Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields
Join Date: May 2001
Location: up North
Posts: 661
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A/D where the Army Beagles (correct name?) used to land about 4 nm SE of Blackbushe. I think the wonderful AVM Don Bennett had something to with it around the early 1970s.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Surrey Hills
Posts: 1,478
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What about Peter Cadbury's strip at Hawthorn Hill near Winkfield, Berks? I used to watch his Aztec? landing and taking off quite often in the early 1970's. No sign of it now other than some missing trees in a hedge line.
Based on my one remaining brain cell's memory!
Based on my one remaining brain cell's memory!
Last edited by aviate1138; 18th May 2009 at 08:04. Reason: Didn't see Dennis K's reference to P Cadbury, Ascot.
Cadbury told me that he used a disused racecourse when he lived at Crutchfield House. He moved to Preston House at Preston Candover (south of Basingstoke) where he had a strip with hangar, 1200m runway with lighting, all now long gone except the hangar.
The strip SE of Blackbushe is called Hawley; last used by a Harrier about 10 years ago.
Thought of a couple more: West Malling (Kent)- totally obliterated with an industrial estate, Cricklade (Gloucs) - no sign of runways but a huge aerial in the middle.
The strip SE of Blackbushe is called Hawley; last used by a Harrier about 10 years ago.
Thought of a couple more: West Malling (Kent)- totally obliterated with an industrial estate, Cricklade (Gloucs) - no sign of runways but a huge aerial in the middle.
He must have had 2 then. I did a flight with him from Preston Candover to Bembridge and back in about '77. I arrived at Preston Candover, and it was deserted. After a few minutes, Peter's Jetranger climbed over the hedge south of the airfield and came to land next to the hangar. Jane (his wife) got out and came over to me and said 'Peter says would you like a quick ride in this while he's got it running?' Naturally I said yes, so I went over, opened the door, put one foot in and was halfway in when he took off! I quickly got the rest of me in and pulled the door shut. Peter explained he'd had some of his grandchildren for tea, and he'd just taken them home.
Anyway we landed and put the helicopter away, by which time the Islander arrived having been to Bembridge to be maintained. We took the BN pilot back and Peter let me fly it back to Candover.
Anyway we landed and put the helicopter away, by which time the Islander arrived having been to Bembridge to be maintained. We took the BN pilot back and Peter let me fly it back to Candover.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: On the wireless...
Posts: 1,901
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Starve Acre also went under the name of 'Hawley Pads' when AOP9s and the RAE Harrier ('Nugget 99') operated from there. Still visible from a 'Cabair-style' base-leg to 25 at Blackbushe.
"Portsmouth - as in Airspeed, off the Eastern Rd into Portsmouth, just on the north west edge of Langstone Harbour ???
Not sure if it was grass or hard, but there are plenty of pertinent road names there, 'Airspeed Way' etc, but the largest landing strip visible is on top of PC World !
Either way a shame."
Blimey ! Jersey air freight, , DC3,tomatos and occasional holiday makers that required weighing, grass I seem to recall , about 1968 ish ( Dad used to take me along during the summer )
Not sure if it was grass or hard, but there are plenty of pertinent road names there, 'Airspeed Way' etc, but the largest landing strip visible is on top of PC World !
Either way a shame."
Blimey ! Jersey air freight, , DC3,tomatos and occasional holiday makers that required weighing, grass I seem to recall , about 1968 ish ( Dad used to take me along during the summer )
None but a blockhead
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: London, UK
Posts: 535
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In the early 80s, I learned a few basic driving skills at Harrabeer, which we all just knew as Yelverton Air Field. There wasn't much left of the buildings - a few bunkers - but the runways were quite distinct and, looking at Google Maps, that hasn't changed. Not much happens on Dartmoor - given that they've only just worked out that the many dry stone walled animal pens elsewhere on the moor are Neolithic and not medieval, I'd imagine the airfield will be there for a while.
Quite a few craters in the moor around there too - I guess from abortive or lost raiders on Plymouth.
R
Quite a few craters in the moor around there too - I guess from abortive or lost raiders on Plymouth.
R
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Posts: 1,371
Received 110 Likes
on
77 Posts
Wormthorpe ?
On the subject of little known airfields, I would be interested to learn about the above located near Colchester please. A friend of mine drives past it and said there is a sign to Wormthorpe Airfield....but that seems to be it. Google shows no results other that Armthorpe hence the query here.
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Surrey Hills
Posts: 1,478
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
K'n'chips.......
It is probably Wormingford near Colchester.
RAF Wormingford - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Gliding club is resident afaik.
It is probably Wormingford near Colchester.
RAF Wormingford - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Gliding club is resident afaik.
Join Date: May 2008
Location: The wild west of France
Posts: 0
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pebsham & Camber
My log book shows I flew out of Pebsham on 29th May 2000 having completed a flying display there on Enstrom G-SHRK. A Cessna 172 landed there the same day. We may have been the last ever movements.
I always thought Camber was a seaplane base alongside the sands.
