Bovingdon Airflield

[Rood]

Does anybody know if Bovingdon Airflield, Herts, UK is available to General Aviation still or is it long closed ?

[Algirdas]

Rood,
pretty sure it's closed now - I've flown over it - right next to the nick, and the the runways look to be in very poor state with lots of junk around. Fancy trying a rescue then?
A

[wonko the sane]

Normally a market and car park at the weekend. Definitely no longer used for it's originally intended purpose.

[ShyTorque]

633 Sqn (Mosquitos) have long been gone....

[Aussie Andy]

I live about 3 miles from it and can assure you its not usable! As others have said, there's a market on weekends and I think I've seen drag-racing etc. up there too.

It was used by Bomber Command during the war and I am told by local friends who have lived here a long time that they used to fly Shackletons from there I think as late as the '70s. I don't think Mosquito's were based there (could be wrong?) but I have read that the movies "The War Lover" (1961), "633 Squadron" and "Mosquito Squadron"(1964) were produced there.

Oh, and part of it is now a prison!

Andy

[LondonJ]

Almost lost the engine due to carb ice over bovingdon once. The runway actually looked pretty nice then.

[2Donkeys]

I am pretty sure that I can recall a Cessna or similar having been based there in recent times.

The place is (and was) officially closed, and with the prison nearby, I suspect that there would be less-than no interest in accommodating anybody wanting to be based there.

2D

[Fokkerwokker]

In recent years there was a cunning plan which involved getting two warring farmers (I believe) + the Dacorum Town Council around a table, with the instigator of the plan, to discuss re-opening Bovingdon with the express purpose of creating a business airport to serve north London and south Bucks/Herts.

I can't remember where the plan fell down but if there is anywhere that is still perhaps available for an environmentally friendly airfield getting up and running then Bovingdon would be the place. I am quite certain the burghers of Bovingdon village would far rather see an airfield/business park rather than a market and the constant stream of visitors to the fortified institution on the perimeter.

[LondonJ]

An operating airport with a prison next door, could lead to some very interesting escape stories in a few years:p

[vintage ATCO]

I can remember a C172 and one other light acft being based there within the last 10-15 years. Not sure now.

I got involved in the consultation process with Dacorum Council as whoever was involved trying to start flying there again was involving Luton in some of the proposals without asking first! I seem to remember gliding was one of them.

Bovingdon was closed by the RAF in 1969. I don't ever remember Shackletons there. I went there shortly after the filming of Battle of Britain when the Heinkel 111s (Casa 2111 really) were parked there. Crawled all over them. Ah, nostalgia isn't what is use to be.

[LTNman]

Remember around 5 B-25's at Bovingdon for the making of Hanover Street in 1978. Bottom picture in this link http://www.controltowers.co.uk/B/bovingdon_book.htm

[robin]

Did my first solo in a T31 there in 1968.........

[cubflyer]

I thought there was still one light aircraft PA-28? based there, but this might be old info. Never been there myself. If the runway is good enough for Drag racing, then it will certainly be good enough for an aircraft to take-off and land.
There is already an operational airfield with a Prison on it! Full Sutton near York. For some reason you are not allowed to overfly the prison, I can see why with helicopters, but cant understand why fixed wing need to stay clear. If the prisoners dont like the noise then tough!

[boomerangben]

I am almost certain that there are no longer any aircraft based there. As far as I know there is a circuit for banger racing but not drag racing. It was a while since I was there, but if I doubt the surface is suitable for aircraft anymore, although I remember an AA5/PA28 that made an emergency landing there a few years ago. Besides movie making, markets, banger racing and driver training is probably more profitable than aviation - both the Mummy movies had scenes filmed at Bovo.

[ShyTorque]

Darn me!

"Mosquito Squadron" was on the telly yesterday!