RAF Binbrook in 2016

[@dug1145]

Was a 6 year old at Binbrook..watched my Dad scramble in his Lightning in 11 Squadron...We need to appreciate the efforts of all those so brave who did what they did...just because.

[@neilrobertson388]

You and I probably went to school together.

[@bill8784]

Wow. I was gobsmacked to see this having spent a fortnight flying there as a student in the 1980s. Time flies by.

[@markrayton6385]

Great video. Actually brought tears to my eyes. Spent some of the happiest days of my life as a teenager up their watching the Lightnings. I used to push bike up from Grimsby and Cleethorpes in all weathers during summer holidays and even in the winter in thick snow. I know I shouldn't have done but I even skipped school sometimes just to bike up if there was a NATO exercise on. I used to help out on 5 sqn when I was an air cadet. So sad to see it now. Miss them days and I really miss the Lightning. Happy memories. Thanks for sharing.

[@effemess]

Richard, what a truly beautiful film. It evoked so many memories for me, my uncle Bill was stationed there in the fifties and sixties. I was brought up in Grimsby and would watch the Lightenings come overhead on the long approach to land. When I got my first car I would drive up to Binbrook and park at the crash gate for hours awaiting some movement. It inspired me to become a pilot myself. I am retired now, but I had a wonderful career in the air flying for KLM Cityhopper!

[@xtermin8]

effemess Thanks for the comments. I used to do the same when I was younger. Dad used to take me up to the crash gate in the car to wave at the pilots going by in the perimeter track to take off. I always remember the smell of jet fuel too lol. Good days!!

[@robertfogden6836]

Love all the above, my father William (Bill) Fogden was there late fifties, my sister (Sue) was born there in 1962 I think. I used to sit at the end of the runway watching them take off/land! I also got paralysed from the neck down after hitting a tree on a bomb trolley on a double hill at the end of the runways but recovered after about a month in Grimsby hospital!

[@Mostrom]

Great times spent at the crash gates seeing the fantastic birds coming and going....and a fantastic community at the base and village

[@JamesMartiin]

Wow - thanks Richard, I was flying the Frightening back in the 80's and have many happy memories of the place and the fantastic people who worked there with such dedication to keep us airborne. Brings a tear as well!

[@Tarten21]

Great video remember the lightnings screaming over Grimsby on QRA day and night in the 80s when i was a kid and even though ive not had a military career the RAF and aircraft have always been my number one hobby. My dad served his national service in Germany on 69 squadron Canberra PRU really miss all the aircraft and airfields that are now gone it truly was the good old days.

[@johnsmith-cr6jt]

i was in the RAF in the 80's and 90's. I went to Binbrook and many others no w no more in lincolnshire and yorkshire. I had a wonderful time in the RAF and miss those days so much. It is heartbreaking to see the state of some of these airstations now. So many memories.

[@davidcowdell9114]

Thankyou Richard, brought back many memories, Binbrook was my first duty station after Trade Training at RAf Halton, I was there from 1977 to 1982, great memories. Worked at Lightning Training Flight LTF. Retired after 28 years.

[@howardsix9708]

getting on for 60 years ago when I first appeared at binbrook......had a rented room in the village and worked on camp...bliss......thanks for the memories.....h6....ukvet

[@responderman]

I worked here back in the 1970s doing work for the DOE in the pilots briefing rooms and lecture rooms. It was a big thrill to see the lightnings flying. I love the video but sad to see it is all gone now. Thanks for sharing it with us.

[@alexandermenzies9954]

An excellent and evocative video. Sorry I did not find it earlier. In Memoriam: 460 Squadron RAAF.

[@MSavageEsq]

Fantastic video. Really well made and nice soundtrack.

[@engineer17151]

Miles and miles and miles of big big Lincolnshire skies .... only matched by reflection of hectares of rural farmland and peaceful villages. Once abound with the scream of jet engines and the smell of jetwash and clatter of radio chatter. Followed by memories ... a bygone age. Great pictures.

[@meakinroy4341]

Fantastic film footage, I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. How well I remember visiting RAF Binbrook in the late summer of 1985 and then returning for what was billed as the "Last Last Lightning Show" held in glorious overcast weather and pouring rain a few years later. In spite of that appalling weather, the Lightning boys put on a truly spectacular show, one that I shall never forget.

[@stephenphillip5656]

I well remember The Last Lightning Show. After a week of gloriously sunny weather, it broke on the day before the show but all at Binbrook went out of their way to prove that the Lightning was an all-weather interceptor! Great show, my waterproofs proved to be liars though. It was about a week before I was fully dry!

[@jasonosgothorpe882]

Spent many a day at binbrook crash gates with my mum & dad watching the lightnings.pilots used to wave at you at one gate & at the other was the bunker you could get in.great memories!

