WW2 Airfield, Cannock, W Midlands?
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WW2 Airfield, Cannock, W Midlands?
I am hoping somebody will be able to help me. I have tried to find out before asking here but to no avail.
Whilst doing my PPL training at Halfpenny Green I flew over Cannock several times on cross country exercises. On many of these my instructor was with me and on several occasions mentioned that he had heard that a WW2 airfield used to exist there, possibly on the, now wooded, higher ground. We never saw any sign of one but my curiosity has now got the better of me again and I wondered if any of you had any knowledge of such an airfield.
Whilst doing my PPL training at Halfpenny Green I flew over Cannock several times on cross country exercises. On many of these my instructor was with me and on several occasions mentioned that he had heard that a WW2 airfield used to exist there, possibly on the, now wooded, higher ground. We never saw any sign of one but my curiosity has now got the better of me again and I wondered if any of you had any knowledge of such an airfield.
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Cannot reply specifically for Cannock, but I do know that neighbouring Shropshire had many grass airfields for aircraft up to Vickers Armstrong Wellington size. Soft ground was a limiting factor and some were only extant for a short period or were replaced with the likes of fuel storage dumps. It is statistically likely that the vicinity of Cannock would have had a landing ground of some description even if only a grass strip for AOP aircraft such as Austers. The area was also a glider pilot training area launching from Sleap and Tilstock and so a grass field relatively near would have been convenient.
Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd. was established in Pendeford in 1934 when the original Norwich based company, Boulton & Paul Ltd., sold its aircraft department. The factory in Pendeford was extended in 1937 and eventually covered three times the area of the original works. A training school was set up at Cannock, and the factory was a major employer in the area.
Pendeford airfield (8m SW of Cannock) opened in 1938 at a cost of £80,000. It had hangars, a control tower and grass runways. The field was to be managed by the Midland Aero Club. Although it was used by private fliers and later by Boulton Paul, scheduled air services were not attracted until after the Second World War. It closed in Dec 1970 and there is little evidence of its existence.
Edit: I think Hixon is NE of Stafford.
Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd. was established in Pendeford in 1934 when the original Norwich based company, Boulton & Paul Ltd., sold its aircraft department. The factory in Pendeford was extended in 1937 and eventually covered three times the area of the original works. A training school was set up at Cannock, and the factory was a major employer in the area.
Pendeford airfield (8m SW of Cannock) opened in 1938 at a cost of £80,000. It had hangars, a control tower and grass runways. The field was to be managed by the Midland Aero Club. Although it was used by private fliers and later by Boulton Paul, scheduled air services were not attracted until after the Second World War. It closed in Dec 1970 and there is little evidence of its existence.
Edit: I think Hixon is NE of Stafford.
Last edited by Tiger_mate; 7th Aug 2011 at 17:59.
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RAF Hednesford - Midlands Heritage Forum
Suggests two Spitfires and possibly a Wellington flew from there. Hednesford could indeed be the 'answer'.
Suggests two Spitfires and possibly a Wellington flew from there. Hednesford could indeed be the 'answer'.
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Must be Hixon with the woods at the back. It is still a dissused airfield with the runway still in situ. Never ever seen so many skylarks, when walking the dog over there. Was a guy who had his own plane in the shed at the railway end of the runway, and got airborne most Sundays
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Hixon is still pretty clear from the air, so if Wombat hasn't managed to see anything, my vote is for Hednesford, approx location OS ref. SK 010 140. Ken Delve's book mentions it, and it was as previously stated, primarily No 6 School of Technical Training. Whilst there was, according to KD, 'a small grass landing area attached to the site', he doesn't record any significant activity there.
Someone must know a bit more!
RF
Someone must know a bit more!
RF
It surely must have been RAF Hednesford [no airfield there and certainly no Spits or Wellington flights from there ] - that's on Cannock Chase. Hixon is far enough away from Cannock not to be confused. RAF Penkridge is another possibility - it's not far from Cannock and on the edge of the Chase.It was a satellite of RAF Wolverhampton - an EFTS with Tiger Moths.
Curiously there is evidence that one of the former WW1 army sites,on the Chase, was considered, in the 1930's, for the building of an expansion type aerodrome - fascinating to think that there might now be an abandoned airfield of the Scampton or Binbrook type on the Chase. It's pure guesswork on my part but I suspect that the site which became RAF Lichfield was chosen instead.
Curiously there is evidence that one of the former WW1 army sites,on the Chase, was considered, in the 1930's, for the building of an expansion type aerodrome - fascinating to think that there might now be an abandoned airfield of the Scampton or Binbrook type on the Chase. It's pure guesswork on my part but I suspect that the site which became RAF Lichfield was chosen instead.
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There are a few threads on here about locations of RAF Stations, often with evidence of sites which are gradually disappearing.
There is an overlay for Google Earth which purports to show all the RAF Sites there have been and it doesn't just contain airfields, but everything from Arms Dumps to Chain Home Low Sites. It's not perfect, and I sometimes find the locations aren't quite right (R3 bunkers for example).
It can be found here:
RAF Stations On Google Earth
Of course this assumes you have Google Earth in the first place, but it's free and well worth the effort IMHO.
I know that's getting you no nearer the answer, but both sites mentioned above are in the overlay.
STH
There is an overlay for Google Earth which purports to show all the RAF Sites there have been and it doesn't just contain airfields, but everything from Arms Dumps to Chain Home Low Sites. It's not perfect, and I sometimes find the locations aren't quite right (R3 bunkers for example).
It can be found here:
RAF Stations On Google Earth
Of course this assumes you have Google Earth in the first place, but it's free and well worth the effort IMHO.
I know that's getting you no nearer the answer, but both sites mentioned above are in the overlay.
STH
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Thank you all. I think it is most likely to be RAF Hednesford as I have certainly seen Hixon from the air and it is rather further North of the area in mind but I shall have a good look at Google Earth too and get back to you. 
Used to live in the area - there was quite a lot of other millitary Stuff on the chase itself There used to be quite a bit of concrete slabwork hiding in the trees, mostly in the area near Brindley Heath, which I always took to be WW2 vintage.
