Hi from High Wycombe, England

[Flamehand]

What a time to start sailing! I am waiting to buy my first boat. I have my eye on a Westerly Centaur but still awaiting the survey. Watch this space...

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Flamehand

What a time to start sailing! I am waiting to buy my first boat. I have my eye on a Westerly Centaur but still awaiting the survey. Watch this space...

Hi Wycomber:

Welcome. Hope you farewell during the lockdown.

I lived in and near High Wycombe for four years back from 1957 to 1961 as an infant / toddler when my Dad was stationed at the air force base as he was with the USAF Strategic Air Command. Loved returning on two occasions as an adult and being able to drive by memory to our home in town without directions or guidance and surprising our neighbor who still lived next door after twenty + years.

Hope you will enjoy many fine days aboard your Westerly.

All the best. Stay safe, Stay at home.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Flamehand.

[Pete7]

Welcome to CF

Good choice, tough as old boots. Decent sails and a folding prop and she will go well.

Were are you keeping her?

Pete

[shauncagiva]

Good luck matey careful with centaur they do suffer osmosis, have a look on boatshed site free to register informative site brokers very good & with yours and sellers best interest, I broker for them in Essex need a hand some free advice leave a message or call 07900882100. Shaun

[Flamehand]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Hi Wycomber:

Welcome. Hope you farewell during the lockdown.

I lived in and near High Wycombe for four years back from 1957 to 1961 as an infant / toddler when my Dad was stationed at the air force base as he was with the USAF Strategic Air Command. Loved returning on two occasions as an adult and being able to drive by memory to our home in town without directions or guidance and surprising our neighbor who still lived next door after twenty + years.

Hope you will enjoy many fine days aboard your Westerly.

All the best. Stay safe, Stay at home.

I worked on site at the USAF base in 1983 converting the WWII bunker to a modern comms bunker. Strangely enough, 35 years later I was back as the Facilities Manager for Wycombe Abbey School and the bunker was passed back to me as part of the School's estate (in fact my office was the Portacabin sitting on top of the bunker). I am now semi-retired and looking forward to sailing when I get a chance...

Best wishes,

[Flamehand]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Welcome to CF

Good choice, tough as old boots. Decent sails and a folding prop and she will go well.

Were are you keeping her?

Pete

Not really decided. Was thinking Port Solent for a year whilst I get my sea legs and learn the ropes...

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Flamehand

I worked on site at the USAF base in 1983 converting the WWII bunker to a modern comms bunker. Strangely enough, 35 years later I was back as the Facilities Manager for Wycombe Abbey School and the bunker was passed back to me as part of the School's estate (in fact my office was the Portacabin sitting on top of the bunker). I am now semi-retired and looking forward to sailing when I get a chance...

Best wishes,

I believe the USAF was at Daws Hill.

RAF High Wycombe is Headquarters Air Command, and was originally designed to house RAF Bomber Command in the late 1930s. The station is also the headquarters of the European Air Group.

My Dad's next assignment was at Strategic Air Command Headquarters at Offutt, in Bellevue, Nebraska. He retired in 1965. His boss was General Curtis LeMay.

There is discussion of the base and school at this website: High Wycombe | American Air Museum in Britain



RAF Daws Hill was established in 1942 when the Air Ministry requisitioned Wycombe Abbey School and its lands. The site originally consisted of a large underground bunker and a hutted encampment to the south and east of Daws Hill and on parkland near to the Abbey. It was used as a headquarters by the United States 8th Air Force until the end of the war. In 1946 the Abbey building was returned to the school, however, the land occupied by the camp and the bunker was sold to the Ministry of Defence.

In the 1950s, RAF Daws Hill, also known as High Wycombe Air Station, was used again as a base by US forces during the Cold War. Between 1958 and 1965 it was the headquarters of the 7th Air Division USAF in the UK, part of US Strategic Air Command. It continued to have an active role during the Cold War and its facilities included a nuclear bunker. At the end of the Cold War its use reduced, however, around the year 2000, the site was developed by the US Navy for use by the United States Visiting Forces (USVF) and became known as USVF Daws Hill.

The base was also home, between 1971 and 2007, to the London Central Elementary High School - a United States Department of Defence Dependents School. In the 1980s a Peace Camp was also established at Dawes Hill.

In 2007 the US left RAF Daws Hill and it passed into the hands of the RAF and continued to be used as Service Family Accommodation. In 2011 an announcement was made by the Ministry of Defence that the site was to be disposed of.