Old airfields near Watford

[LTNman]

I must be getting a little long in the tooth but as a boy I would cycle to Leavesden, Hatfield, Radlett, Bovingdon and Elstree. All five airfields were separated by only a few miles and well within the range of my little legs. I think only Bovingdon was actually built as a RAF base while only Elstree remains open today. Anyone remember these airfields when they were open?

[treadigraph]

Ahhhhmmmmmmm...... yes... well...

In me spotting days (waaaaaayyyyy back in 1979) I visited Elstree by train and foot, and then walked to Leavesden. Navigation was, er, tenuous to say the least - these days I'd have an appropriate map handy - but I made it and even got to Watford safely, to tube it home for tea and medals.

Elstree? Well, Spencer Flack was there then with the ex Haydon Bailiey Sea Fury and, I think, the up and coming G-HUNT. G-FURY and G-FiRE were but then a glint on the horizon... Leavesden was Beech City then - King Airs and Duchesses as I recall...

Hatfield? Twice in the early 80s when the 146 was king, plus the Comet Racer, the late and very lamented Mossie and a low run by a Super Guppy!

Happy days!

[Pain in the R's]

Used to travel to Leavesden quite often in the 70’s. Seem to remember Huntings having a DC3 parked up there for a while by the hangar south of the runway together with a Dove. What happened to all the aircraft and companies that were based there?

By comparison Handley Page Radlett was a large airfield with its 3 runways, the longest runway having a length of 6910ft. I don’t ever remember seeing a single movement from the airfield. I think Radlett closed in 1969. There are still a few signs that it was once an airfield with the hangars at Park Street still intact. Are there any Radlett built aircraft still flying?

A few old photos taken in 1973 and 2003 can be found at http://www.handleypage.com/Menu_page.html (http://www.handleypage.com/Menu_page.html)

As for Bovingdon I have an old photo of a Middle East Airlines Hermes parked at Bovingdon. Apart from being an RAF and American AF base there was a time when the airfield did take civil airliners but I guess these were mainly freighters. Bovingdon can be still seen on TV today. The opening title scene in the 60’s series The Prisoner was part filmed on Bovingdon’s runway. Also scenes for The Avengers were also filmed there.

[Inverted81]

I used to live in Hatfield....
One of my grandfathers was the workshop foreman in the engine section, my other grandfather worked on the comet. My Grandmother was Sir geoffrey Dehavilland's house keeper. My father was an apprentice at astwick manor, and now runs an engineering company in Hatfield to this day. I've heard many stories.

I remember the drab coloured 146's turning crosswind over my house... FANTASTIC, and seeing numerous interesting things. A friend of the family was also the fire chief at hatfield so had a few trips out in the appliances, and adventures in the fire services Trident!

My father always tells me about Radlett also. he remembers seeing the Victor tails hanging over the fence as you drove by...

I also used to fly out of panshangar, but have never heard much more than the RAF Tiger moth training link in WW2...

:E :ok:

[Rev I. Tin]

Found out some on the ex-RAF airfields:

Had a look-see in my book of Military airfields, Bovingdon was built in 1942 and used by the US Air Transport Command.
Hatfield was built in 1930 and is listed as an Elementary Flying Training School
and RLG to Panshanger

[ormus55]

i used to live at raf northwood as a child. remember going to watford and radlett bovingdon etc.. on our bikes. c1961.

very sad to actually see bovingdon being used for car booting etc... c1990.
usaf bovingdon saw james stewart, clark gable and william holden serving there. glen miller was a visitor.
633 squadron and mosquito squadron were filmed there. also blakes 7 and the avengers.

i went to radlett to deliver some parts in about 1970. i saw some of the production areas. think they were building the Jetstream? then.
there were a few Victors parked up at the time.

all very sad now.

[chevvron]

The opening scene for 'The Prisoner' was shot at Booker aka Wycombe Air Park; the runway is too narrow for Bovingdon, and I recognise the tarmac repair patch visible at one point.
Bovingdon was used in the early '50s for a film involving Lana Turner delivering a P51(don't know the name, but it must have been about '54 cos I remember seeing the aircraft parked unusually on the west side), then for 'The War Lover (B17's) in the early '60s; the two Mosquito films came next, followed by 'Hanover Street (B25s do fly in IMC) in '70s. The Flying car sequence for 'The Man With the Golden Gun' was also part filmed there.

