Airfield near Weybridge

[KENNYR]

Passed this place on the train today. Looked on Google Earth and the satellite picture revealed a VC10, Caravelle, Hunter and a couple of others.
Coordinates for this on Google Earth :- 51*21'16.33" N 0*28'00.44" W.
Anyone got any ideas???

[Daifly]

It's Brooklands.

www.brooklandsmuseum.com/

[Epsilon minus]

Brooklands was the Home of Vickers and then BAC. Notable contributions to military aviation TSR2 and the VC10 and many others. The Concorde nose was built there as was the VC10 and BAC 1-11. Have a look on google earth for nearby Wisley airfield (now the Ockham hold) from where the moving map and Decca nav was trialed. Did Wisley have a military history?
Brooklands was a small airfield so getting a VC10 in there must have taken great skill. So if theres anyone out there that achieved such a task let us know how it was done.

[TheOddOne]

The VC10 at Brooklands - A40AB - was flown in during the 1980s. A former colleague of mine who lived at the time in the undershoot was at home when it 'arrived'. They had to lop a few trees near the threshold. He told me that it was VERY low on arrival and was obviously pretty light, though if you go on board now and see all the panelling etc all that interior must weigh quite a bit!

I don't think that with the further serious erosion into the runway length available that any more a/c movements by air will be possible. Super museum, well worth a visit (or 2).

Apparently a lot of a/c built at Brooklands during and after the war were flown out to Wisley for fitting out etc. This airfield is a great unused aviation resource but the locals are absolutely against any kind of disturbance to their peace & quiet (never mind the 6-lane highway thundering past...)

Cheres,
TheOddOne

[The Helpful Stacker]

Didn't the VC10 at Brooklands have a serious structural failure to its undercarriage a while back?

Also, haven't they now been moved off of the main airfield site (across a temporary bridge) to the main museum side as the airfield is being developed on?

[f4aviation]

Sorry, it's still the birthplace of modern motor racing to me. The first permanent road circuit in the world!

[Tim McLelland]

Wisley had a pseudo-military history, as it handled aircraft ssuch as the VC10 and Valiant, which couldn't operate very comfortably out of Brooklands.
However, it would be wrong to sugest that the VC10 needs acres of runway -it was designed to have a very respectable short field capability.
Brooklands... never mind racing cars, what about Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines... good ol' Terry Thomas!

[Tim McLelland]

I can't resist commenting on the notion that one of the most significant contributions to aerospace made by Vickers was the TSR2; in actual fact, it was the involvement of Vickers (after EE was effectively forced to merge with them by the stupid government) that contributed to the spiraling cost and eventual cancellation of the entire TSR2 project. If Vickers had kept their sticky fingers off it, the TSR2 (which was essentially an EE design in the first place) would probably have survived.

On the other hand, Vickers did produce what was undoubtedly the best (or at least the most practical) of the V-Bomber designs, and produced the magnificent, but grossly under-rated, Varsity!

[Epsilon minus]

Tim
I learn something new every day. I didn't know that TSR2 was an EE design. Did Mr Petter have anything to do with it?
Not wishing to digress but did Wisley make any contribution to the protection of London buring the blitz? Or was it solely Vicker's airfield?
By the way has PC forced the name change of the Black Boys pub nearby?

[Tim McLelland]

As far as I know, Wisley was only ever used by Vickers - I don't think any military units were ever based there.

The TSR2 was very much an EE project (albeit under other names) but I don't think Petter had anything to do with it (at least as far as I know offhand). Vickers only got involved after the merger, and gradually took on more and more of the project until the whole programme became an endless saga of committee meetings to discuss which company produced which bit, causing the project to become hideously expensive. I don't think anyone ever quite worked out how the TSR2 wasn't built at Salmesbury or Warton in the first place, but cynics would say that it was all about big "southern" companies believing that they knew better than "backward northerners"... But as we all know, the TSR2 story is a sorry tale no matter how you look at it!

[m5dnd]

Carevelle ?? Where was Your train ??..

But seriously... Brooklands Aviation started in 1908 with A.V.Roe and carried on with the likes of Sopwith, Hawkers, Vickers, BAC, BAe. etc....

