Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields

[visibility3miles]

Interesting website on airports in the United States.

On the following pages, you will find information on vanished or abandoned airfields & their unusual histories.


As a pilot, a particular interest of mine has always been the abandoned airfields that dot the landscape of much of this country.

Both for their potential safety value to a pilot in an emergency,

and also for their sometimes fascinating history, this particular topic has always held my curiosity.

When I'm a passenger on commercial flights,

I've always found myself looking out the window, constantly looking for airfields below.

When I fly as a pilot myself, I've always tried to land at as many airports as possible,

to learn a little about each one.

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/index.htm

[gbh]

So here's a challenge:
Are there any disused (hard runway) airfields that have been totally blotted out from view, such that no trace of their existance remains?
I am always surprised how field boundary shapes, farm tracks, trees, old buildings, street names etc always seem to remain as a clue.
Can an airfield ever be 'obliterated'?

[Double Zero]

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.

[visibility3miles]

Unfortunately, suburban sprawl is eating up small airports that used to be in the middle of nowhere. The original straight line of the runway may still be there, but now it is a street lined with houses.

:{

[treadigraph]

I was going to suggest Hatfield which might be largely invisible now :{ - Googlemap and Local Live don't appear to be recent, but developments on the airfield site for the University of Hertfordshire and others are fairly extensive.

However then I re-read your challenge properly and spotted the bit about names: University of Hertfordshire part is the "de Havilland Campus". Bit of a clue there! :)

[wet wet wet]

One example might be Bitteswell, which was a typical WW2 field with three hard runways that remained active until the 80s. The site is now Magna Park industrial estate and totally unrecognisable as a disused airfield, so much so that the CAA has renamed it as a reporting point.

[Atcham Tower]

I thought about Bitteswell too, but then remembered that its roads have aeronautical names.

[JustaFew]

If airfields can be created from 'nothing', then an airfield can just as easily be
'obliterated'.

Christchurch - was a manufacturers airfield, Fairey?, only clue now are roads
with aviation connections.

Ibsley - was dug up to access the gravel underneath.

Numerous more in the UK. Search for disused airfield on t'internet, some websites have a link through to aerial pictures of the location.

[windriver]

Sunderland is about as callous as it gets! If we ignore grass landing grounds.....

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Sunderland.html

[Ginger Tom]

Wrexham comes to mind (OK, there was about 150m of runway left last time I flew over there; I get students to find it if they can). Burtonwood seems to have vanished, along with Hooton Park, now the Vauxhall car plant. And what was the name of the one under the approach to 23 at Teesside? Thornaby? It's a business/retail/industrial park now.
There was also one (I think pre WWII grass, but hard runways laid wartime) just to the north of York. I think it may have been called Rawcliffe. It's now a retail park, with absolutely no trace left of its former purpose. No monument that I know of; could be said that the biggest vandals are sitting on councils!

[chevvron]

Tarrant Rushton is fairly invisible, and there are many in East Anglia that are only barely discernable from the air or Google Earth pictures
Also West Malling in Kent; you wouldn't know it was an airfield once looking at the site from the air; the local council really did a number on that one!

[MReyn24050]

During World War II, Bristol Airport was the only civil airport still in operation in the UK, meaning all flights usually bound for London were terminated in Bristol. The newly formed British Overseas Airways Corporation were dispersed to Whitchurch from Croydon and Gatwick Airports. They operated on routes to Lisbon, Portugal and to some other neutral nations. Whitchurch continued to be used after WW2, but the introduction of heavier post-war airliners made a runway extension highly desirable. However, this was very difficult, because of the proximity of the surrounding housing estates.
Consequently, a decision was taken in 1955 to develop a new airport at Lulsgate Bottom Airfield near Redhill, from a former wartime RAF station, which had been operating in peacetime as a glider station. The new airport was called Bristol Lulsgate Airport and was opened in 1957 by Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent.
All that is left of Whitchurch Airport is a few street names and a short length of runway.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/sabamel/WhitchurchAirport.jpg

[izod tester]

Acklington is now an open cast coal mine. The M5 just south of Gloucester runs along the main Moreton Valence runway. The hangars where, as a boy, I saw Gloster Javelins being made were demolished about 3 years ago.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

<<<
Burtonwood seems to have vanished
>>>

Well, the M62 goes right through the middle of the old Burtonwood, but you can clearly see the remains of old taxiways, aprons and (if I recall, drove it last year) some hangars.

Is another possible candidate Hornchurch ?

[Saab Dastard]

Hasn't Hornchurch pretty well vanished?

Also Heston - although some original hangars remain. Hendon is another London airfield that has vanished - though the RAF museum is an obvious reminder.

SD

[izod tester]

I have just remembered that a thread on Aviation History and Nostalgia gave a link to a superb site that provides links to Google Earth images of just about all UK airfields, including WW1 airfields such as Rencombe. The site still exists:

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/

Sorry, I can't remember who posted the link a couple of years ago.