[ormus55]

the lana turner film may have been,, the lady takes a flyer. c1958.
strange that the film had 4 different titles!

this link may be of interest.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051839/

[OLNEY2d]

Hi,

I was lucky enough to be based in Hatfield for the final year of Operations right up until the 17/4/1994 when the last official departure was made. Although, even after the airfield was closed, it was common for Flying school light singles to pitch up with puzzled looking QFIs and students - despite the huge 'X' on the runway and the various NOTAMS

The final few months were very interesting with lots of visits from all kinds of Executive Aviation up to and including private 727s. There were always lots of 146s and variants in for maintenance and painting. I awoke most mornings to the sound of RR Darts being spooled up as the BAe Woodford shuttle HS748 was warmed up and departed as 'Avro99'.

I also woke up a couple of years after the airfield closed to the sound of full reversers being applied but couldn't get down to the airfield to find out what had arrived; it was reputedly Spielberg's jet that had tipped in to work on the filming of 'Saving Private Ryan' - never had that confirmed though ! seems a tad unlikely - but something had landed !

One of my favourite memories was watching an A300-B4 Freighter lumbering down the ILS to 24 and with about 2d to go, a slightly nervous pilot asks:

A300: 'Ah could you confirm landing length available?'
ATC: '6000ft'
A300: 'Well, ok, If you say so'



Cheers

[airborne_artist]

I did my first solo, and all my solo circuits, at Leavesden in August of 1977 in a C-150 from Luton Flying Club. I had an RAF flying scholarship.

[chevvron]

I think I may have been the first to get an Air Cadet Soaring certificate (BGA C Certificate)at Bovingdon in '66; we were operating a detachment of 613 GS from Halton there; this was before 618 GS were moved to Bovingdon from Hendon.

[aviate1138]

I must be getting a little long in the tooth but as a boy I would cycle to Leavesden, Hatfield, Radlett, Bovingdon and Elstree. All five airfields were separated by only a few miles and well within the range of my little legs. I think only Bovingdon was actually built as a RAF base while only Elstree remains open today. Anyone remember these airfields when they were open?



Aviate1138 says....
Don't forget Panshanger! :)

[Nogbad the Bad]

*Sigh* Memories.....

My school in St Albans was slap bang beneath the circuits to both Hatfield and Radlett.

Back then (1960's) Hatfield was turning out Tridents, to be seen flying there were also 125's, Comets, the odd Sea Vixen and trials (I believe) Hunter.

Radlett wasn't as busy, but was ripe with Heralds (I especially remember the Malaysian Air Force ones), the odd Victor, and a Hastings used to turn up fairly regularly (well it seemed that way)

Also travelling in to London from Harpenden, the main line ran straight past Radlett and there was a long row of lovely white Victor B1s (I think that was the correct mark) parked in the dispersals right alongside the railway line.

And the first black hangar proudly boasted "Handly Page Ltd" in huge white letters across the doors.

Nice line the Midland - went straight past Hendon too :)

*Sigh*

[spekesoftly]

And the first black hangar proudly boasted "Handly Page Ltd" in huge white letters across the doors.

I think you can just about still see those large white letters on the last but one photo from this link.
(http://www.handleypage.com/Radlett_1970.html)

[chevvron]

Not forgetting some open fields in the area were used by Sir Alan Cobham for his 'National Aviation Days'. I remember a tale of my father flying with one of his joyriders from a field on the eastern outskirts of Chesham, Bucks, about 3nm west of Bovingdon.
I've also always wondered about the history of the blister hangar in a field next to the main Chesham - Berkhamstead road about a mile south of Ashley Green; was it anything to do with a USAAF landing strip which briefly existed in this area in 1944?

[treadigraph]

Just got Richard Riding's excellent pictorial history of Elstree... great stuff! (Also Peter Campbell's "Tales of the Fifites" trilogy... ahhhh!)

[Buster the Bear]

My grand mother lives in Park St, opposite the garage (was Toyota), but might have changed recently. From her front room I recall seeing the Victors parked where the garage is today and a Hastings. I can never recall seeing anything flying from Radlett though.

Most folk living in Park St worked at the factory, so when it closed, the village died too. The village shop was close to the 'new' Jetstream production facility.

I would love to know what the light aircraft was hangared at the southern end of the airfield, a few months after the factory closed and the whole area resembled a ghost town? PM me if you know, been bugging me for years since!

An episode of the Professionals shows Radlett airfield, some of the cast arriving in a Jetstream, then views of the airfield as it makes its way to a hangar.

