free hit counter
RAF Coningsby Remote Weapons Store, Lincolnshire - February 2019 | Oblivion State Urban Exploration

Post a thread

Post a thread in one of the forums

Browse the forums

Browse threads and contribute to reports

Contact Staff

Contact the team

RAF Coningsby Remote Weapons Store, Lincolnshire - February 2019

AndyK!

OS Full member
OS Full member
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
1,404
Reaction score
1,237
Points
113
Location
Grimsby, UK
On my way home from an overnight explore down south, it seemed a shame to waste the beautiful summer-like days we were having in mid-February, so I decided to stop off at RAF Coningsby's old weapons storage facility. It's not all that far from where I live, and I'd been meaning to take a look whenever I had a chance, so this seemed like the ideal opportunity.

History

RAF Coningsby Remote Weapons Store, as the name suggests, is a facility built for the purpose of storing and preparing weapons including missiles and bombs, situated in a separate compound close to the outer edge of the main airbase.

The facility was built in order to reduce the quantity of explosives stored within the base, therefore reducing the number of personnel and aircraft exposed to risk. An incident occurred in 1971 when an electrostatic discharge caused a SNEB rocket that was being prepared to initiate its rocket motor.  Two armourers were killed, and this could be one of the reasons for deciding to build the store further away.

RAF Coningsby itself is operational as Quick Reaction Alert station, and is home to Eurofighter Typhoons from No. 3 Squadron, No. XI Squadron and No. 29 Squadron.

Little information is available about the history of the bomb store, but this is no surprise owing to the fact it belongs to an active RAF base. The facility has separate storage and preparation facilities and does not appear on historic maps dated 1977 or earlier. Hardened Aircraft Shelters were constructed within the airbase from 1981-1987 to accommodate Tornado Jets. The Tornados were capable of carrying a range of missiles and weaponry, so it is likely the weapons storage facility was built around the same time as the hangars to service the weaponry for those aircraft. The facility appears to have been out of use for a good number of years.

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-aerial.jpg


Aerial view of the weapons store as seen on Google Maps

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-22.jpg

This hand-drawn plan was found within the site

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-52.jpg

View down the road of section 1

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-2.jpg

Storage areas in section 4

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-1.jpg

The entrance to storage area 14C

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-8.jpg

Building 21F entrance

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-48.jpg

Building 12 contained this mobile communications unit

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-47.jpg

Inside the mobile comms unit

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-46.jpg


raf-coningsby-bomb-store-49.jpg

There were also some opened crates of naval gun mounts

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-50.jpg


raf-coningsby-bomb-store-30.jpg

Missile Servicing Bay and an ivy-clad building

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-28.jpg

Inside the ivy building

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-14.jpg

Missile Servicing Bay

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-9.jpg


raf-coningsby-bomb-store-10.jpg


A few of the other buildings scattered around the site...

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-31.jpg


raf-coningsby-bomb-store-32.jpg


raf-coningsby-bomb-store-34.jpg


raf-coningsby-bomb-store-41.jpg


raf-coningsby-bomb-store-42.jpg

Looking over to the command centre

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-37.jpg

Inside the command centre

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-39.jpg


raf-coningsby-bomb-store-35.jpg

Bunk beds

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-24.jpg

I'm not sure what this does, but it looked pretty cool

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-29.jpg


raf-coningsby-bomb-store-18.jpg

Huge diesel generator

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-57.jpg

Sentry post at the east gate

raf-coningsby-bomb-store-58.jpg

Eastern gateway​
 
Last edited by a moderator:

The_Raw

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Dec 16, 2013
Messages
3,931
Reaction score
2,183
Points
113
Great set mate. Loads of cool stuff in there 

:comp

 

Mikeymutt

Oblivion State Member
OS Full member
Joined
Jun 8, 2015
Messages
111
Reaction score
119
Points
43
You got a really nice set here Andy. I visited myself a few yrs back and really enjoyed it.lots off interesting things too see 

 

True_British_Metal

Full Member
OS Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2013
Messages
66
Reaction score
127
Points
33
Outstanding work. Good military sites are so rare, so seeing this is an absolute pleasure.

 

hamtagger

OS Full member
OS Full member
Joined
Jan 30, 2014
Messages
3,517
Reaction score
1,062
Points
113
Location
Lincoln
Enjoyed walking around this one, nice and leisurely mooch. Nice snaps as per :)  

 

jane doe

OS Full member
OS Full member
Joined
Jun 4, 2018
Messages
370
Reaction score
324
Points
63
Location
Surrey
That  looks an awesome explore , love your photos :)  

 

Urban_Moocher

OS Member
OS Member
Joined
May 1, 2019
Messages
44
Reaction score
52
Points
18
Location
Worksop
Liking lots. I really enjoyed this place but you got great quality light going on here. 

 

phlogger

OS Member
OS Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2016
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Points
1
hey all, what was access like as its not far for me.
 
Top