This is a holiday apartment where a great time is guaranteed.
Because it’s a former Royal Navy helicopter base. With a beautiful lake right outside the door.
Will Roughton, a 45-year-old farmer, spent £35,000 on the Sea King after discovering it in a museum in Wales.
He then transported it to his estate on the Lincolnshire coast and spent six months converting the aircraft into comfortable accommodation for a quiet getaway in the UK.
Will revealed: “It has space for four adults and a sofa converts into a small single bed for another child.”
This amazing holiday home is a former Royal Navy Sea King helicopter which has been converted into comfortable living space by farmer Will Roughton.
Will spent £35,000 on the aircraft and transported it to its former military base – RAF Wainfleet – in Friskney, Skegness, on the Lincolnshire coast.
Will spent six months converting the aircraft into comfortable accommodation for a quiet getaway in the UK. Of the helicopter’s previous life, Will said: “It appears that the helicopter was used by the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. Its first flight was on September 18, 1990.”
The beds are equipped with duvets and the interior walls are painted bright yellow.
The helicopter also has a bathroom, a kitchen and an outdoor terrace with rattan furniture and a wooden bench, as well as a barbecue and a fire pit.
Owner Will spoke about the helicopter’s previous life, adding: “It appears that the helicopter was used by the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. Its first flight was on September 18, 1990.”
The helicopter was part of 848 Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton. Right in the picture: The interior is taking shape
Outside the helicopter there is a covered area with a picnic bench, rattan table and chairs, and a barbecue and fire pit (above).
“It was part of 848 Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton. I’m afraid I haven’t found any records of where it was deployed.”
Holidaymakers will find the helicopter on Will’s property – the former army base RAF Wainfleet in Friskney, Skegness.
In the 1890s, the site served as an army artillery training ground and in 1938, during World War II, it became a bombing practice area.
The helicopter can accommodate four adults and there is the possibility of converting a sofa into a small single bed for an additional child.
The helicopter has a bathroom and the beds are equipped with duvets
A stay in the Royal Navy helicopter starts at £130 per night. The picture above shows the double bed and kitchen
“I was offered the opportunity to buy RAF Wainfleet when it was being decommissioned,” said Will.
“I then decided to convert the original buildings into holiday apartments.
“After completing these, I decided to explore the possibility of converting military aircraft into struts.”
The base is home not only to the Royal Navy helicopter, but also to a combine harvester, an army ambulance, a fire engine and a tank.
All can be rented for overnight stays.
There is also “the Tower” – a five-storey control tower of an RAF bombing range, which now houses three double rooms.
There are also two aircraft available for hire: a Spitfire and a Jetstream, both of which can accommodate four to six people.
Will, who bought the base in 2014, scoured the internet for the special vehicles being purchased across the UK.
The Sea King is the newest addition to its “fleet”.
The various Army rooms, including the Sea King helicopter, can be booked through the RAF Wainfleet website: rafwainfleet.com. A stay in the Royal Navy helicopter starts at £130 per night.
RAF Wainfleet Base, pictured here, is home not only to the Royal Navy’s helicopter, but also a combine harvester, army ambulance, fire engine and more – all available for overnight stays.