The last movements there were probably by microlights, a fly in occurred in 1990 I believe?

The whole area is earmarked for housing or a giant rail/road freight terminal.

[Nogbad the Bad]

There was also a film about a traction engine that showed lots of scenes taken at Radlett, made - I seem to remember - in 1961, although I cannot recall the name of the film.

It also featured a Victor, marketted as a supposed airliner.

Now there's a thought !

[jumpseater]

I worked at hatfield from 1982-88 'The (rest) Home of the 146' and they were good fun years. I got to fly on at least six delivery flights, 4 PSA 1 Presidential and 1 Air Wisconsin. Lots of 'pull up a sandbag tales' from the shop floor and product support section.

[Fokkerwokker]

I would love to know what the light aircraft was hangared at the southern end of the airfield, a few months after the factory closed and the whole area resembled a ghost town? PM me if you know, been bugging me for years since!


Would you be referring to the hangar on the south side filling up with a number of Beagle Pups? I delivered most of them fresh out of the factory at Shoreham to Radlett. One of my students at Elstree bought them of the receiver (Cork?) who was, I think, the same receiver for HP? A deal was done to park them at Radlett til they sold; as I recollect.

It was quite odd landing there and pushing them into the now huge empty hangar as I had worked there for a while as a Flight Test Eng on the Jetstream project.

A missed opportunity as Radlett would have made an ideal airport for commuter/domestic travel.

[IB4138]

No one mentioned Denham, where United Biscuits used to keep their King Air
(was flown circa 22 years ago by someone called Dave Ward). The chopper was based there for the Bond film flying around London and the flying wheelchair stunt. Saw the chair set up, it was slung under the Jet Ranger, then the editors/special effects guys got to work to make it all look real. Pilot was an American, who was sadly killed a little while later on a stunt back in the States.
It was also here that the Blenheim, after its first rebuild, did a touch and didn't go, ending up in the trees at an air show. Used to keep helicopters that I repossessed there.

Also used to keep some repossessed light planes and plant at Elstree and knew Spencer Flack, who looked after them for my then employer.

Bovingdon is now partly built on as HM Prison, The Mount and there is a large Saturday market on part of the remaining runways.

Leavsden is now a film studio, where one of the Bond films was shot and I think the Harry Potter films.

[southender]

Back in 1958 or 59, I made a marathon one day cycle trip from Ilford, which took in Stapleford, Stansted, Panshanger, Radlett, Hatfield and ended at Luton.

I remember at Panshanger there was an old shed which had a large quantity of old charts scattered about, which my friends and I helped ourselves to, believing them to be remnants from WWII. I seem to recall there was not much activity, but round the back of the airfield there was a blister type hangar with a crop spraying Chipmunk conversion G-APOS outside, which was convenient for photography.

At Radlett, we managed to somehow get down the side of the airfield, where through the fence we were able to photograph a Halifax, which although the undercarriage was lowered appeared to be supported on trestles. Strangely it had one large single fin instead of the two normal with a Halifax. I believe I read something about this aircraft somewhere but cannot recall now. Apart from that the airfield was deserted.

Nothing on view at Hatfield and by the time we got to Luton it was too late for anything but to mount up and cycle home. I recall we did not see an aircraft at Luton either!!

Those were the days.

Cheers

Southender

[chevvron]

The traction engine film shot at Radlett was 'The Iron Maiden' and featured a Burrell (I think) showmans engine in the title role. If you ever have chance to drive one, do; it's fantastic!
I thought Radlett was used for assembly of the first of the Grumman AAX light aircraft to arrive in this country (post closure) the aircraft being shipped across from the US in pieces.

[Buster the Bear]

Would you be referring to the hangar on the south side filling up with a number of Beagle Pups? I delivered most of them fresh out of the factory at Shoreham to Radlett. One of my students at Elstree bought them of the receiver (Cork?) who was, I think, the same receiver for HP? A deal was done to park them at Radlett til they sold; as I recollect.
It was quite odd landing there and pushing them into the now huge empty hangar as I had worked there for a while as a Flight Test Eng on the Jetstream project.

Definitely on the south side of the airfield. Thanks for that, I could only see one and it was a low wing.

