Woolfox Lodge

[stevie]

As far as i'm aware he owns the majority of the main airfield site including part of the Bloodhound site and the Control Tower. To be honest AiX member Jerry is the man to ask as he was the one who sorted it all out on that visit.

Woolfoxmemories - Those photos are fascinating. Thanks for posting them up.
Cheers
Steve

[Jerry]

Airfield site including tower, nice chap, quite easy going, the other sites are owned by a complete and utter ..................

[SimonT]

Hi Bomber.

The only way on to the old airfield is through a farm yard that the landowner also owns as far as i am aware.

Really? I went on to take a long distance photo of the tower using my zoom lens, there's a road just off the A1 next to Woolfox Depot industrial units.

There's also a public footpath that skirts the edge of the airfield which allowed me to nip accross and photo the tower a bit closer up, but I wouldn't reccomend that method.

Also, take heed of Jerry's warning and steer clear of the old Nissen huts on the neighbouring bit of land, the land owner there is known to get his shotgun out first and ask questions later.

[stevie]

there's a road just off the A1 next to Woolfox Depot industrial units.

That's the way we accessed the airfield. Does involve a fairly long walk up the runway and peri track to get to the tower that way though. Not that i was complaining..it's a great walk.

[Bomber]

Steve just read the thread can we get permistion to visit the tower ? and could we visit when we wanted no use going on a overcast day .Thanks to to Bomber boy for the reply as well .

[REF]

Some photos that Rob Davis TELFORD kindly allowed me to put on the forum.
http://www.panoramio.com/user/162107

Woolfox Lodge Watch Office 15-Jan-1986

[stevie]

Great piccie. Nice to see the back of the tower without the jungle all around it as it is nowadays.

[Bomber]

Steve i agree it is nice to see the tower without all the trees bushes surounding it .So a winter visit is a must along with North Luffenham & North Witam runways .

[REF]

From my own notes of RAF Woolfox Lodge:

Named after the country mansion of the same name, RAF Woolfox Lodge was used as a reserve landing ground in 1940 for RAF Cottesmore. It was then decided to upgrade the airfield and it re-opened in October 1941 as a satellite of RAF North Luffenham.

The first operational squadron to arrive was No.61, equipped with Avro Manchesters, then in April 1942 Lancasters began to replace them. 61 Squadron moved to RAF Syerston in May 1942 and the airfield then had more upgrade work to the runways and dispersal areas.

In June 1943 the airfield was given a fully operational status and was handed to No.3 Group. March 1944 saw No. 218 squadron arrive from RAF Downham Market equipped with Short Stirlings, they converted to Lancasters and then moved to RAF Methwold in August 1944.

At the end of August the airfield was transferred from No.3 Group to the USAAF. Douglas C-47's of the IX Troop Carrier Command were due to be based here but this apparently never happened, apart from the odd flying visitor and support groups the station was fairly quiet and the USAAF left in Octor 1944.

In November 1944 the airfield was under the control of RAF North Luffenham and Stirlings and Lancasters of 1651 HCU were based here until they disbanded in July 1945.

The airfield then transferred to care and maintenance under No.259 MU who used the hangars for storage. It was later used as a relief landing ground but the runways deteriorated very quickly that this was short lived and the airfield closed to flying in 1954.

Bloodhound missiles of No.62 squadron arrived in 1960 and remained there until 1964. The RAF withdrew from Woolfox Lodge in 1965 and the airfield was sold the following year.

[stevie]

Here's a selection of photos that I took on a recent re-visit to Woolfox Lodge with BOMBER -




The Bomb Dump is extremly well hidden away in the undergrowth and must be virtually impossible to see during summer

The remains of the old farm house used as the armoury & station HQ -

The AML Bombing Teacher/Turret Trainer continues to crumble away -

Bomber 'taxes' past the tower -

Tower and Crew briefing building -








Cheers
Steve