RAF Faldingworth

The closure was a multi-stage process. Initially, it closed to flying operations due to the post-World War II demobilization and the scaling down of RAF Bomber Command. After being repurposed for munitions storage during the Cold War, it was ultimately deemed surplus to Ministry of Defence requirements and sold for private commercial use.

The site is now a private industrial estate known as 'Faldingworth Base' or 'Faldingworth Industrial Estate'. The original runways are largely gone or have been reduced to single-track farm roads and are in a state of decay. However, many of the original buildings, including hangars and the unique, heavily-reinforced Cold War-era munitions storage bunkers (often called 'hutches' or 'igloos'), still exist. These structures are used by various commercial tenants for storage and light industrial purposes, with some companies specializing in the storage of secure or explosive materials, leveraging the site's original high-security design.

RAF Faldingworth has a significant two-part history.

1. **World War II (1943-1945):** Opened in 1943 as a Class A bomber airfield, it was part of No. 1 Group, RAF Bomber Command. Its most notable occupants were No. 300 (Masovian) Squadron, the first Polish-manned bomber squadron to serve in the RAF. Flying Avro Lancaster bombers, the squadron participated in the strategic bombing campaign against Germany from this base, suffering heavy casualties. The station was also home to No. 1667 Heavy Conversion Unit for training bomber crews.

2. **Cold War (1957-1972):** After its initial closure to flying, the site was reactivated and became a crucial and highly sensitive part of the UK's nuclear deterrent. It was repurposed as a nuclear weapons storage site, specifically for the 'Blue Danube', Britain's first operational free-fall atomic bomb. Special, heavily secured storage buildings were constructed on the site for this purpose. It later stored other conventional munitions before being declared surplus.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RAF Faldingworth as an airport. The site has been extensively redeveloped into a private industrial estate for several decades. The original runways and critical aviation infrastructure have been removed or have fallen into complete disrepair, making any return to aviation use highly improbable and economically unfeasible.