[Mark22]

5 April 1980. Elstree to Leavesden. 8 minutes. Sort of down the A41 Watford by-pass, in the back seat of Spencer Flack's Seafury... and we were temporarily unsure of our position. Happy days.:)

PeterA

[Fokkerwokker]

5 April 1980. Elstree to Leavesden. 8 minutes. Sort of down the A41 Watford by-pass, in the back seat of Spencer Flack's Seafury... and we were temporarily unsure of our position. Happy days.:)
PeterA

Ah you went the long way Peter?

[oscarh]

Don't forget Hendon.
Only a little south of Elstree. I seem to remember a PPL 'unsure of his position' landing there in (I think) 1965 after it was closed. Got into a spot of bother for this and also because he was inside the zone!
WATford 279 was a very useful marker for Elstree and GARston VOR (112.3) was situated on Leavsden airfield in those days. Now replaced by BOVingdon of course.
Putting a DH125 into Leavsden was VERY exciting indeed in the mid sixties!!!
Anybody remember the Elstree Air Display of 1967 when the Red Arrows managed a display there and a Lightning shook most of the teeth in Watford with a low and very fast run? Neil Williams managed to display one of the replicas (Bristol Boxkite, I think) which had been constructed for and used in Those Magnificent Men.....

[ormus55]

http://www.us.imdb.com/title/tt0056105/

the iron maiden.
film, starring micheal craig and alan hale jnr.
aircraft designer with a passion for traction engines, falls in love etc.. etc..

Genevieve with steam engines basically.

[spekesoftly]

No one mentioned Denham, where United Biscuits used to keep their King Air
(was flown circa 22 years ago by someone called Dave Ward).

Dave Ward - I remember him well. What an impeccably mannered and delightful gentleman aviator! Without ever being 'pushy', he always seemed capable of getting the best possible service from ATC and Airfield Ops.

[IB4138]

spekesoftly

I am also Dave Ward, but a radio presenter.

Dave the pilot and I both used to drink in the Jolly Farmer, Chalfont St Peter. People who phoned the pub for either of us invariably got to speak to the wrong one!

Great blokeas you say, wonder where he is now?

[noisy]

[B]Southender[B], the Halifax at Radlett was apparently retained by H-P for trialling antenna installations and was apparently scrapped in 1962. If only someone had saved it!!
[B]oscarh[B], I'm sue that I could find out about the incident with the Cherokee at Hendon if you like. Seem to remember that this happened [I]after[I]the arrival of the Beverley.

[Fokkerwokker]

SHENLEY AERODROME

I think this was a RFC aerodrome during WW1?

Any idea where it was?

I am sure I read somewhere that Albert Ball flew from there?

[ormus55]

isnt shenley about 3 miles east of radlett?

[spekesoftly]

IB4138,

Although I must have spoken to DW many times over the airwaves, I believe I only met him in person once. On that occasion he had 'charmed' the Airport Director (another top bloke) in to temporarily suspending snow clearance, to allow his Be200 to land, and drop off some senior biscuit people! In the photo below, Dave is just visible next to the guy with his back to the camera.



http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f228/spekesoftly/scan0002.jpg

[A2QFI]

I did my first solo, and all my solo circuits, at Leavesden in August of 1977 in a C-150 from Luton Flying Club. I had an RAF flying scholarship.
I did my first solo and all my solo circuits at Luton in August of 1957 in a Tiger Moth. I had an RAF flying scholarship and my instructor was a charming gentleman called Ted Sessions. Grass runways then, Canberra and Provosts flying from Percival and EE factories and lots of charming office girls having their lunch and just waiting to chat to a pilot! Or not, as the case may be!

[Mark22]

At Radlett, we managed to somehow get down the side of the airfield, where through the fence we were able to photograph a Halifax, which although the undercarriage was lowered appeared to be supported on trestles. Strangely it had one large single fin instead of the two normal with a Halifax. I believe I read something about this aircraft somewhere but cannot recall now.

A shot I took when there was 'sort of' access at a SMAE championship c1959.

PeterA

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/Mark12/HalifaxRadlett-01-004.jpg

[airborne_artist]

Leavsden is now a film studio

Not quite accurate - the old RR factory and hangars are a studio, but the rest is a "business park" - described at http://www.leavesdenpark.com/

http://www.leavesdenpark.com/pop/site1.jpg

[ormus55]

OMG.
it looks so different now.:sad:

[LTNman]

I think you can just about still see those large white letters on the last but one photo from this link.
(http://www.handleypage.com/Radlett_1970.html)

Same photos of Radlett but larger at http://www.controltowers.co.uk/R/Radlett.htm

What happened to Spencer Flack and his Sea Fury?

