Date:

Inside “Magic Mountain” – The secret Cold War bunker

“Magic Mountain”, otherwise known as the Avionics Building at RAF Alconbury, is a Grade II listed concrete bunker complex in the county of Cambridgeshire, England.

RAF Alconbury was constructed just prior to the outbreak of WWII to serve as a satellite airfield for RAF Upwood and Wyton.

- Advertisement -

Following the United States joining the war effort, the runways were extended to accommodate heavy bomber groups from the 8th United States Army Air Force – such as the 92nd, the 93rd, and the 95th Bombardment Group.

RAF Alconbury continued to serve various elements from the USAFE 3rd Air Force in the cold war years, including the 19th Reconnaissance Squadron that flew U2/TR-1 spy planes, nicknamed “Dragon Lady”.

In the early 1980’s, specialised aircraft shelters were constructed at the base to house the U2/TR-1’s, as well as the highly secretive Avionics Building in 1989. The purpose of the Avionics Building was to service the electronic components of the aircraft, and process/evaluate the data retrieved from spy missions.

The building is a two storey partially sunken structure, designed to withstand chemical and biological attacks, and an indirect nuclear attack. It is capped with a rough concrete buster cap that can absorb the impact of a direct missile attack on the bunker’s roof.

- Advertisement -
Image Credit : Markus Milligan
Image Credit : Markus Milligan
Image Credit : Markus Milligan

During its operational years, the upper level of the building was equipped with life support systems, stainless steel decontamination rooms, electronics workshops, photographic darkrooms, a communications centre, and designated handling and storage areas.

On the lower level, large rooms once housed advanced computer systems, compressed air cylinders, generators, and separate toilets for men and women. One room still bears the painted motto above the doorway: “Aircrews live by the knowledge, skill, awareness and integrity of their maintenance people.”

The Avionics Building was not specifically decommissioned; rather, it was part of the overall closure of the airbase in 1995.

While most of the airbase has been developed into the Alconbury Weald housing estate and industrial zone, part of RAF Alconbury remains as a support base for the Joint Intelligence Analysis Centre (JIAC), operated by the 501st Combat Support Wing of the USAF.

Image Credit : Markus Milligan
Image Credit : Markus Milligan
Image Credit : Markus Milligan

Today, the Avionics Building is under the guardianship of Alconbury Weald – Urban&Civic, who work closely with the Airfield Research Group and Historic England to ensure the preservation of this historic Cold War monument. You can take a virtual tour of the Avionics Building by Clicking Here.

“Alconbury Weald has a unique military heritage and many of the site’s Cold War features and footprints are being designed into the new development. We are currently working with our heritage partners to develop the detailed plans for the Cold War heritage area, which will open in the next phase of the development,” said Natalie Leigh-Brown – Community Development Lead for Alconbury Weald.

Airfield Research Group

The Airfield Research Group, a non-profit charity, is piecing together an archive of RAF Alconbury’s history, and the lives of the American and British serviceman that served on the airbase.

Jeff Hawley from the Airfield Research Group and founder of the 1st Air Division Headquarters Heritage Society, explained that the charity’s mission also includes researching and preserving records of military and civilian airfields, along with related infrastructure (past and present) anywhere in the world. Find out more

Header Image Credit : Markus Milligan

- Advertisement -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Nationally important WWII military treasures unearthed

Two nationally important WWII military treasures have been unearthed in the State Forests of Poland.

Mysterious brass eagle discovered in Chełm Forest District

A metal detecting survey in the Chełm Forest District, Poland, has resulted in the discovery of a mysterious brass eagle badge.

Gold ring from Second Temple period discovered in Jerusalem’s City of David

Archaeologists have discovered a gold ring set with a polished red garnet during excavations of an ancient residential structure in the Jerusalem Walls National Park.

Lost archival evidence on Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz has been rediscovered

A box discovered in the archives of the German Maritime Museum (DSM) has been found to contain a trove of previously unknown materials related to Alfred von Tirpitz.

Medieval discoveries in Huttons Ambo

Archaeologists have made several new discoveries from the late medieval period during excavations in the Yorkshire village of Huttons Ambo, England.

Funerary structure and ceremonial offerings unearthed at Kuélap

Archaeologists from Peru’s Ministry of Culture have unearthed a chulpa type funerary structure during excavations at the northern zone of the Kuélap archaeological complex.

The ethereal fire of blue lava

Despite the name, blue lava is not actually molten lava, but rather an extremely rare natural phenomenon caused by the combustion of sulphuric gases emitted from certain volcanoes and fumarole vents.

Centuries-old shipwrecks uncovered in Varberg

Archaeological investigations in advance of the Varbergstunneln project have uncovered historical shipwrecks in Varberg, Sweden.