened TR-1 Operations and Physiological Support Division Facility

BUILDING 200 : TR-1 Physiological Support Division Facility & Plant Room

BUILDING 201 : TR-1 Squadron Operations (soft)

BUILDING 205 : TR-1 Sensor Maintenance Facility

BUILDING 209 : TR-1 Aircraft Maintenance Facility, Offices for the Flight Chief, Branch Chief, Training/Briefing Room and Tool Crib

BUILDING 210 : TR-1 Avionics Maintenance Facility
'Magic Mountain'

BUILDING 215 : Hardened POL Vehicle Shelter

BUILDING 250 : Precision Measuring Equipment Laboratory / Explosive Ordnance Disposal

Originally built in the early 1940s as the wartime gymnasium and base theatre, this building continued in this role until at least the 1950s. During the 1960s the building changed use and became the Precision Measuring Equipment Laboratory. The last use of the building was the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Headquarters before the base closed. The building was demolished in 2014.

BUILDING 251 : War Reserve Materiel Store / Supply Base

BUILDING 252 : Dog Kennels

BUILDING 254 : Sewage Pumping Station

BUILDING 256 : Bed Down Transportable System Yard & Maintenance Support Building

BUILDING 263 : Latrine

BUILDING 513 : Morale, Welfare & Recreation Admin Office

BUILDING 514 : Interim TR-1 Physiological Support Division Facility

BUILDING 518 : Boiler House and Electical Switchgear Room

This building was the electical conversion building and boiler house for the two neighbouring hangars, Building 520 and Building 521.

BUILDING 519 : Base Operations, Air Passenger Terminal, Customs, Flight Planning & Met Office

BUILDING 520 : Primary Repair Hangar

BUILDING 521 : Primary Repair Hangar

BUILDING 522 : Aircraft Maintenance Offices Facility

BUILDING 525 : Photo Lab

BUILDING 534 : Arts & Craft Center

BUILDING 540 : Traffic Check House

BUILDING 541 : Alert Crew Dormitories / 32nd TRS Headquarters

BUILDING 546 : Powerplant Workshops / AAFES Warehouse

BUILDING 547 : Powerplant Workshops / Resource Recovery & Recycling Program

BUILDING 579 : Power Conversion Building

BUILDING 552 : 2 SAD Hangar / T2 Aircraft Shed / USAFE Warehouse

BUILDING 550 : Latrine

BUILDING 594 : Food Court

BUILDING 616 : Bowling Center

BUILDING 629 : Airfield Lighting B-Centre

BUILDING 652 : Dormitory

BUILDING 671 : Services Headquarters, FSS, VAT & Family Support

BUILDING 675 : Temporary Lodging

BUILDING 678 : Library & Education Centre

BUILDING 722 : NATO South POL Filter House

BUILDING 753 : TPQ-11 Cloud Height Detection Radar Shelter

There were 53 of these portable buildings built for the USAFE and this was the 7th built and it was demolished during 2014-2015. It is unknown how many of these survive on other airfields.