Alcock and Brown's transatlantic Vickers Vimy was built there, The first Hawker Hurricane flew from there, all the VC-10's were built and did there 1st flight's from there, Vanguard's - all of them!, some 1-11's,...
I could go on and on .....! Oh.. and major chunk's of Concorde !!!

I am a Volunteer there and help maintain and preserve the Aircraft especialy our BAC 1-11 G-ASYD the test and Development aircraft.

Sadly there is no runway left as already pointed out, the airfield was never owned by the museum and is now being developed. The VC-10 flew in in 1987, the 1-11 in 1994 on the 500m left and so did the Vanguard in 1996.

Cheer's

P.S the google system is well out of date!!.. how many varsity's can You count !!.

[diginagain]

In his defence, KennyR's aircraft (or AFV for that matter) recognition skills were never that great. Anything more puzzling than another Gazelle he'd pass over the cockpit to his Aircrewman.

:E

[m5dnd]

He's forgiven !!

He was closer than the people that read the sign then board the aircraft and say "Isn't this a Trident?" !!.. The normal response is "Go outside and count the engines and then think of the word TRIdent " But this sadly is only said in our thought's!!..

The VC-10's and 1-11's during the production years had no real problem getting in and out of brooklands as long as they were empty.. I have seen a couple on VC-10 land and a few 1-11's and even A40-AB arriving in 1987 stopped with plenty of room. The Runway was still full length then but in the early 90's a road was built across it and that left us with the 500m to get the 1-11 and Vanguard in...

Cheer's

[Tim McLelland]

P.S the google system is well out of date!!.. how many varsity's can You count !!.[/QUOTE]

Holy Cow! If you can count more than one Varsity (in the museum), then Google must be out of date by about forty years - as (unless I'm seriously mistaken) that would be the very latest that any other Varsities were at Brooklands! In fact fifty years woud be pushing-it?

[treadigraph]

How many Varisties? More than one Vanguard as well I think; I'd say Brooklands is made up of two different images, taken some time apart, which have been merged together by Google - between the two, those ever helpful Brooklands folk moved their aeroplanes around! :p

[m5dnd]

Treadigraph,

Yep.. 2 Varsity's and a couple of shadow Vanguard's plus the real one!!..

And if You remove the square'ish white box You would get a suprise!!.. Lurking underneath is... Concorde 202 G-BBDG...!!

I think we've confused Google enough so have stopped moving the aircraft around (for the time being!!)..

Cheer's

[etsd0001]

.
Apparently a lot of a/c built at Brooklands during and after the war were flown out to Wisley for fitting out etc. This airfield is a great unused aviation resource but the locals are absolutely against any kind of disturbance to their peace & quiet

What would be better a quiet Biz jet airfield or an incinerator plant?

did Wisley make any contribution to the protection of London buring the blitz?

Well it did take a V1, so you could say it made a contribution later on in the war

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

The aerial picture on Windows Local Live is different (http://local.live.com/ find it on the road map then click "aerial"). Is that one more up to date than Google?

[JW411]

My Action Stations Vol.8 tells me that Wisley was discovered by accident by Mutt Summers (Vickers Armstrong test pilot) who had to make a forced landing and "found an open space behind the woodland that fringed the A3 London to Portsmouth road and which was only three miles from from the Vickers Armstrong factory at Weybridge".

"Two or three years later the site was surveyed and work was started to develop it into a relief airfield for the nearby factory. Wisley came into use in 1943 as a grass airfield and was used for the the remainder of the war".

It apparently closed in 1973 by which time it had sprouted a 7,500 ft runway.

[chevvron]

The runway at Wisley is still visible, but in case you're tempted to try a landing there, it has no less than three sets of ARMCO barriers across it deliniating public rights of way.

[ormus55]

im amazed. thought i knew the area pretty well, (worked in esher). but ive never seen that runway before!
nor even heard of it.

[m5dnd]

Please remember also that Wisley is most definatly Private Property.

THe Runway is in amazing condition for something that has not been maintained for 30+ years. The length of the runway taken from a document I have in front of me is 6,690ft. This document details one of the test that our BAC 1-11 at Brooklands was going to do in 1970 whilst it was the 500 series prototype. The gravel test conducted was to see the stone trajectories before the aircraft was converted to the 475 series prototype.