[chiglet]

Stretton?
watp,iktch

[ICT_SLB]

Looks like it's also hard to remove some airfields in Canada. This is St. Eugene, Quebec - once one of the largest RAF/RCAF training fields anywhere.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=rigaud,+Quebec&ie=UTF8&ll=45.490645,-74.470053&spn=0.027558,0.057163&t=h&z=14&iwloc=addr&om=1

But Bombardier seems to have just about obliterated Montreal's original airport, Cartierville (CYCV) see http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=cartierville,+Quebec&sll=45.812769,-72.68589&sspn=0.109598,0.228653&ie=UTF8&ll=45.512452,-73.720837&spn=0.027547,0.057163&t=h&z=14&iwloc=addr&om=1

Although you can see the original Noordhyn (Norseman) & Canadian Vickers (Canadair) buildings along Henri Bourasa.

[gbh]

JustaFew - I believe that Ibsley still has a control tower. http://www.controltowers.co.uk/H-K/Ibsley.htm
So not yet obliterated!

[grow45]

Grangemouth in Scotland - now completely obliterated and as far as I can see no evidence in the street names.
http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Grangemouth.html
g45

[pulse1]

An extensive list of UK airfields can be found here:
http://fly.dsc.net/u/Home

I found it looking for the old Cardiff Airport at Pengam Moors. I used to go kart racing there in the early 60's when, I believe, it was owned by the Rover company and there was little evidence of it ever having been an airfield.

[HZ123]

Indeed it was owned by Rover and once used for HRH Philip to drive a jet propelled Rover 75 coupe.

[gbh]

Grow45: those look suspiciously like hangars on the Abbotsinch Road?
Compare with Luftwaffe photo of Grangemouth, labelled 'A'.
http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/images/445486.jpg

[Rollingthunder]

Grove airfield in Oxfordshire. Was told that at one time it was the busiest airfield in the UK. USAF base it was and now covered in houses.

[Loki]

Just had a look at Google Earth, and there doesn`t seem to be much evidence of an airfield any more at Renfrew.

[ChristiaanJ]

Just visited Brooklands, and it seems there are a few traces of the runway left.
Sorry, no Google Earth pic.

[ChristiaanJ]

Sorry, visibility3miles....
You mentioned airfields in the US, and all you get is airfields in the UK.....
One more....
I bought this ages ago, and it still makes interesting reading.
Freeman, Roger A., Airfields Of The Eighth, Then And Now, 1978

[grow45]

gbh said

"Grow45: those look suspiciously like hangars on the Abbotsinch Road?
Compare with Luftwaffe photo of Grangemouth, labelled 'A'.
http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/images/445486.jpg"

Interesting - I had assumed they were modern but they look in exactly the right position. I'll maybe take a look next time I am passing.

Loki said

"Just had a look at Google Earth, and there doesn`t seem to be much evidence of an airfield any more at Renfrew."

Is the long straight stretch of the M8 not on the line of the old runway. Not immediately obvious as part of an airfield but interesting as a reminder of where it was.

g45

[Inverted81]

As said earlier, hatfield is changing VERY quickly, good that the tower and the Trident shed remain though ;) Nice big clue. One of the best street names i've seen there is "the Runway" what a nice address that would be!
Went to brooklands last year, very hard to imagine an airfield once being there, and also what about Christchurch airfield in dorset?
Apparently there was once a sea vixen on concrete blocks. The blocks remain sat outside PCworld but no aircraft.... any ideas where that airframe ended up?
81


edit:
just found these pics of christchurch.... is the BAe site at Mudeford, or is it where i am thinking behind pcworld now??

http://www.users.freenetname.co.uk/~bgwells/BAEXCHSite/airfield.jpg

http://www.users.freenetname.co.uk/~bgwells/BAEXCHSite/xchsite.jpg

[Loki]

Grow 45 re Renfrew

Yes, I believe you may be right, the M8 is alleged to follow the centreline exactly. I remember driving on said motorway in the very early 70s and the old control tower could be seen from the road; the rest of the site to the north becoming a housing estate. On the other side of the motorway, was the Rolls Royce site (Hillington), the buildings of which certainly looked like they belonged at an airfield.

[panda-k-bear]

There's not a lot left of Woodley Airfield on the edge of Reading, where Miles Aircraft used to be based. There's a bit of a museum and the road names around have been given an aviation flavour but the airfield itself is long gone.

[Fenders]

The runway at Tangmere was dug up a few years ago. All that appears to remain are the old control tower building and the excellent museum. I think part of the airfield has been developed into industrial units/warehousing, etc.
It is still possible to see where the runways once were.

[Ripline]

Fairlop (ex Spitfire base), East London, runways gone for hardcore and then totally obliterated by years of gravel extraction. I was brought up on the other side of the Central Line and well remember playing amongst the tank traps and pill boxes in the 50's....

Witney, Oxon. Possible to trace the the layout via the industrial estate. Visiting the JR hospital recently and met an old lady who worked in the de Havilland repair shop during the war. She had some nice tales to tell!

Harrington, near Sywell, is a more traceable site with an impressive covert history from the US Carpetbaggers operations (RAF Tempsford nearby was the UK equivalent) to the Thor missile site operations of the Cold War. Google Earth shows the remains of the missile launch platforms. The museums there are both well worth a visit. See http://harringtonmuseum.org.uk/Location.htm

There's a small memorial to a wartime Spit pilot who dropped in for lunch and the chocolate that the Americans had, put on "a show" for the Yanks and departed low and barrel rolled it into the Admin hut. Also parked outside is a blue T6 that seems to have been abandoned by it's owner (visible on Google, the Harvard, not the owner...)