Dennis, thank you for your input on Pebsham in particular. What was the state of the former Pebsham Aerodrome at that time? I understand that the condition of the surface was always its Achilles heel and that it has been largely football pitches for many years. Did they have to take the goalposts down to enable the Cessna to land and take off!
I don't know about Camber having been a seaplane base - although Sea Tiger G-AIVW was based on a flooded gravel pit in the area in, I think, the 1970s. My research indicates that all aerial activity there took place on the sands - the Ogilvie brothers before the first war and Zenith Airways joyflights, using one or more Avro 504Ns, in 1935 or thereabouts.
Whilst in that part of the world, one shouldn't forget the Eastbourne Flying Club aerodrome at Wilmington. In 1939 it shut for the duration and never re-opened - or so I understand. Does anyone know why or when the infrastructure on the site was removed?
Finally, Dennis, is the Sevenoaks aerodrome, mentioned in another of your earlier posts, that at which Prince Serge de Bolotoff had his aircraft manufacturing works in 1919 - which, I believe, produced the single SDEB 14 G-EAKC and then disappeared into the mists of history!
My log book shows I flew out of Pebsham on 29th May 2000 having completed a flying display there on Enstrom G-SHRK. A Cessna 172 landed there the same day. We may have been the last ever movements.
I always thought Camber was a seaplane base alongside the sands.
Dennis, thank you for your input on Pebsham in particular. What was the state of the former Pebsham Aerodrome at that time? I understand that the condition of the surface was always its Achilles heel and that it has been largely football pitches for many years. Did they have to take the goalposts down to enable the Cessna to land and take off!
I don't know about Camber having been a seaplane base - although Sea Tiger G-AIVW was based on a flooded gravel pit in the area in, I think, the 1970s. My research indicates that all aerial activity there took place on the sands - the Ogilvie brothers before the first war and Zenith Airways joyflights, using one or more Avro 504Ns, in 1935 or thereabouts.
Whilst in that part of the world, one shouldn't forget the Eastbourne Flying Club aerodrome at Wilmington. In 1939 it shut for the duration and never re-opened - or so I understand. Does anyone know why or when the infrastructure on the site was removed?
Finally, Dennis, is the Sevenoaks aerodrome, mentioned in another of your earlier posts, that at which Prince Serge de Bolotoff had his aircraft manufacturing works in 1919 - which, I believe, produced the single SDEB 14 G-EAKC and then disappeared into the mists of history!
Last edited by fauteuil volant; 22nd May 2009 at 07:34.
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Posts: 1,371
Received 110 Likes
on
77 Posts
aviate 1138........thanks for the info.
...that is indeed the place.
...that is indeed the place.
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Scotland
Posts: 417
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Does anyone have memories or photos of Mundole, on the boundary of the WW2 Forres airfield? This was an extension to the peri track, of narrow tarmac with a turning circle and hangar at either end. It still exists to this day and I understand it was used by Sir Hector Laing (latterly Lord Laing of Dunphail) of United Biscuits to commute from his home in Dunphail to the office near Leavesden or Denham? He had two or three King Airs over the 1970s and I am fascinated to know how the heck he got one of those in to such a narrow short strip with so many obstacles.
mundole - Google Maps
And this was his aeroplane, with personalised registration...
G-HLUB - Unknown Beechcraft Super King Air 200 Aircraft Photos - Strathallan @ Airplane-Pictures.net
mundole - Google Maps
And this was his aeroplane, with personalised registration...
G-HLUB - Unknown Beechcraft Super King Air 200 Aircraft Photos - Strathallan @ Airplane-Pictures.net
Last edited by Kiltie; 23rd May 2009 at 10:14.
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Chester UK
Age: 84
Posts: 939
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mundole
The above is from a history of United Biscuits (UB) Aviation ( previously McVitie & Price) privately published late 80s by their then chief pilot Dave Ward. I posted it on the Which Aerodrome thread earlier this year but here it is again to save searching.
I managed to get a few flights on UB corporate aircraft while employed in IT by the company 1968/88. Before my time they had Miles Messenger and Gemini, then Piper Apache and Aztec , and then , briefly an Aero Commander before a line of 2 King-Airs and 3 Super King-Airs, latterly supplemented by a Baron and then an F90 King-Air.
Sir Hector would usually pilot all of these himself if not engaged in mid-air business dealings. The southern base was at Denham, convenient for his southern home at Gerrards Cross and company HQ at Isleworth. UB substantially funded the hard runway and lighting at Denham. Mundole, as you say, was near his Scottish estate at Dunphail. I believe they were among the most highly utilised of UK corporate aircraft and, at one, stage their schedule was published around the company so that mortals well below board level could use empty space. These schedules often showed over-weekending at Mundole.
At the time of the book's publication UB had a Starship on order which never happened due to problems with the type and, more critically, the decline and fall of the company after Lord Laings retirement,
.....Doug
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Chester UK
Age: 84
Posts: 939
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mundole
Kiltie .....More info has been sent by Pprune PM and in response to your direct E-Mail . Please advise off-thread which is your preferred E-address for future use. Thanks Doug