Parachute Store. Building 92

Unknown Structure

Unknown Structure

Station Offices Building 147

Station Offices. Building 147

Type "A" Hangar. Building 137

Type “A” Hangar. Building 137

Station Offices. Building 147

Station Offices. Building 147

Main Stores. Building 90

Main Stores. Building 90

FFMT Shed. Building 119

FFMT Shed. Building 119

Main Workshop. Building 99

Main Workshop. Building 99

Bomb Store. Building 216

Bomb Store. Building 216

Guard House. Building 89

Guard House. Building 89

Main Workshop. Building 99

Main Workshop. Building 99

Type "A" Hangar. Building 137

Type “A” Hangar. Building 137

Power House. Building 82

Power House. Building 82

Operations Block. Building 146

Operations Block. Building 146

Air Raid Shelter

Air Raid Shelter

Operations Block. Building 146

Operations Block. Building 146

Power House (Backup). Building 93

Power House (Backup). Building 93

Type "C" Hangar. Building 108

Type “C” Hangar. Building 108

Station Offices. Building 147

Station Offices. Building 147

Petrol tanker shed. . Building 105

Petrol tanker shed. Building 105

Fire Party Hut. Building 88

Fire Party Hut. Building 88

Type "A" Hangar. Building 79

Type “A” Hangar. Building 79

Station Offices. Building 147

Station Offices. Building 147

Switchboard, Operations Block.. Building 146

Switchboard, Operations Block.. Building 146

Motor Transport Shed. Building 129

Motor Transport Shed. Building 129

Station Offices. Building 147

Station Offices. Building 147

Fire Tender & Hucks Starter Shelter. Building 121

Fire Tender & Hucks Starter Shelter. Building 121

Station Offices. Building 147

Station Offices. Building 147

Walking into the buildings at RAF Bicester in 2013 is like entering a time capsule back to the second world war. RAF Bicester was part of Bomber Command in WW2 being used mainly for training. The RAF left in 1976 and most of the buildings have been left untouched since. The site is of architectural and historical importance being the most complete and untouched example of such a collection of buildings most having being built in the 1920’s. The site contains a number of listed buildings and scheduled monuments.

What I found fascinating about the site as a photographic subject is that the decay and abandonment have added new layers of meaning to the utilitarian buildings so the impression today is an intriguing mix of the evocative and the impenetrable.

In May 2013 the site was sold to Bicester Heritage who kindly gave me permission to photograph the site before they start renovation. My particular thanks to Daniel Geoghegan and Charles Morgan.