Nothing much left of Twinwood Farm north of Bedford now. I landed there years ago as part of my gliding Silver C. Runways totally gone, but the peri track shows where it was, now just a ghost in the fields. That's where Glen Miller took off from on his last, fatal flight.

Hope this interests ;)

Ripline

[Brewster Buffalo]

Stretton?Quite a bit left

http://www.multimap.com/maps/#t=l&map=53.34584,-2.52489|16|8&loc=GB:53.39265:-2.58698:14|warrington|Warrington,%20Birchwood,%20WA1%202 (http://www.multimap.com/maps/#t=l&map=53.34584,-2.52489%7C16%7C8&loc=GB:53.39265:-2.58698:14%7Cwarrington%7CWarrington,%20Birchwood,%20WA1%202 )

[Lon More]

Folkestone, on the racecourse. The only thing I could see was the Airport Cafe on the A20.
Donibristle, in Fife. Is there anything left of Hamble? Barton (Beds.) once had a grass airfield i was told but never found traces

[chevvron]

Lon; you can't see much of Hawkinge any more either.
Another one I looked at on Flashearth is Molesworth; completely obliterated by cruise missile bunkers.
Barton-in-the Clay, Luton's first airport, still has traces in the old buildings now an industrial estate.

[Lon More]

At Hawkinge there is still the BoB Museum, the camp cinema remains as do most of the accommodation, albeit i a very bad condition. The runways have disappeared under new houses, many of the street names are not even aviation related (PC gone crazy)
Barton le Clay. The first time i heard of it's existence was during an interview at Hamble. Ii must have overflown it many times and even looked on the ground but could find nothing. Not the best place for an airfield, with sharply rising ground on three sides.
Here (http://airfieldarchaeology.fotopic.net/) is a lot of info and links to many other sites

Fly (http://fly.dsc.net/u/Home) is probably well known to readers, but included an aerial view of the site of Barton, also another one as Luton Leagrave. I've never heard of that one either and the position shown is well outside Leagrave, nearer Dunstable.

[chevvron]

Up in Buckinghamshire, near the border with Herts travelling from Chesham to Berkhamstead, about 1/2 mile before you get to the village of Ashley Green to the west of the main road there's a small field containing a 'blister' type hangar. I say type because all the years I've seen it (since mid '50s) it's been re-roofed and refurbished so that although it's still the correct shape, I doubt if there's much original material left!
My parents always said it was an airfield that they started to build but never finished (it's about 2 or 3 miles west of Bovingdon) but the field looks too small to be a real airfield. Maybe it was a temporary strip used in the run-up to D-Day?
Returning to the south coast, as well as Hawkinge, Hastings (Pebsham) and Bexhill (Siddeley Green) have also been obliterated by housing.

[Cremeegg]

Don't know if this counts as there were only ever hard runways at the ends (although the peri track was concrete all the way round) - try Croydon Airport - hard end of runway adjacent to A23 still visible - the rest largely under houses flats all with aviation related road names

[FantomZorbin]

For those looking in the Norfolk area the following URL might be useful - it enables you to compare aerial photographs of 1988 & 1946 for most areas.

www.historic-maps.norfolk.gov.uk/Emap/EmapExplorer.asp (http://www.historic-maps.norfolk.gov.uk/Emap/EmapExplorer.asp)

[wrecker]

Another short lived RFC/RAF landing ground
Throwley N51 15 02 E 000 51 09.
First use 1916 returned to agriculture 1919 But in that time hosted 112 sqn 143 sqn and 188 sqn.
Landed there in 2006 and in the woods at the north west boundary you can still see the ruins of various airfield buildings

[chevvron]

There's a golf course just east of Romford that used to be Maylands airfield; I understand the concrete bases of some old buildings are still visible.
I tried to find Rearsby (ex Auster/Beagle factory airfield) on Flashearth; it is partially visible but only if you know what it used to look like. Same at Holme-on-Spalding-Moor.

[REF]

Some of you may be interested in my website, Airfields & Aviation Memorials (http://http://www.airfields.fotopic.net/)

There is a few photos from Ibsley as someone mentioned it earlier. There are loads of other airfields on there as well. It may be relevant to thistopic/thread

Richard

[Audax]

Ginger Tom, the airfield on the northern edge of Yok was indeed RAF York although it was known locally as Clifton, the retail estate is now Clifton Moor. Many of the streets are named after aviation themes eg Stirling Rd, Hurricane Way, Audax Close, Amy Johnson Way etc. If you look carefully to the north of the ring road, you can still see the shape of the northern edge of the airfield including the runways thresholds. An aquintance of mine clearly remembers literally hundreds of Halifaxes being destroyed there post war, ideed the wife of a local garage owner was a mechanic there at the time.

[diginagain]

For a short while in the early 1990's, I lived adjacent to Clifton airfield, and spent hours watching the new development as it went up, hoping in vain for some substantial artifacts to emerge.