Off topic but anyone coming down to the Dunsfold airshow on Sunday 27th ?? .

M5DND

[Kieron Kirk]

An aside on events at Wisley.
1963?
One afternoon( I think during the school holiday period), I was overlooking the airfield at the Martyr's Green end.
BAC One Eleven G-ASHG turned finals, came very close as a/c did at that end, landed, reverse thrust was selected, the a/c swung off the runway to stbd and disappeared in a cloud of dust.
Port thrust reverser failure?
Does anyone have any info about this incident?
Will look at my log book for the period to determine the date.

[treadigraph]

Kieron - first observation - you are an older git than me. But no shame in that, I wish I'd been born a few years earlier!

Second is, just dis-intered a book from loft - G-ASHG appears to be BAC's prototype 1-11, c/n 4. FF 29/8/63 -eh? also says 20th Aug? - W/O Chicklade 22/10/63. Presumably the Mike Lithgow deep stall accident?

March '64, c/n 6 G-ASJB w/o Wisley. No details in my book (spotters production list), could this be the Lithgow prang?

Details please oh my knowledgeable brethren...

[primreamer]

There is an excellent book available called "Silent Swift Superb, The Story of the Vickers VC10". The text details the development and building of the VC10 at Brooklands and flight testing from Wisley. There are many good photos from both locations to support the text. The book also describes route proving and in-service experiences from various operators. Well worth a read.

[Kieron Kirk]

Thanks Treadigraph.

Yes I am older than you, blame my parents for that!

G-ASHG was indeed the prototype BAC One Eleven. I have the most vivid memory of the event, but my log book does not indicate which day, except that I saw G-ASHG three times at Wisley: 28th September 1963, 12th October 1963 and 19th October 1963.
Can anyone shed any light on this incident?

The crash which killed Mike Lithgow involved G-ASHG on 22nd October 1963.

[PPRuNe Radar]

From a BAC 1-11 website:

G-ASHG BAC 1-11-200AB

Flying Prototype.

Rolled out 28-7-63.

F/F 20-8-63.

Time in air 27 mins.

Pilot G.R.Bryce.

Cr at Stonehill Copse ,Chirklade,nr Tisbury ,Wilts .22-10-63. Seven on board killed. Cause was found to be that the a/c ,carrying out stall recovery tests,entered a stable stall and fell 16000 ft in a stable horizontal attitude with little forward speed . Recovery was impossible.

[m5dnd]

G-ASJB was involved in the accident in March 64 when the flight crew got into the pilot induced oscilation problem 3 times but the ground got in the way all 3 times.
The aircraft was seriouly damaged but the crew were all OK (show how strong the 1-11 is ! If You have seen the pictures You will know what I mean!!). It was then transported to Weybridge (Brooklands) for rebuild but wasn't completed.

I have spoken to some of the crew who were onboard and it sounded quite an event..

At Brooklands Museum We have part of the port wing of SJB on display.

[Albert Driver]

M5dnd
Do you know how much of Victor Mike is going to Brooklands from Cosford?
Originally I heard it was the cockpit section, then the tail as a spare for the Brooklands Standard VC10, now I hear more spares are wanted.
It's tragic to see VM broken up. Can you cheer us up with any news that more will be saved?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<G-ASHG BAC 1-11-200AB
Flying Prototype.
Rolled out 28-7-63.
F/F 20-8-63.
Time in air 27 mins.
Pilot G.R.Bryce.
Cr at Stonehill Copse ,Chirklade,nr Tisbury ,Wilts .22-10-63. Seven on board killed. >>

This surely cannot be correct? "Jock" Bryce was still alive and kicking in 2001. Or could there be two similarly named test pilots?

[Kieron Kirk]

Flt.Lt. G.R.Bryce OBE was CTP Vickers Armstrongs until 1964 so could not possibly have died in the prototype One Eleven crash in 1963.

Lt.Cdr. M J Lithgow RN OBE DSC was piloting the ill fated One Eleven in 1963.

Do not believe everything you see on the internet, even on this forum!

[i.dingbat]

I have childhood memories of the area around Weybridge as my father worked on the design of the TSR.2 (and previously the DH110).

