Twin Bases - RAF Bentwaters, RAF Woodbridge

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Linn Barringer's first pictures of RAF Bentwaters

These pictures were taken in response to requests from those who served at the Twin Bases. At the time, there was no access to either the domestic or technical sites, as the sale of the base was still under negotiation.

ENTRANCES

Domestic Entrance

The main entrance to the Technical Site at RAF Bentwaters, taken through the locked gates, 20 July 1997

Bemtwaters Domestic Entrance with PX in background
The rather overgrown and shabby entrance to the domestic site. Behind the trees, the long low greenish building was the PX/BX.
Mission Support Bldg
The Mission Support Building
hangarsnearmaint-panorama-T.jpg (11656 bytes)
This is a panorama from "Commie Corner" - it is a composite from three pix, starting on the left by the AGE buildings.  Click on the small image to see the big picture - you'll need to scroll across.

 

AGE Maintenance Office & Hangar 74
Shots taken through the perimeter fence just by Wantisden Church.

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The AGE Maintenance Office with the JEM shop behind.
Hangar 74
In the background is Hangar 74 - PMS.
Contributed information about the pix above:
Ron Burrell:
The pictures are of the AGE branch office, the small brick building. The green building in back of the AGE branch was the engine maintenance shop. That's where the A-10 engines were maintained. The other older looking building across the way was the fabrication/welding/sheet metal shops and mobility center.
The building in photo is the Aerospace Ground Equipment Branch office (AGE). The large building behind it was the Jet Engine Shop. Both were part of the 81st Equipment Maintenance Squadron in the 1980's and 90's. Back in 1960, it was then part of the 81st Maintenance Squadron where the Voodoo maintenance men did their magic.
Rob Hopkins:
The green hangar in the picture is Hangar 74. This hangar was used for Phase inspections, heavy maintenance and the transfer of the A-10s to Spangdahlem AB, Germany prior to closure.
The brick building on this side of the hangar housed the sheet metal and welding shops. On the other side of the hangar is a similar brick building. This building contained the Metal shop and NDI.
The corner you shot the picture from which captured the AGE Office and Hangar is called commie corner. A lot of Blokes took pictures there of A-10s and anything else that flew into Bentwaters (which was a lot of jets and props).
Chuck Dalldorf:
The hangar shown is Hangar 74, which was utilized by the 81st Field Maintenance Squadron (FMS) on F-4D Fighter aircraft. The hanger was used for routine, scheduled phased inspections and several of the 81st FMS shops used the hanger including aircraft hydraulics/pneudraulics, A/R, sheetmetal, tire shop, and aircraft fuel systems repair.
I was stationed at B/W from 1977-1981 in the 81st FMS as an aircraft fuel systems mechanic. When the A-10A aircraft arrived and the number of fighter squadrons increased to five between the twin bases, our squadron became the 81st Equipment Maintenance Squadron (EMS). Hangar 74 continued to provide maintenance support to the same functions on the A-10A’s as it did for the F-4D’s.
Diamond and bleachers
The overgrown baseball (softball?) diamond and bleachers outside the 81st TFW Support Building, at the Tunstall end of the base.
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FOR TWELVE YEARS this site has collected contributions for Twin Bases of RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbridge in Suffolk, England
Copyright © 1995-2008 Linn Barringer, All Rights Reserved. Bentwaters.org was RENAMED and re-launched as TwinBases.org.uk 14 January 2007