The last remnants of the repair depot, which until recently were a grain store, are currently up for auction. There will soon be very little visible evidence left.

At N53 deg 51min 58.1sec, W001deg 19min 19.1 sec is a Belfast Truss hangar, remnant of the WW1 RFC airfield at Bramham Moor, which is visible as you drive along the A64 east of it's junction with the A1

[jabberwok]

I tried to find Rearsby (ex Auster/Beagle factory airfield) on Flashearth; it is partially visible but only if you know what it used to look like.

I can't recall exactly where it was now - which is rather a sad admission. Can you point me at the right location?

[MReyn24050]

Try here:-
http://www.abct.org.uk/page_363.html

[Krystal n chips]

On the subject of Yorkshire airfields, there is a large hangar visible from the M62 ( heading East, the hangar is South of the M'way ) between Jncts 34 and 35. Any idea's as to what this former location was at all please ?

[diginagain]

I think it is what remains of RAF Snaith, sometimes known as Pollington.
Snaith (http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/s64.html)
Hope this helps.

[Krystal n chips]

diginagain,

Many thanks :ok:. A look at the map suggest you are spot on. The hangar is certainly large enough ( not familiar with the various types to be more specific ) to have been used for muti-engined aircraft hence another reason for the query. I also wondered about the one near the A64 for many years until you posted on the location.

[diginagain]

No worries. Glad to be able to contribute.:ok:

This'll be the hanger at Snaith from a little closer;

T type hangar (http://www.airfields-in-yorkshire.co.uk/snaith/thangar.html)

[Krystal n chips]

It's very similar, but the hangar in question has the girder extensions to allow the doors to be fully opened......bit like those at Dishforth for example.

As an aside, I once went to York University and saw a memorial in one of the admin buildings ( a large Hall to be more exact ) to the Bomber crews and the fact the ( could be wrong here ) the location was a Group HQ. Not an airfield I know, but still relevant to past usage.

[diginagain]

The memorial you saw at York University would be at Heslington Hall, which was HQ 4 Group, Bomber Command.

HQ 6 (RCAF) Group was at Allerton Park Castle, adjacent to the A1/A59 junction, known to its inmates as 'Castle Dismal'.

Snaith was built during the war period whereas Dishforth was a pre-war, 'expansion' airfield with C Type hangars, with masonry walls, while Snaith's were of a more quick-build design with steel frames and cladding. I've seen one dropped in about five days, even with H&S on site, for re-erection elsewhere.

Bruce Barrymore Halpenny's book on Yorkshire military airfields in the series 'Action Stations' (volume 4), goes into quite good detail on the airfields and HQ. I've a full set, currently looking for a good home.

[chevvron]

Jabberwok: look on www.flashearth.com posn 52deg43'0.3"N 001deg1' 44.3"W' (about 2nm SE of rearsby village) along the B674 Gaddesby Lane you'll see the factory buildings but the actual airfield is divided into fields.

[Roland Pulfrew]

For those that think you can obliterate airfields have a look at this picture of Little Staughton in Bedfordshire. Once the home of Mosquitos and Lancasters even the bits that have been removed remain visible:

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/LittleStaughton.html

Sadly the airfiled at York is all but gone. Just the ends of 3 of the runways, one or two hardstandings and, perhaps strangely in the middle of a now built up area, the hangars

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/York.html

Some good names though, and I wonder if many of the residents realise why? Audax Way. Auster Road. Seafire Close - Nice:ok:

[windriver]

Some good names though, and I wonder if many of the residents realise why? Audax Way. Auster Road. Seafire Close - Nice

Great names indeed.. so often wasted on Industrial estates though. Seafire Way beats Acacia Avenue or London Road every time.

How I`d like to live on a street called Seafire Way.. or Lysander Court.... Not so sure about Auster Road though. :E

[chevvron]

Browsing flashearth, another couple occured to me:
Billing; east side of Northampton; I believe it's now the site of Billing Aquadrome.
Broxbourne Herts; now possibly gravel pits?

[MReyn24050]

There is certainly nothing left of the airfield where Parnell built their aircraft at Yate Gloucestershire.
The first photograph is an aerial view taken by the Luftwaffe in 1939, not very clear I will admit. The second is Yate today.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/sabamel/yate2.jpg
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c67/sabamel/YateAirfield.jpg
The building, outline in black, bottom right corner of the airfield is where Morrisons Supermarket sits today.

[jabberwok]

Broxbourne Herts; now possibly gravel pits?

I understand this is so - but its hard to see exactly where the airfield used to be. There's a lot of water there now.

[DBisDogOne]

Yup, the Ibsley tower can still be seen, it's to the west side of the field, erm, sorry, water filled gravel pits and I think there's a WW2 memorial there too. Tarrent Rushon is a VRP and the NW entry point to Bournemouth ATZ, as is Stoney cross (WW2 field), it's the NE entry point.

For old airfield locations with links to local.live.com or google earth try:
http://www.homepages.mcb.net/bones/06airfields/
and
http://www.thehangar.co.uk/waypoints/sql.php3?sql_query

For those of you who live in the south:
http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/airfields/bis.html

Probably 'cos I'm sad and need to get out more, but I find them very interesting and it's a nice game to spot them when you're out flying as they often make good waypoints (those you can still see of course).
It's amazing what's visable from the air that isn't from the ground, Beaulieu is a great example. Guess that's another good reason to keep flying then (as if we need one).