He saw the cancellation coming and left first (in 1966), moving back to his native Scotland. From there I moved to Australia but I'm planning on visiting the UK this Christmas and I hope to see one of the preserved examples. The question is, Cosford or Duxford?

[steveskinner]

Wisley was first discovered by Vickers' CTP Mutt Summers in 1941 and developed as a flight test centre for use by the firm in 1943 with a grass runway and large hangar.
In the War years and its aftermath a number of unusual types were based there for trials of "Highball" a smaller version of the Barnes Wallis "Upkeep" Dambuster bomb. Post-War for the development of Vickers guided missiles various non-Vickers aircraft including Meteors, Canberras and a Washington were based at Wisley. The Washington was written off in a spectacular accident in 1955 when a Valiant collided with it.
Some Vickers types made their maiden flights from there including the Valiant (on grass!) and the Viking and the Viscount. However generally in later years Vickers types made their maiden flights from Brooklands into Wisley.
The prototype One-Eleven made its first flight from Hurn on August 20, 1963 with BAC's CTP Jock Bryce at the controls. A few flights later it relocated to Wisley but crashed killing all seven on board on October 22, 1963 with Mike Lithgow (by then Vickers Deputy CTP) at the controls. The aircraft had entered a deep stall from which it was unable to recover.
The second production One-Eleven G-ASJB crashed at Wisley on March 18, 1963 as a result of a loss of control by the pilots . The undercarriage came off and one of the engines was virtually severed from its pylon. There were fortunately only minor injuries. The aircraft was dismantled and the fuselage returned to Hurn with the intention of rebuilding it but this was abandoned.
Wisley continued in use for the VC10 and One-Eleven trials but as these came to an end there was nothing to replace them and Wisley closed on April 14, 1972.

[PFR]

For those interested in Wisley, this is a good start:)

WISLEY
the story of Vickers' own airfield
an AIRFIELD FOCUS special
by Stephen Skinner
ISBN 1-904514-30-8
£9.99

Hope that helps.............:)
cracking read, makes one realise what we had..........lost:ugh:

Also for those mourning all things Vickers/BAC, the authorised biography of Sir George Edwards OM, by Robert Gardner is a compelling read.
ISBN 0-7509-4389-0
Whatever must he be thinking - casting his eye from a far - as BAe sells off the last vestige of the once proud/innovative civil a/c industry:hmm: Shocking:*

[Out Of Trim]

I managed to visit Brooklands last Saturday 11 Nov 2006. Hadn't been there for about eight years and especially wanted to view the Concorde G-BBDG.

The weather was kind so took quite a few photos!

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367075-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367077-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367092-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367082-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367095-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367115-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367125-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367129-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367145-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367149-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367158-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367165-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367193-L.jpg

http://firestorm.smugmug.com/photos/110367203-L.jpg



The restoration project seems to be coming on well; I hope they manage to build a suitable building to house her in the near future!

ps. Other exhibits can be viewed here (http://www.firestorm.smugmug.com/gallery/2131435)

OOT :ok:

[Tim McLelland]

I was also out and about on Saturday - the other airfield near Weybridge...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Shefftim/Wis.jpg

[treadigraph]

Tim, were you perchance leaning out the back of a Chinook to take that?

Hey it's a good runway still, sort of... when I win the Euro Millions on Friday I could realise my dreams, buy it and turn it into a Duxford rival... Or Airborne Artiste could make me do a parachute jump and realise my nightmares...

[Tim McLelland]

...more like sitting on a freezing cold ramp of a Chinook brrrrr!

Poor ol' Wisley is doomed, thanks to the local Nimby population that evidently thwarts any attempt to conduct any aviation activity on the site:(

[chevvron]

It might look in good condition, but as I said before, those footpaths crossing it have ARMCO barriers either side; I know if at least one guy who had engine failure nearby, landed safely on the runway, then wiped off his undercarriage on the said barrier.

[ALLDAYDELI]

WISLEY
Chevvron, which incident was that then, landing and hitting the barriers?
There is a big bus rally held on there around early April each year associated with the nearby Cobham Bus Museum.
I know they only just scraped by to get approval for that for a day.

