RAF Lakenheath holds 'topping out' ceremony Published Feb. 1, 2011 By John Mills AFCEE Capital Investment Management ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- A "topping out" ceremony was held Dec. 15 to celebrate completion of the 606th roof of the $220 million Liberty Village housing project at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. Nearly 200 people, including representatives from RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, Defence Estates, the Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment and Mansell PLC attended the ceremony, which is historically held to celebrate a construction milestone. Wing coins from RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall bases, a United Kingdom one pound coin and the last end ridge tile of Plot 542 were cemented into place by Col. William Lewis, 48th Fighter Wing vice commander, and Col. Michael Winters, 100th Air Refueling Wing vice commander. Construction planning for the project began in May 2003 with the first phase of construction beginning in August 2005. The first four phases of construction were completed on or ahead of schedule. Phase five is ahead of schedule with 101 units complete and 81 remaining. Final phase is expected to be completed as soon as October 2011, two months earlier than originally planned. David Chambers, Mansell PLC project manager, highlighted the sheer scale of the project. "We have poured enough concrete to fill 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools and laid 8 million bricks and blocks, enough to build a 40-meter-high wall the length of the runway at RAF Lakenheath," Mr. Chambers said. "We have installed in excess of 450 miles of electric cable, which is equivalent to travelling from London to Edinburgh (Scotland) and beyond." To date the project has had no reported defects, officials said, and feedback from many visiting dignitaries and people living in the village has been exemplary. "I live in Liberty Village housing and it's fantastic," Colonel Lewis said.