[JustaFew]

While visiting family, had a drive around the area which was admin when Hamble was active, College of Air Training. The area is now a housing estate, surprisingly, couldn't see any buildings from the CoAT days, although the railway is still there. A few garden fences straddle the line. The airfield had been ploughed.

[tribekey]

Ibsley control tower (which survived mainly due to the fact it has concrete ceilings as opposed to the wooden ones often used) is currently centre of an ongoing effort to attract funding and protected status to have it restored to ww2 original condition. Allthough the rest of the airfield has gone, mostly due to gravel extraction in the 60's/70's there are a few minor huts/hardstandings still visible.the airfield fire station, for example, is now a private house. There is indeed a memorial stood at what was the north east corner of the airfield.

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

I see nobody's mentioned Blackpool yet.


Not Squires Gate, but the one that's now the Zoo :8

[time expired]

Whatever happened to the following airfields in the Coventry
area?, Honiley,home of 605 Sqn.RAuxAF,Bramcote, HMS Gamecock,
1833 Sqn.RNVR.These were places I plane spotted as a kid until
my parent emigrated with me to Canada in 1954.Also in the Radford
area of Coventry was a dummy airfield during the war years,this
was our play area as kids.As the city council began building an
estate we set upon a guerilla campaign against this estate,its
probably called vandalism these days,however we were quite
successful in that our campaign as it was mentioned in the local
newspaper and a fourman police patrol was instituted which made
it even more challenging.As we were not consulted by the city
council we felt quite justified in our actions.
Regards

[cvt person]

Honiley is very much still there, it use to be the test track for Lucas but now serves the same purpose for prodrive. It will be where the prodrive formula one team will be based. Bramcote is also still there and still in military ownership its the guerka barracks. Radford is under a housing estate. It may well have been a mock airfield during the war indeed long after the war the area was still called Radford aerodrome. However it was real earlier, it was developed during the first world war alongside the Daimler works. Aircraft from the Daimler and the Standard motor company were test flown from there before delivery to the military. It fell into disuse once the military contracts were complete and by 1935 plans were in existance to turn it into a housing estate. The last known landing was in 1935 with the forced landing of an RAF aircraft that managed to collide with one of the goal posts on the football pitches that then occupied the site.

[time expired]

CTV Person,Thanks for your reply,I found it very interesting.I did
not realise that Radford really was an active airfield, as my family
only moved to Coventry in 1940 from Nuneaton, just in time for
November Blitz.
Regards

[reverserunlocked]

Anyone know what this field is, to the west of Newcastle Airport? Looks very intact from the google earth picture.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&t=h&om=1&ll=55.023151,-1.857634&spn=0.044085,0.107288&z=14

[ZH875]

Ouston airfield.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Ouston

[Talkdownman]

EGQO, 'OU', Home of the Ouston TACAN OUZ (ISTR).......

[On-MarkBob]

Stormy Down by Bridgend in South Wales has been almost completely lost to a quarry.

[Sir George Cayley]

Hull (Paull) just fields now,
Alexandra Park, Manchester (Playing fields west of Princess Parkway),
Tatton Pk Ches where No1 Parrott Shoot Sqdn used to drop into the lake-
ah the Whitley Kiss:ouch:
Hells Bay west of Abersoch
Heston
Hounslow Gt West Aerodrome
Lymnpe in Kent
The Spitfire factory north of Birmingham featured in "Sigh for a Merlin"
The original Gatwick (OK the Behive is still there, but)
Acaster Malbis (some will say its still there but I love the name)

Going but not quite gone is Huddersfield, Crossland Moor, catch it while you can.

Lastly, one I wish would disappear............



HEATHROW:ok:


Sir George Cayley

[LowNSlow]

Does anybody have the Google Earth location for RAF Lisset, home of 158 Sqn's Halifaxes?

I think I've found it here: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&t=h&om=1&ll=55.023151,-1.857634&spn=0.044085,0.107288&z=14 ?

[682al]

Lisset is here, almost on the coast, south of Bridlington.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&t=k&om=1&ll=54.004389,-0.267878&spn=0.024415,0.058365&z=14
It is thinly disguised as Liscombe Farm in the novel Johnny Kinsman, by John Watson - still a good read, by the way.

[chevvron]

Tried looking for Hooton Park on flashearth the other day but couldn't find it.

[MReyn24050]

The airfield you found was Ouston Airfield, now I believe a TA barracks.

[windriver]

I have a csv (name,long,lat) and kml set (Google Earth) for about 1600 UK airfields active/disused/long gone - A handful of entries need updating when I get round to it, but the vast majority are correct. .. PM if you'd like a copy

[682al]

Tried looking for Hooton Park on flashearth the other day but couldn't find it.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&t=k&om=1&ll=54.004389,-0.267878&spn=0.024415,0.058365&z=14
It's not easy to spot, but there's some concrete, the hangars and a few other buildings.
(The unsold Vauxhalls are another clue!)

[MReyn24050]

At Post#74 you gave that reference as being Lisset Airfield?

