Wethersfield

[cwbalmer]

Fro some reason I am also thinking that some of the F111s at Upper Heyford also had this capability. I must look up what type was used here.

In fact elements of the USAF 20th Fighter Wing (55 and 77th sqdns) moved to Wethersfield in 1952 and then the 79th sqdn moved over to Bentwaters in 1954. These will have been using F84s, and later F100s and did not actually implement a Victor Alert capability until 1958.

[superplum]

Ah the equivalent of what the RAF in the V force and Canberra days in Germany called QRA.

But did the USAF in the UK have aircraft bombed up with nukes?

Answer, Yes! It was a NATO commitment as ours was. All covered by the NATO SOFA as far as HMG were concerned.

QRA; don't forget the Buccaneers (also in Germany)!

Happy days

[canberra]

Ah I hadnt forgotten the dear old Buccaneer, and the Jag on QRA. And in 1986 just after the Iceland summit the nuclear QRA was done away with, suddenly the RAF had 800 (yes 800) coppers that it didnt know what to do with!

And as for the Victor alert(how did it get that name?) I suspected that the government wouldnt have really had much say in it. But at least they kicked the Yanks backsides in the early eighties and ordered them to start diverting to RAF stations when they had problems.

[buccaneer66]

A nice Britis Pathe Newsreel from Wittering about QRA.

[92fis]

I thought that Wattishams F4s went to Honington in 77? Yes I too can see no longer use for this airfield, but then again Sculthorpe is still owned by MOD.

THE Phantoms went to Wethersfield in 1977 and then deployed to Honington in 1988 while the runway at Wattisham was being resurfaced.

[Green Garlic]

Would anyone on list know when and why the nuclear weapon ''Igloo'' storage units were demolished at Wethersfied? If you look just above the eastern end of the main runway you can see the impression of these in the ground. Also, old Ordnance Survey maps show this area as fenced off compund with a tower so its fair to assume that this facility did exist.

[PETERTHEEATER]

It was built over two tandem aircraft spectacle hard-standings part of the WW2 airfield layout. If my memory is right, they were there in the mid '60s but when they were demolished I know not.

[superplum]

It was built over two tandem aircraft spectacle hard-standings part of the WW2 airfield layout. If my memory is right, they were there in the mid '60s but when they were demolished I know not.

Intriguing. The area shows no sign of the hallmarks associated with a WSA. However, the later WSA appears to be located at the NW extreme of the MSA (4 Igloos and a 7-bay Igloo) and is similar in facilities to those used for such purposes at other ex-USAF bases

[PETERTHEEATER]

As a Tactical Fighter Wing base, there was a nuclear capability so there had to be storage, but where? I used to visit from RAF Debden in the mid-60's (beer runs!) and vaguely recall structures in that eastern area.

Maybe this site can help: http://rafwethersfield.com/

Directly north of the site in question is what appears to be an arming/disarming area with earth traverses.

[PETERTHEEATER]

I stumbled on this site. Might be of interest to the airfield radio/comms enthusiasts:

http://highgarrett.homestead.com/open.html

Wethersfield open day 1958 or 1959 video (8mm cine conversion) Worth a look!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdoF-dEXp9Y