Also, just opened on part of the former Brooklands site is "Mercedes Benz World", did anyone else see the searchlights in the sky last night?
The site opened to the public recently and is mostly owned by Mercedes Benz.
Brooklands is majorly re-developed now, shops, offices, warehouses, car parks etc etc.

[chevvron]

I forget exactly which year, but it must have been early '80s and it was a Jodel or Robin; certainly it was before they made that film there with a set depicting a town in WW2.(can't remember what that was called either!)
Prior to that (late '70s) there was an atmospheric sampling balloon notified there - something to do with acid rain research.

[StbdD]

Think the film was 'Gunbus' or 'Sky Bandits' depending on what side of the pond you viewed it. Made in 1986, it apparently had only one thing notable about it:

"The film holds the record (2002) for the largest number of craftsmen and technicians employed on a dramatic feature, with 532. The crew built enormous sets for war scenes, constructed buildings that were to be exploded, and built airplanes similar to those used in 1917."

Love the reviewer comment: "Silly, poor acting, poor effects and daft plot – slightly trashy fun but cr*p"

[chevvron]

I think the film you mention (set in WW1) was made in a field about a mile west of Wisley, as I remember seeing a huge marquee (like a circus big top)near the parked WW1 aircraft when I flew over. The aircraft were based somewhere to the north of London and seemed to 'commute' every day round the west of the Heathrow zone. The one I'm thinking of was set in WW2 and they built a mock town on the runway; something like 'Hope and Glory' I think it was called, but it would have been '86 'cos I was flying out of Fairoaks then and I remember re-joining via Wisley/OCK and seeing the set.

[PFR]

Tim,
Marvellous photo of Wisley - thanks for sharing:)
Bet that runway can tell a few tales;)
Shame they demolished the old houes that acted as a tower:hmm:

Oh well born fourty years too late:ugh:

[Duxford_Eagles]

... never mind racing cars, what about Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines... good ol' Terry Thomas! The "Brooklands" scenes were filmed at Booker.

I've driven past Wisley so many times (twice today infact) and never realised it was there.

[chevvron]

You can just see the A3 in the bottom left of Tim's excellent picture; you'll note the western end of the runway is on what looks like an embankment; that's the only bit you'll see from the A3.
If you were to park in the layby on the westbound slip road joining the A3 from the M25, there's a small track off to the left which I presume is the old airfield entrance; it IS private property (I happen to know who administers it - but I've been asked not to let on) however there are public rights of way which cross it, so provided you stick to these, no-one should object.
By the way, the OCK VOR is visible just below the turning pan at the far end.

[Saab Dastard]

I've had a walk around the old Wisley site a couple of times - I admit to traversing much more than the public footpaths! Fascinating place - a bit sad though. Hard to imagine that VC10s, BAC 1-11s and Viscounts flew in there from Brooklands for fitting out and then flew out to be delivered to the airlines.

The taxiways onto the runway are extraordinarily steep! Not something you appreciate from the air.

I paced out the longest unobstructed stretch of runway available - the western end - and from threshold to Armco is about 900m!! That's longer than Fairoaks!

However there was a fair amount of debris lying around, and the paving is breaking up, so you wouldn't want to land there unless you had an engine failure.

Worth a visit - good exercise as well!!

SD

[Tacklebury]

Hi Guys,
I have had the privilege of being allowed to shoot at Wisley a couple of years back. Sadly this has stopped now, but it is an amazing place, but the runway has seen better days. That said if it all goes quiet whilst your near there, I can think of far worst places to land!!!
Watch out for the locals, I had a minor run in once with a particular lady who lives on the edge of the runway and caught the wrong end of some nasty abuse!! Still I had permission to be there, she didn't.
Make sure you stick to the paths when crossing the fields, the farmers a great bloke, understandably not impressed with people walking over his crop!!:=
Tack

[Tim McLelland]

The Brooklands scenes were filmed at Brooklands - unless they moved the tower and the airfield scenery to Booker too?!:)

[Duxford_Eagles]

The Brooklands scenes were filmed at Brooklands - unless they moved the tower and the airfield scenery to Booker too?!:)

They even built a section of banked track.

[Tim McLelland]

You're kidding me?! Why did they do that? Was the tower the actual Brooklands one then, or was that a reconstruction too?