[ZH875]

Hooton Park (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=hooton&sll=54.004389,-0.267878&sspn=0.034655,0.079823&ie=UTF8&ll=53.304211,-2.935538&spn=0.017618,0.039911&t=k&z=15&om=1)looks more like this.

[682al]

How odd, ZH875's view of Hooton Park is the one I thought I'd linked to! :confused:

[ZH875]

How odd, ZH875's view of Hooton Park is the one I thought I'd linked to! :confused:

I must admit, it was my second attempt, it appears that if you goto a previous googlemap link, then do a search, the map changes, but the page URL does not, just use the 'Link to this page' button, and copy that URL, and the right page appears.

[LowNSlow]

682al, thanks for the location. That was the one I found but when I re-checked my link it had moved to somewhere West of Newcastle!!!

Looking at the calm fields it is hard to beleive that this is where my Dad flew from 36 times to cross the enemy coast and was the scene of the deaths of more than a few of his friends.

[Cubdriver06]

Google Earth and the local USGS survey map both show an airport in North Hampton, New Hampshire (that's NOO Hampshire, in the US) called Cibor.

I fly out of Hampton airfield, yet I've never found anyone who can explain to me what Cibor was. Does anyone here know?

Blue skies! -- Dan Ford

Coming August 21: Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942 (http://www.flyingtigersbook.com)

[norman atkinson]

RAF Ouston became Albermarle Barracks.

Does anyone know anything about Air Ministry Book Production and Distribution Unit? It appears- or so the RAF Museum claims on something called a Form SD13.

Again, RAF Highgate, London. Has anyone information please?
The Museum denies its existence whilst I have been in all three.

Thank you

[ZH875]

SD usually refers to 'Secret Document', so SD13 will be classified, so unless it has been declassified, the contents will not be available.

[fauteuil volant]

Please forgive me engaging in a spot of necromancy, but having discovered this old thread it seemed to me to be the ideal place to ask if anyone has, or can direct me to sources of, information concerning the apparently shortlived Hastings (East Sussex) municipal aerodrome at Pebsham. Although it was planned as early as 1934, it does not appear to have opened until 1948 and one source refers to it as a "former aerodrome" by as soon as 1952. However, incongrously, I have found another reference, in 1957, which suggests that Hastings Borough Council were then planning to extend and develop the airfield. Today the site is, I understand, football pitches. Can anyone tell me more about this little known and long since abandoned airfield?

[pax britanica]

The area aroiund Heathrow was once home to several airfields-flat and near London so ideal of course. The mighty LHR itself is of course an outgrowth f one such developemnt the modest but grandly named Great West Aerodrome which I think belonged to Faireys.

Heston is still visible with listed buildings - Chamberlains Munich flight Peace in Our Time etc of course and some natty metal cutouts of a 1930s monplane on main road. Many years after it ceased to be an airfield due to the proximity of LHR twas a CAA office f some kin for quite some time in the 60s and 70s

Not sure where Hounslow Aerodrome was unless it was on the Heath but there is also close by Hanworth Airpark. Which I havent been to for years but kicked a football around many times n the 1970s. No sign of it then either but the area was still known as Hanworth Airpark. Last one is Langley near Slough which was a manufacturing site in WW2 and test airfield for things lke the Typhoon or Tempest I believe. Was a Ford van works for many years not sure if that is still there.
Given the decline in industry in UK must be several old airfields which became industrial sites before moving onto third generation use as housing estates.

Fascinating thread

PB

[scr1]

how about the first airfield for inverness now the longman industrial estate

[Saab Dastard]

pax britanica,

I have a particular interest in the old West London aerodromes (I'm in Twickenham), so I've dug out some links to other / old threads that you may find of interest:

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/341893-miles-monoplane-landing-heston-airport.html
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/151003-west-london-airfields-heston-hanworth-hounslow.html
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/232271-airfield-clues-age-map.html

Hounslow aerodrome was indeed on Hounslow Heath, and Hanworth Aerodrome is still remarkably similar today!

SD

[chevvron]

As regards Pebsham; images on Flash Earth ...satellite and aerial imagery of the Earth in Flash (http://www.flashearth.com) seem to show the remains of a runway just east of 'Pebsham Lane'. I've lost the map I had which showed 'Siddeley Green' but I'm sure it was depicted north of Bexhill.

[fauteuil volant]

Chevvron, are you sure about Siddeley Green? Firstly I think that the spelling should be Sidley, which is a district of Bexhill, but secondly I can find no other reference to an aerodrome either of that name or generally in Bexhill or the surrounding area (other than, obviously, Hasting Pebsham). The only aerial activity in Bexhill, to which I can find reference, are the visits of Cobham's air circus, which were at Little Common, Bexhill, in 1933, 1934 and 1935. But if you can find the map again, and thereby shed more light on this issue, I'll be most grateful.

[flyingwing]

Stanton Harcourt

The Airfields Of Oxfordshire Stanton Harcourt (http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/StantonHarcourt.html)

[chevvron]

Looking at a map(not the original) I agree the spelling should be Sidley. The map in question was owned by my older brother, who obtained it when he went to school camp at Bexhill in the mid/late 50s; it showed an 'aircraft' symbol with 'Sidley Green' printed next to it (could have been an Esso Road Map and is long gone). Maybe, considering the scale of the map, it could actually have depicted Pebsham; the two sites look to be less than 2 miles apart.

