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> Interesting to find out if there is a UK equivalent. Yes same! I live next to an old airfield that we used to bike around as kids. They've built on some of i
by kypro 3y ago
> Interesting to find out if there is a UK equivalent.
Yes same! I live next to an old airfield that we used to bike around as kids. They've built on some of it over the last couple of decades, but most of the old runway is still there.
They're planning to turn it into a housing estate which is a bit sad... Everyone around here knows the field is there, but most of people don't realise it used to be an airport – at least when I talk to people about it they always seem surprised when I tell them the history. It was a fairly major airport at the time though and strategically important during WWII.
I'm working on a startup at the moment to help people learn about their local history and also share any information and old photos they might have. Old WWII sites like airfields, pillboxes, bunkers, gun batteries, etc I think will be some of the more interesting use cases. Wish I had something to share, but it's still quite early in development. What I will say is that this is a more general problem beyond old airfields – the UK has lots of cool places to explore like abandoned railways, hill forts and long barrows, but none of them are particularly easy to find or get information about.
- 7952 3y agoIt is a bit sad from a historic perspective to lose airfields to development. But the opportunity they provide for development has been invaluable. They have played host to science parks, wind/solar farms, particle accelerators, nuclear reactors, film studios and even modern airports.