[chevvron]

Brooklands scenes (Brookley in the film) for 'Those Magnificent etc' were definitely filmed at Booker; my brother worked near there at the time and gave me a running commentary! In any case, I think several of the aircraft were built by PPS and didn't have the range to fly as far as Brooklands, although they could just about make White Waltham!
The set was positioned north west of the hard runway near where the skeet tower is today.
Brooklands actually still has two 'towers'; there's the one inside the museum compound which was the race track control tower (Barnes Wallis occupied an office there in latter years) but if you go to the south side and take the road north past Tesco(not east towards New Haw), you'll come to a Curry's store on the left, and just past that is a white building which I believe is the old flying clubhouse and which has 'tower' cab on top. As far as I know, this is all that remains aviationwise on the west side of the runway; it appears to be in very good condition though.

[Duxford_Eagles]

Tim, the Brooklands of the 1960's was rather different to how it had been in the 1910's when the film was based.

[chevvron]

By the '60s they'd already chopped a chunk out of the Byfleet banking in line with the runway; a few years back (about '94 or 95? Maybe slightly earlier.) another section on the west side just at the beginning of the majestic curve of the Byfleet Banking was chopped away for acces to M&S and Tesco. You can clearly see the remnants when you visit either of these two stores. (Yes this Tesco does take LVs)

[h73kr]

[quote=chevvron;2972508]By the '60s they'd already chopped a chunk out of the Byfleet banking in line with the runway; a few years back (about '94 or 95? Maybe slightly earlier.) another section on the west side just at the beginning of the majestic curve of the Byfleet Banking was chopped away for acces to M&S and Tesco. You can clearly see the remnants when you visit either of these two stores. (Yes this Tesco does take LVs)[/quote

My mother lives very near Brooklands but had no real idea about the museum until after I'd moved to Norwich many years ago. Will take my lad there when he's old enough to know what an aircraft is! Couldn't beleive it when I saw what they had done to the race banking to get access to bloody Tesco's - disgusting! Progress eh! :rolleyes:

[brabazon]

Went to Brooklands museum today, have to say that the aviation part is looking a bit tired - certainly compared to what Duxford have done recently - and the Mercedes-Benz World is a major contrast too. It was interesting to read about the development of motor racing at Brooklands, but the aviation timeline was less clear. Having said that my 3 children aged 4, 6 and 9 enjoyed sitting in the Harrier and Chipmunk cockpits.

[Taylorcraft One]

I came across this site and thread whils trying to find out more of the fate of the Brooklands works, where I was an apprentice more years ago than I care to think about. The BAC 1-11 crashed because Mike Lithgow had a theory about stalls in T-tail aircraft which he wished to demonstrate to the chief aerodynamcist. At the time, work regarding the CoG was going on, and Jock Bryce had given instructions that no flight should take place until the previous flight had been analysed.

Lithgow ignored this instruction, and the aerodynamacist, whose name I forget, took the place of the co-pilot, David Nightingale. The aircraft failed to recover from the stall Lithgow initiated at 11,000 ft, and the crew were all killed, including a friend and fellow apprentice, Gordon Poulter. Unfortunately, Nightingale's name was still on the crew list, and his wife was contacted to tell her her husband had been killed. Shortly afterwards, he walked into his house, having decided to go home for lunch.

It was Nightingale's second brush with death, as he had been an observer on the 8th Blackburn Buccaneer, when the tail came off. The pilot was killed when ejecting, and Nightingale's parachute was damaged because it deployed immediately,the seat having been hit by what was left of the tail when he ejected. He came down at fairly high speed with three limbs dislocated, and landed on an iron fence which put a spike through his knee.- the fence had to be cut away to get him free. He spent two years in hospital, and then joined Vickers-Armstrongs. After the 1-11 crash he gave up test flying and went as a lecturer to Nottingham University.

[Epsilon minus]

Fascinating. I remember the deep stall crash. My first encounter with Wisley was when I was taken there by a BAC employee who kindly offered to show me around Weybridge and Wisley. I was 13 then and my father was being interviewed for a flying job on the 1-11, this was just after the collapse and failure of British Eagle at Heathrow.
Years later I went to have a look at the place, it has been levelled of course but I got to wondering what was the history of the airfield. Who built it and why? Was it around during the 2nd WW and did it see any action?
Regards
EM

[steveskinner]

This comment on the prototype One-Eleven's crash is at least ridiculous perhaps worse. I suggest the author examines the Crash Report rather than inventing some baseless story. He would then have the opportunity to base his views on the facts.