[fauteuil volant]

Many thanks, Chevvron. It looks like a case of another one bites the dust!

[The Real Slim Shady]

Several years ago, must be 1989-ish, Scroggs and another QFI from YUAS did a a grand tour of disused airfields in Yorkshire / Lincolnshire in the Dusk 'til Dawn fly-in.

Scroggs may have some great info on that day and the airfields they visited.

[chevvron]

Bramcote (Warwickshire?) is only recognisable as the hangars still exist; the airfield seems to have been totally destroyed by the pongos now in residence.

[fauteuil volant]

Another possible candidate is Camber Aerodrome, near Rye, in East Sussex. I say possible because I have not established whether there was a grass field there or the flying was off the sands. There seems to have been aerial activity there before WW2. A Mr Ogilvie is recorded as keeping a Short Wright biplane, a Voisin type aeroplane and a full size glider there in 1910. Zenith Airways were operating at least one, but possibly four, three seat Avro 504Ns from there in 1935/36. I offer it as an abandoned airfield candidate because in 1935 "the Manager, Camber Aerodrome, Rye" was advertising in Flight for a general engineer. Does anyone know whether there was an airfield, in the accepted sense, at Camber and, if so, does anyone know anything more about it? Suffice to say modern aerial views of the site reveal no evidence of former aviation activity.

[JAR]

Not sure if this has been posted before or is of any use, but it is a good site:


UK Airfield Catalogue (http://www.homepages.mcb.net/bones/06airfields/UK/ukmenu.htm)

[DennisK]

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.

In the mid 1950s, I completed a USA air traffic GCA out of Grove, Oxfordshire in a Canberra B2. Others I still see from the air. About 50 yards of hard runway at Christchurch, the open space and perimeter track of the RLG south of Goodwood. the original Westhampnett? And there's precious left of the long E/W runways at Greenham Common (USAF) or Wisley. (VC10s)

There's the north/south strip on Hayling Island once used by a Cub belonging to Bill Warner. (Warner holiday camps) Spelthorne in Beds, (virtually invisible except by seasonal crop marks) There's another RLG immediately SE of Five Oaks in Sussex which I still use for forced landings and before I go on for too long, Peter Cadbury's east/west and North/South runways near Ascot. Smeatharpe in Devon close to Dunkeswell and the 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.

Dennis Kenyon.

[DennisK]

Oh and before I forget .. surely the best AND oldest 'lost' airfield is the Sevenoaks Aerodrome where the Sevenoaks Aeroplane Company, or something near had three WW1 hangars on the South East perimeter of the field are still standing. I think they have a preservation order on them. I landed a heli there around 1998 and the signwriting of the Sevenoaks name was just discernable on the hangar roof. Now cow sheds!

Dennis Kenyon.

[jabberwok]

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.

Did this go under the quaint name of Starve Acre?

[aviate1138]

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.

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn77/aviate1138/Picture21.jpg


Based on my one remaining brain cell's memory!

[chevvron]

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.

[Bus429]

This place (http://www.hutton-in-the-forest.co.uk/gardens/park.html) was an airfield in the war; not far from Penrith.

[Loki]

Aviate1138

Peter Cadbury had an Islander at one point....I got a trip in it once from Hawthorn Hill to Plymouth and back. That would have been about 1971, IIRC

[chevvron]

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.

[HighlandBoy]

EGPY : Dounreay :ok:

Closed forever

[Talkdownman]

Pegasus Air taxi using a couple of Aztecs was based at Preston Candover.

[Talkdownman]

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.

[xraydice]

"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 )

[Self Loading Freight]

In the early 80s, I learned a few basic driving skills at Harrabeer (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=50%C2%B029%2724%22N+4%C2%B05%2748%22W&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=34.122306,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=50.491207,-4.096699&spn=0.026757,0.077248&t=h&z=14), 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

[Krystal n chips]

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.

[aviate1138]

K'n'chips.......

It is probably Wormingford near Colchester.

RAF Wormingford - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Wormingford)

A Gliding club is resident afaik.

[fauteuil volant]

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!

[Krystal n chips]

aviate 1138........thanks for the info.:ok:...that is indeed the place.

[Kiltie]

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 (http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=mundole&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=13.074846,28.125&ie=UTF8&ll=57.587272,-3.658619&spn=0.005785,0.021887&t=k&z=16)

And this was his aeroplane, with personalised registration...

G-HLUB - Unknown Beechcraft Super King Air 200 Aircraft Photos - Strathallan @ Airplane-Pictures.net (http://www.airplane-pictures.net/image13106.html)

[Flash2001]

ICT

IIRC, St. Eugene is in Ontario, close to Quebec though.

After an excellent Landing you can use the airplane again!

[one11]

http://i637.photobucket.com/albums/uu98/viscount700/pruneap310309.jpg

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

[Kiltie]

Interesting post thanks One11. Have you any idea if this book is still in circulation?