[@raycarter6037]

Happy days Richard, thank you for your film, 👌🏻👌🏻

[@extremeways2930]

What a great film enhanced by the music. Nostalgia overload. After it closed the airfield was utilised for stage rallies in which I participated in the mid '90s. Miles of quality tarmac and grass tracks. At the time it couldn't be beaten as a venue. Sadly all gone.

[@jeffreycrawley8094]

Thank you for this. My first ATC camp was Binbrook in 1965 - those Lightnings were So Bloody Noisy! There's a photo somewhere in my loft showing our cadet squadron (766) assembled in front of one just like your shot - we thought we were the bee's knees!

[@viewer1youtuber529]

Why is your photo in your loft? My ATC summer camp was in Binbrook too, in 1975. I framed my 285 (Coulsdon and Purley) squadron photo, with my beret badge, pocket buttons, rank badge, record of service book, ATC glider photo, Lightning photo, and Chipmunk trainer photo, with a light blue felt background and hung the frame on the wall!

[@xtermin8]

Thanks for the comments. Glad you like it.

[@lucycrunkhorn4354]

My dad was based here in the 70’s. He said it was very nostalgic to watch. Especially the pictures at the end

[@Folk_var]

Very sad. I went to Binbrook as an Air Cadet on my first annual camp back in 1982. I have so many memories and I loved the Lightening. Really it is very said it's no longer there.

[@aerialviewsandhistoriesuk9674]

Absolutely stunning mate. I plan to do a history video about this in the next few weeks.

[@fraggleroks]

Sad to see it gone. I lived there from 1970-75 age 11 onwards, my Dad was Chief Tech on the glorious Lightnings, lovely video.

[@usawankers]

Great film , I am in the photograph of the Lightning Engineering Support Flight , toward the end , sitting on the wing , second from left !! Happy Days !!

[@dennisreeves1030]

Great video. It amazes me how quick some airfields disappear. Places like RAF Tuddenham and RAF Dale are almost impossible to see now

[@peterweaver2541]

Great footage Richard, Was based there in the mid/late 70s -could see the tiny window in the 5 Sqn hangar that we peered out of on to the flight line for a view of of those fantastic, dripping, Lightnings -it was a bit more active then -just a bit!

[@timhancock6626]

On working trips to Lincolnshire I'd occasionally stop the car and munch my sandwiches at the North West end of the runway just behind where the Lightning hulks were stored in the open and watch the aircraft coming and going. They were already long in the tooth by 1983, but always impressive machines. I'd seen my first at Teeside Airport Air Show in 1968. That is a very emotive piece of film.

[@jaywalker3087]

Two wonderful and exiting years playing with Lightning’s. I got paid for it too!!

[@Nowanthen]

Great video. I worked in MSF (missile servicing flight) 82-86. I have visited Binbrook a few times, but MSF (bomb dump) is a fireworks factory now, and you can't get near it. I can see what it looks like now. Cheers.

[@jacksimper5725]

Don`t think MSF was bomb Dump ,totally different area although next door to the Dump .

[@Nowanthen]

@@jacksimper5725 The bomb dump was attached to and managed by MSF armourers.

[@davehodgkiss5375]

Great video.....sad to see it like this now though.

[@a320trevor]

Well I visited yesterday but my memory from the Summer of 1979 was a little rusty. I don’t remember much about my previous journey to Binbrook or the experience . I do remember the Airman that made me so welcome as a fresh faced student aviator from an auspicious UAS. I spent 10 years in service before spending 30 in civilian service. Ian Howe was unforgettable and if I remember correctly Burners Price double barrel but my old memory might be wrong! Nearly forgot I did fly in the T5 with LTF as a pax.

[@curiouslarry6933]

I lived in Grimsby for over 12 years, and went to the last public Air Day, and marvelled at the last Diamond 9 formation given by Lightnings - the weather was damp and low overcast - but the pilots' skill kept the formation tight and neat, and below the clouds.

[@gainsboroughpara]

Great video Richard, love the music too, although I now have it stuck in my head HA !!! Looking at videoing some airfields myself this spring/summer in Lincolnshire.

[@laurenpritchard5216]

Hi there do you by any chance know what this piece of music is called. 😊

[@deltafoxtrotgolfurbex]

Great video mate

[@brianchester4218]

1972 to 1977 a terrific place to work the camp was a unit we all got on really well and seeing 30 plus lightnings scramble was awesome

[@stealthych]

great work here.....although sad, all these old great airfields fading away and the lightning, what a plane, remember visiting the active base just before it closed

[@Igors-Uncle-Dave2]

Oh I miss my time in the RAF

[@CanadairCL44]

My very best and only real friend K9 flew from here with 11 Sqn. He was married locally and I was honoured to be invited to the wedding, and to attend his wedding reception afterwards in the Officers' Mess. I am still friends with him and his family. He is a really a great friend, and always will be. He loved flying the Lightning!

