RAF Gaydon

[Art Field]

To settle an argument, can anybody remember Gaydon's ICAO code? I have tried all the Googling I can and no joy, thanks if you can.

[On_The_Top_Bunk]

http://www.aerobatics.org.uk/sites07/airfield_photos_fes-nun.htm

maybe it never had one....

[funflier44]

If I could manage to struggle into the loft in the treasure (aka rubbish) up there I'm sure I could find something with Gaydon's ICAO code from amongst the Nav training memorabilia (rubbish) I have there.

Don't hold your breath.

[F'Wx]

Seems OTTB is correct.

Non-ICAO Airfield aerial photographs:
253 Gaydon (http://multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?scale=25000&icon=x&lat= 52.18&lon=-1.49778&mapsize=big)

http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?scale=25000&icon=x&lat=%2052.18&lon=-1.49778&mapsize=big

[Art Field]

Ah well, not much of an argument then, many thanks for the replies.

[BEagle]

Gaydon, now that it is a test track and no longer an aerodrome, doesn't have an ICAO code these days.

But that doesn't mean that it didn't have one in the past.

[lordsummerisle]

Used to live in Gaydon village till i was about 7, and us villagers had to go to the school on the camp as weren't enough kids in the village for a school of our own.

That was until the camp closed of course, remember used to have a very good airshow there, never would have imagined i'd have joined up myself years later. Once in pleased that Gaydon was closed as knowing my luck would have been posted there when joined up to get away from Leamington!

Did my own closing down tour of the RAF in the early 90's though, the Grim Reaper was a mere amateur in comparison to what a posting for me could achieve

[kitwe]

EGWG, according to The En-Route Supplement of Oct 66.

[Art Field]

Thanks kitwe. I was there in 64, indeed on the same course as the guys who suffered the main spar fracture on the Valiant which led to the demise of the old girl. I remember going out to meet them in the dispersal, boy were they lucky.

[BEagle]

Did you win the argument, Arters?

I imagine the 1966 ERS was somewhat larger than the current issue...:(

[Art Field]

Sort of Beags, I did not think it was the suggested EGGD, GD being the signal square letters and the logical ICAO ident if we used the US system for idents but that is far too logical for us Brits.

[BEagle]

Well, chum, whoever thought of EGGD hadn't checked properly - it's the code for Lulsgate.....sorry, Brizzle International!

EGU*, EGV*, EGW* and EGX* and EGY* series seem to be UK mil.....I think?

[Wyler]

Good Lord! My dad was stationed there in 59/60. My first proper memories are from there. My sister (6) used to play with the kids next door and, 15 years later, bumped into one of the brothers again, at Chivenor, and they got married.
And from there we went to El Adem......happy days. We had a proper Air Force then. :(

[mstjbrown]

Wyler

Glad you enjoyed El Adem. Its reputation wasn't all roses. Indeed Marham used to be called "El Adem with grass".

Flew the low level route from there (El A.) a few times. In the midday heat - a delayed take-off - it was as bumpy a ride as I've ever had.

But overseas tours often came up with unexpected results. I had a very enjoyable tour in Aden - flying out of Khormaksar in Shackletons. Mind you we used to get detached to Gan to provide SAR coverage in that region.

Incidentally does anyone know what happened to Gan ? It was a hell of a good airfield - a pity iof the termites have got it.

[Wyler]

I was just a sprog. We lived in a hiring in Tobruk and I used to get the RAF bus to school, via the Fort like NAAFI. The pool at the base was a great day out as well. I seem to remember an open air cinema as well.
Absolutely loved it and the bus ride to Benghazi was a real adventure!!
I'll never forget that the the beaches were 'Ranked' :eek: We were on the Sgts beach. Cafe, terraces, bar etc. Used to go out there in the back of a 4 Tonner.....happy days.....:ok:

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

the 1966 ERS was somewhat larger than the current issue...


Yes, and I'll bet there was less space wasted on Noise Abatement b******s for NIMBYs...

[ImageGear]

El Adem

The Sallybash Egg & Chips, the "Steak"? & Chips in the hotel, lived in the sailing club when otherwise not working, sleeping in the sail loft, playing guitars in the sail loft, drinking in the sail loft, fetching hot bread from the hole in ground, the souk for veggies.

Drinking the swimming pool, all good fun.

Pickaxe handles anyone ?

Imagegear.

[Warmtoast]

Incidentally does anyone know what happened to Gan ? It was a hell of a good airfield - a pity iof the termites have got it.

Now on the tourist trail. See here: http://www.equatorvillage.com/

Visitors formerly posted to Gan who've been back seem to be specially welcomed by the locals formerly employed by the RAF.

[spekesoftly]

EGU*, EGV*, EGW* and EGX* and EGY* series seem to be UK mil.....I think?Also EGO* (Valley, Mona, Woodvale, Shawbury etc). EGQ* (Lossie; Leuchars, Kinloss etc), and several EGD*

EGDA - Brawdy; EGDM - Boscombe Down; EGDC - Chivenor; EGDR - Culdrose; EGDK - Kemble;
EGDL - Lyneham; EGDY - Merryfield; EGDX - St. Athan; EGDG - St. Mawgan etc.

[tmmorris]

Does the third letter have a significance similar to that of civilian airfields (where it represents the 'parent ATSU' e.g. C=Manchester, L=Heathrow, K=Gatwick) or is it arbitrarily assigned? (or are we not allowed to know? :oh:)

Tim

[splitbrain]

Good Lord! My dad was stationed there in 59/60.

Good heavens! So was mine. No memories of the place myself, I was born in 1959.

[Skidrow1952]

Hi, I've just picked up on your thread about living in Gaydon until 7 y.o.
As I was a resident from 1952-77 I think it's possible we may have known each other at some point. Regards, Derek.

[thing]

All here chaps

ICAO-codes, United Kingdom (http://www.ivao.aero/db/ss/coun_l.asp?Id=GB)

[Linedog]

I have it in my flightsim as EGWG, so it must be right. :ok: