sunil shah

During the cold war period the world was in the fearful and paranoid grip of nuclear conflict. Despite their devastating power, nuclear weapons were always justified as a deterrent to actual conflict. The US forces were a significant component of NATO’s alliance and had operations and personnel stationed all over Western Europe, including here at Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire, England.

What remains at the air base today, stands as a relic to those days. The site is still as imposing as ever but without the frenetic activity or planes. The ghosts of this bygone era are present in the form of the buildings and structures still in place there. The site is privately owned now by the North Oxfordshire Consortium, although much of it has now been preserved by English Heritage as a historical site, listed against redevelopment. The place feels like a deserted movie set. It is for the most part empty and derelict except some of the buildings and part of the airfield which are now leased out to light industry. The hardened aircraft shelters, command centre, weapons storage areas, and movie theatre all seem to have an ironic presence now; a facility so vital to the world's political balance, a crucial responsibility to so many, in a world at times on the edge of conflict is now very redundant. The world has changed since then, but the structure and scale of the site still echoes how sinister and threatening it was back then. The impressions left by the personnel who lived and worked there and the might of a powerful nation are still very much there.

Thanks to the North Oxfordshire Consortium and in particular to Don Todd for his invaluable help, patience and impressive knowledge of this place.