[chevvron]

Mercedes Benz World contains an excellent motor racing museum which depicts the birth of motor racing both at Brooklands and elsewhere. If you're brave enough you can book a session on the test track, and if you're rich you can get your car serviced at the same time.
I believe there's now a grass strip available during special events ie STRICTLY PPR.

[Jhieminga]

AFAIK the grass strip has been used only once so far
hHPe79Bhvb4

[Lukeafb1]

TheOddOne,

I was the Television Director shooting the footage of the VC10 when it landed at Brooklands in the 1980s. We had 4 cameras located around the airfield, in case there was a big bang! The landing was kept very hush, hush, to stop the airfield being inundated with people.

In the event, the VC10 (which took off from Heathrow 10 minutes earlier), did about three practice landings, before it made the final approach. As a pilot, I was convinced that it would finish its landing run on the Waterloo railway line!

In the event it came over the houses, which were built on the end of the runway, and stopped with about a quarter of a mile of runway left!

I interviewed the captain after they disembarked and he said that he could have made the landing even shorter if he had needed to.

I believe I still have the footage of at least two of the cameras, including the captain's interview.

Interestingly, we had been commissioned to shoot the event by Trafalgar House (a long defunct company) and in the event (we were the only film crew at the event) Brooklands told us that they didn't want any of the footage. What a waste.:ugh:

[etsd0001]

[QUOTE]Interestingly, we had been commissioned to shoot the event by Trafalgar House (a long defunct company) and in the event (we were the only film crew at the event) Brooklands told us that they didn't want any of the footage. What a waste. [/QUOTE

Unbelievable! Does the film still exist?

[Jhieminga]

Lukeafb1, PM sent.

[chevvron]

jhieminga: I recall it was used a few weeks prior to the Vimy delivery by a Cub; I remember querying its availabilty when he booked in.

lukeafb1: I was the radar controller who 'spoke' to it when it left the Heathrow Zone until it had Brooklands in sight.

Heard on the radio this am that Mercedes Benz World will be hosting viewings of each GP this year with presentations by celebrities.

[Jhieminga]

chevvron, that is correct. The Cub pilot was due to fly a Vimy into that strip and needed to familiarize himself with the approach.

[Lukeafb1]

jhieminga,

Have replied to your PM.

Luke.

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

All this has caused me to reach up to the bookshelf, take down, and blow the dust off a flying log book. An entry for 16 Sep 1974 reads: PA23-250 G-ATFF P1 Gatwick-Bournemouth-Filton-Brooklands-Gatwick and in the 'Remarks' column it says Sir George Edwards. Yes, I flew the great man himself that day, and I suppose the BAC communications aircraft must've been unavailable.

It's very long ago now, and all I remember was that the aspect of the runway at Brooklands looked decidedly different on the approach. It almost seemed to be as broad as it was long! Being a 'proper' airfield, it was absolutely no problem for a Piper Aztec, of course, especially compared with some racecourse strips we used to fly the jockeys into and out of, before the CAA put a stop to it.

I lived in nearby Addlestone, and some years earlier had been in the garden when there was a sudden howl, and an East African Super VC10 curved onto final for Brooklands for some re-work. In current parliance ... "Respect!!"

:ok:

[PFR]

:ok:Marvellous Georgeablelovehowindia and roll the footage Lukeafb1:}

[Fokkerwokker]

ISTR Dick King flew the VC10 into Brooklands for the museum.

FW

[Jhieminga]

Lukeafb1, I didn't get that message. Alternatively try e-mailing to vickers_vc10 at zonnet dot nl.

[Out Of Trim]

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_1BXJmcdgZEw/RVaGykfKABI/AAAAAAAABBw/hptoNtyWU4c/s800/DSC_4199.JPG

[Panop]

My post re 5X-UVA http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/245515-east-african-airways-vc-10-accident-1972-addis-ababa-2.html#post5558202 may be of interest to followers of this thread as well.