RAF Bawtry Hall.

[Medvedya]

A long shot, but does anyone know of or have any pictures of the command room at RAF Bawtry?

 

[Crazy]

Let me have a look around...

Here's a couple shots of the buildings exterior

I guess they've just remodeled the command room itself, made it into a meeting room.

 

[Medvedya]

I'm guessing it would have been in that wing on the left.

 

[plan_D]

Bawtry!?! Is that the Bawtry in S. Yorkshire, or what? ...we had Mustangs based here in Doncaster, as well as Lancs...random FACT of the day.

 

[Medvedya]

Yes - Bawtry Hall in South Yorkshire. It was No. 1 Group HQ for Bomber Command.

 

[plan_D]

Christ, I didn't know that!! Haha, I live like 8 miles from that place.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

lucky man..........

 

[plan_D]

And I've worked at the racecourse, where Mustangs were based. And also, I've been told that Lancasters were based at RAF Finningley which is like a mile from my house.
It used to have a Meteor as a gate guard. And there's still Nuclear weapons bunkers.

 

[Nonskimmer]

Wow, that's pretty interesting! What's based at Finningley now?

 

[plan_D]

Nothing. It's closed down, it's turning into an airport. First flights - May 2005. It'll be the largest international airport in Northern Britain. It can take any aircraft in the world, with a 2 mile long runway.

It used to have Vulcans, as well. My dad was there with SAR Wing when it was SAR wing HQ.

 

[dnspencer]

Hi, I am the director of Bawtry Hall. Our organisation bought the Hall in 1988 after the RAF stopped using it in the early 1980's. We have recently refurbished the Ops Room as a confernce room, but have retained some of the WWII features, such as the squadron displacements board, etc. I would be happy to send you a few photos of the room as it is today. I have also just ordered a copy of the book "Bomber Command Bases Then and Now", which has a page of photos. There is also a video, made for the RAF, entitled "Night Bomber", made in the 1980's which we have a copy of. It shows quite a few clips of the inside of Bawtry Hall, although not, I think, the Ops. Room.
Let me know if you are interested in me sending some pictures, or if you would like to pay us a visit. We now operate a Christian Conference centre, which you can see at Home - Bawtry Hall God speed!
Nigel Spencer

 

[plan_D]

Retford! DN22. I know some lad at work from Retford, just let me borrow a book on a Hurricane that was dug up there.