Second World War airfield control tower, Bradwell Bay Airfield, Bradwell-on-Sea (EHER 81596)

The former control tower for the Second World War airfield RAF Bradwell Bay (EHER 16047), located to the NW of Curds Grove, on the South side of the former flying field area. The control tower was built in 1941 when the airfield was redeveloped as an RAF fighter station.

1996. Military Airfields in Essex survey. The control tower (type 12096/41) has been converted into a private dwelling and behind it stands the derelict station headquarters (SHQ, EHER 81597) and brick hut (at TM 0080 0775). These two buildings are all that remains of the main technical site which was built around the SHQ and contained a large number of defence unit accommodation due to the coastal location. This site is now agricultural. <1> Note: The NGR provided for the 'brick hut' is for the SHQ and it is unclear what structure is being referred to. January 2009. World War Two Defences in Maldon survey: site visit and desktop assessment. The airfield control tower (or watch office) stands extant, although it has been converted to a private dwelling. The extent of the conversion from its original form is not known. <2> Twenty photos. <3> This rendered brick control tower oversaw operations at Bradwell Bay airfield during the Second World War and was later converted to a residence. The roof-top observatory has been rebuilt but the basic form of the building has been preserved. <4><5> The control tower can be seen in an aerial photograph from December 2000, with a post-war structure to its SE, joined at the corner. In a similar aerial photograph from December 2005, this structure has been extended to the West, along the South elevation of the control tower, and has been re-roofed, possibly in the same material as that used for the station headquarters (EHER 81597). <6> NRHE data transfer: An article by Paul Doyle notes that the control tower (referred to as a watch office) from the former RAF Bradwell Bay was extant in 1999. It was built to a 1941 pattern. Doyle notes that it had been modified at some unspecified point since its construction. <7> A subsequent article on the origins of the airfield by Paul Doyle includes a plan of the base with the 'watch office' (i.e. control tower) marked on it near the station headquarters building, on this plan North of Curds Copse, on the South of the flying field area. <8> The location of the control tower on the plan in <8> matches an L shaped building NW of a group of trees marked as Curds Copse, depicted on the 1979 OS sheet TM 00 NW at TM 0076 0780. <9> A range of current websites accessed on the 17-NOV-2003 suggest that the control tower is still extant at this date. <10>