MILITARY personnel who were stationed at RAF Bicester in the 50s and 60s have headed back to the base and overseas for some around four decades since leaving.

The members of the 71 Maintenance Unit - who were responsible for investigating crashes - worked at the Bicester base for 22 years.

This month they returned to the former airbase, for some as the first time since leaving in 1974, to see how it has changed now it is home to Bicester Heritage.

For three years, Bicester Heritage took on the site and has helped preserve the buildings, creating the UK's only business park for historic motoring and aviation.

Members travelled from all over the country and even a couple making the journey from Thailand and France to see the old work place.

71MU Association treasurer Mike Shepard said: "Members were impressed by the work that has been carried out to the former technical buildings and pleased that their old working site has been returned to a functioning technical site, with the replacement of aircraft repairs and salvage to one that caters for vintage motor vehicles.

"Even the fact that we use to have an exhibition flight that displayed aircraft and cockpits at exhibitions around the country now they exhibit cars at various shows during the year.

"Almost a full circle in the type of working environment."

In 1953, 71 Maintenance Unit was formed at Bicester and remained at the base for more than two decades before the group was moved to RAF Abingdon in 1975 due to defence cuts.

The 328-acre site was added to the At Risk register in 2008 by English Heritage over concerns it could lose its character due to inappropriate development.

But since Bicester Heritage took over the site in 2013, English Heritage reported that the site is the "best-preserved bomber airfield from the period up to 1945".

A report said: "RAF Bicester retains, better than any other military airbase in Britain, the layout and fabric relating to pre-1930s military aviation."

It now houses a variety of businesses that serve heritage motors and aviation and is home to Bicester Gliding Centre.

Mr Shepard added: "Following the technical site we also visited the old domestic/accommodation site now called The Garden Quarter and were impressed at the sympathetic manner that the site has been landscaped and the buildings adapted to private accommodation, so different from our memories of 40 years ago."

The reunion day on Saturday, April 16, concluded with a meal at the Littlebury Hotel and the unit thanked those in charge of the reunion for an enjoyable day.