[@elizabetharmada5335]

Napakaganda ng lupain...green and peaceful

[@AVMamfortas]

Sad. 80-82. My last base.

[@jeffmoore4266]

my dad was there in 41-42.imagine taking off in a fully loaded wellington on grass!

[@mickyould8290]

Great Vid

[@scopex2749]

I am an ex RAF airframe fitter and now a private pilot. My favourite aircraft was the Lightning and try as I might I never managed to get posted to Binbrook to work on the best fighter ever! I was FURIOUS when I found out Binbrook has been systematically destroyed to make way for a few empty fields that will never be used and yet ANOTHER industrial estate. This reminds of another airfield I used to fly into regularly thats now been ERASED from the face of the earth - RAF Greenham Common! This sort of behaviour is so direspectful to those who lost their lives or served at these bases WHY is the MOD breaking up so many runways instead of just closing the camp! I was actually booked in to fly to South Africa to fly in one of the last airworthy Lightning T6's. Sadly it developed a fuel leak during an air display and caught fire. The brave pilot deliberately flew the aircraft away from population and crashed it - no ejection seat was fitted. He was lost along with this valuable aircraft. I planned to return to Swinderby one last time, I drove there and on arrival found that TOO was gone. I am also angry they destroyed an historic control tower - WHY, WHY WHY????? That could have made a wonderful centrepoint for a museum/ memorial. At the rate MOD is cutting back the armed forces this country will be defencelsss in 10 years! I'm looking for a Hunter to buy and restore to fly if I can find one, another superb aircraft and cheaper to run than a Lightning! Thank you for the superb video, makes my face leak remembering what we once had there. :....( Superb drone flying I'm getting myself a Mavik Air 3:28 the old QRA sheds!

[@geordie_mech]

Plenty of hunters around. Sadly you won't be flying one these days.

[@scopex2749]

@@geordie_mech Yep that nutter aty Shoreham ended that with his reckless flying and all the 2 seaters are beyond my means!

[@harriergr7728]

They are destroying all our airfield heritage.

[@DrFod]

I just looked on Google Earth and there's almost no trace of the runways now, it's all gone back to agriculture. I suppose it makes a change from storing thousands of unsold cars like many other former airfields.

[@grahamjordan1040]

Apparently runways ripped up by greedy farmers could have been used for many events taxi runs ect but gone because of greed

[@rossspenser8314]

It's sad .I was born there What happened to the RAF staff housing

[@petermitchell6348]

As stationed there 1984 - 85. MTD.

[@keithcornell692]

i drove up from chigwell in essex to the last lightning display fantastic day

[@lindaforrester464]

I was there in 1978 they even had a swimming pool we had some great nights in the naffi and at the bottom of the hill there was a farm house were we had some parties and when the americans visited we had a ball mr meanders was are mess manager god bless binbrookx

[@foodfabstainlessfab9361]

great , I used to go there as a lad , couple of really good stills , wana share , sell ?

[@FoodFighters71]

Where has it gone ?. It did not close till 1988.That is ridiculous..How sad.

[@garyowen54]

Does anyone know if the steam engine no. 42859 is still at RAF Binbrook ?

[@finnbobz3008]

It was last year mate

[@brianarrowsmith2282]

i was born there,RAF married qauters JAN 1949,father flgt sgt

[@kenstevens5065]

I was lucky to visit the site late 1990's as they started ripping up the runway. The Q shed was still in one piece and you could see through the windows into the crew room, no broken windows or break in, fridge, cups chairs etc. A few yards away the control room for the airfield lighting not stripped of copper, dials switches etc. One of the hangers was unoccupied by private business and still had battery chargers, batteries, tools and other stuff on benches yet the nearby officers mess was stripped of rooftiles, interior fittings, even the lead weights in the sash windows. Bizzare to say the least on the same site. Selected vandals and thieves perhaps.

[@rossspenser8314]

Nothing much left

[@JohnSmith-qq8ok]

wiped from history by farmer Giles and his massey ferguson.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

To be fair, the farmers land was sequestered to build the airfield in the first place. But- still sad.

[@peteneal5914]

its heart breaking watching this i live not far from binbrook wenr to many air show there its a bloody crime to destroy such a great base am gutted

[@chrismoon3123]

My sister was born there

[@grahamjordan1040]

Paid a visit this year it’s a right tip now should have had a decent museum and kept the runways for taxi runs apparently according to someone they were taken up by greedy farmers, could also have had some form of racing to raise funds for museum 🥺

[@stealthych]

sad......how they end up....just ghosts now

[@bloodswettears234]

At least it's not house's

[@rhurbstafalcon4807]

Personally....I believe it's sacrilege to just abandon these installations....why....because as a nation we defended ourselves from the likes of these places...they are a stark reminder of what was sacrificed....good God we're going to ratshit in a hurry in this country...