[treadigraph]

What happened to Spencer Flack and his Sea Fury?

Coming back from an airshow somewhere up north in August 1981 or 82 he suffered engine problems and nearly made it into Waddington - nearly was a ploughed field just short of the runway, which did for the Fury and almost did for Spencer too - if I recall he was quite badly injured and was lucky to have survived.

Although he still competed in air racing in a Baron and also owned a Mustang for a few years, he abandoned flying vintage aeroplanes after the prang in favour of driving vintage racing cars; ironic really as he very sadly died a few years ago in a fatal car crash whilst racing in Austria. One of the fathers of the UK Warbird movement...

[parabellum]

I well remember Spencer Flack, albeit over a rather short period.
I flew a PA31 out of Elstree in the mid of 1973, never quite got the hang of the Elstree VASI! and spent an even shorter time flying the B58 out of Leavesdon. After that the call of the Middle East, (Bahrain and other Gulf stations), got me.
Actually was allowed to drive his brand new white Jag to his house from the pub once, well, they had just returned his Rolls to him and even he couldn't drive them both! Was amazed at his huge display of model aeroplanes that he kept at his house.

Around the end of 1973 we had a fuel crises on the horizon, Spence just drove to his local garage and asked how much they had in the premium tank, when they told him he wrote them a cheque and then put his own padlock on the tank, fuel crisis solved!

Many of you will remember the Three Horseshoes Pub in Letchmore Heath, Eddie Dexter was the landlord then, a really great man. Still soldiering on and now living in Lincolnshire.

[oscarh]

parabellum,
Eddie Dexter, a lovely man indeed. Can still taste the liver-sausage sandwiches! He is still soldiering on in Lincolnshire you say? Would you let me know where, via pm box.
Thanks,
Oscar

[LTNman]

1990

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/5731/microrally1xn4.jpg
http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/2064/microrally2ra0.jpg
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/81/microrally3rq6.jpg
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/5667/microrally4hr9.jpg

[merv32249213]

In the 1950,s when I worked at SDCR Leavesden,one or two incidents spring to mind.
A brand new DH Dove dropped into the early morning mist on the approach and then ploughed through the perimeter fence , smashed off wings and end result, one very lucky pilot sitting in what was left.
Another time we arrived at work to see a Dove on its belly on the runway, having diverted, at least he came to the right place .
One aspect of our work was to assemble DH Otters and Beavers from Canada ,arriving crated from Canada,(the crates made good garages and were sold for around a fiver).
Bob Pooley,(I think he went to greater things) flew in to work sometimes, in a tiger moth which confused the bosses.
Short Sealand powerplants were stripped down overhauled at Leavesden, as DH Chipmunks.
Lots of old drawings were stored in the archive section, mostly of aircraft,that were built by companies that DHs took over .
I have vivid memories of working for the aircraft companys around Watford. Pay was rubbish but they gave me alot of experience that I but to good use in my working life in aviation
Merv Tew

[Nogbad the Bad]

Radlett's last fly-in

I'd call it more of a buzz-in :p :p :p

[chevvron]

The runway looks in remarkably good condition considering how long it was out of use; are those the flight sheds in the background in the third photo?
In the first one you can see the runway stretching up to the M10; would I be right in saying they extended it for Victor production flights? You used to be able to catch a tantalisingly brief glimpe of it from the M10 once, probably not nowadays.
Sad to see that photo of Leavseden; so many airfields have suffered that fate; I flew over West Malling a couple of years ago and unless you knew it had been an airfield you wouldn't recognise it as such.

[Lon More]

Did my flying scholarship at Luton Flying Club back in 1966, Phil Jeffrey was the unlucky instructor most of the time.
Was asked to deliver some charts down to Elstree one day in marginal VFR, called for QDMs, was told I was overhead, looked down saw a runway and made a low pass over Leavsden, much to the consternation of someone who was about to line up,:\

[noflybywire]

I remember Leavesden and the day when we were en-route from Biggin and some poor sod walked into a spolled up prop. We overshot and went back home,:sad: :sad: :sad:

[Ret4jets]

I did my first solo, and all my solo circuits, at Leavesden in August of 1977 in a C-150 from Luton Flying Club. I had an RAF flying scholarship.
just come across this. I also was on a flying scholarship at Luton at the same time! First solo also at Leavesden!