I recently posted a thread under 'Introduce yourself' as a new member which I would like to extend to the General Airfield Discussion forum.

As the son of an aircrew officer with 40 years in the RAF and having lived in MQs for 24 years from the late 1940s to the 1960s I have
taken a great interest in former MQ estates and ex MOD sites. I was lucky enough to become even more closely involved in 1979 by acquiring the entire former NCO MQs at RAF Faldingworth. To date we have been instrumental in acquiring 36 ex MOD estates, the last being the former Officers Quarters at RAF Ballykelly/Shackleton Barracks in NI and on the way through such properties as the former Bomber Command HQ RAF Bawtry, RAF North Coates MQs and airfield and MQs and tech and domestic site at RAF Hemswell.
Having lived at Driffield, Hemswell, Waddington, Marham, Waterbeach, Watton, Tangmere, Khormaksar Aden, Wildenrath Germany and Northolt I have many fond memories and to this day continue in the field of ex Defence Estates purchases. I would like to hear from any other members who would like to relate experiences on any airfield in which I have become involved. During the 1990s under the last Conservative government we were the sole immediate rival to Nomura who were successful in purchasing the entire English and Welsh married quarter estate. Sadly for us although we were part of a 100% British consortium the then Defence minister Michael Portillo decided to go with Nomura and as soon as they bought they sought media advisors to create a solid English name and hence Annington Homes was born. The rest is history. We continue throughout the UK including Scotland and Northern Ireland now.
Please feel free to visit my website: http://www.welbeckestate.com and go to 'Management Profile and projects' and 'Aviation'

Roger Byron Collins