[one11]

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

[603DX]

chevvron:

West Malling isn't "totally obliterated", it still had its control tower when I last visited, plus some large brick-built WW2 messes, now converted to office and store accommodation.

Also there is a splendid "scrambling airman" memorial to all who flew from there, who included Guy Gibson (in his Beaufighter night-fighter period before the Dambuster raid), John ("Cats Eyes") Cunningham, and Peter Townsend.

The control tower looked sad and neglected when I saw it last, despite I believe having some sort of protected status. This was the building which featured in a famous picture of one of the FW190's which landed in error at the station, and had "Do not turn" marked in chalk on its cowling.

[chevvron]

Well from the air is!!

[Lightning Mate]

Self Loading Freight:

Harrabeer

That wouldn't be Harrowbeer would it?

Sorry, now off to harrabeer or two....

[Capot]

I found myself at RAF Witchford, the other day, in the building where there is a little museum of the WWII Australian Lancasters with Hercules engines, something that until then I did not know existed.

2 or 3 superb models, photos, documents, memorabilia, just fascinating and a lovely memorial to the Aussies.

It's a mile or two South West of Ely close to the A142, and the runway pattern can just be picked out on Google Earth, especially the NE/SW runway.

[Self Loading Freight]

Well, (ahem) you know the Devon aaaaaarksent....

I'll get me Coate's

R

[MRAF]

I am currently reserching RAF Highgate as a project for the RAF Intelligence Officers Association (RAFIOA).

I am very keen to hear from anyone who has any information, memories or even pictures of the place.

RAF Highgate was opened in Sep 1942, as the home to the RAF Intelligence School. The school was officially badged with a crest depicting a sphinx and sun, however the unit was publically shrouded with a cover story of being a convelesence hospital and nurses training unit. The School itself sat in the grand mansion that was known as Caen Wood Towers (renamed Athlone House in 1972) that sits on the North edge of Hampstead Heath. This building is currently still in place, although in poor condition. It is under threat from building development, despite the local Highgate Society and a number of other loacal groups fighting to have the building preserved and restored. It is currently NOT listed but sits in a conservation area and is subject to Camden Councils planning ruling that the building should be restored. This does not appear to be being honoured by the current land owner. The RAFIOA, is currently working with the Highgate Society to apply for listed status to this important part of wartime history that has been almost forgotten.

7000+ personnel were trained in Air Intelligence and Escape and Evasion (MI9) during the war years alone. The School remained at Highgate until 1948 when it moved to the Air Ministry in central London. It eventually closed in 1969 when Int training became joint at Ashford.

Anyone with any memories of the School, especially at Highgate, would be most welcome.

[Phil Space]

Ginger Tom wrote Wrexham comes to mind (OK, there was about 150m of runway left last time I flew over there; I get students to find it if they can).

As someone who went to school in the town is was a pleasure years later when I used the strip as a regular. I had to send a telex (remember them) every time before I flew in.This was back in the 1980's.

McAlpines owned the quarry,they also built the airfield in WW2, and Jimmy McAlpine was a regular in the companies twin. He lived just down the road at Marchwiel Hall.

[ROC man]

What about the former RFC Leadenham (nr Cranwell)? It closed in 1919. There are no obvious signs of occupation other than the historical sign at the side of the road at the junction of Long Lane and Pottergate Road. It was created for 38 Sqn who were providing air defence for Zeppelin threat.

RM

[biggles111]

RAF Worksop almost completely gone now, unless you search the undergrowth for some foundations;

The Airfields Of Nottinghamshire Worksop (http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Worksop.html)

RAF Thornaby completely gone!

The Airfields Of North Yorkshire Thornaby (http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Thornaby.html)

RAF Warboys to name another;

The Airfields Of Cambridgeshire Warboys (http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Warboys.html)

[magpienja]

Poulton 5mls or so to the south of Chester still seems to have its hard runway, anybody know anything of its history.

Nick.

[one11]

Since nobody has come up with a more substantial answer, here is what little I have. It was a WW2 construction and its main tenant was 41 OTU with Mustangs . Post war it reverted to the Duke of Westminster's Eaton Estate and all buildings were demolished. The runway had some use up to the 70s, including the Duke's Turbo-Goose amphibian G-ASXG and Cessna 150 G-BAYO landed there to be an exhibit when the Cheshire Show was held on site in 1973. There is more in "Cheshire Airfields of the Second World War" which can be found in bookshops - sorry i don't have the author or publisher.

[magpienja]

thanks for that one11 interesting, I seem to remember G-ASXG in Liverpool when I was a kid in the 60s when I used to collect regs.

Nick.

[jabberwok]

http://www.homepages.mcb.net/bones/WebAircraft/G-ASXG_G21_Goose.jpg

[one11]

At the risk of further thread drift from Poulton to the Duke of Westminster's air force, in the coach-house at Eaton hall there was, and may still be , the Goose's pilots uniform displayed on a dummy, along with those of other ground based flunkeys of various trades.

[magpienja]

I don't suppose he landed it on the dee next to his est by any chance, bit to confined I would think.

Nick.

[one11]

I believe the water landing capability was for another of his estates, somewhere in Northern Ireland

[wulf190a]

Chiltolton in Hampsire, where the Folland Gnat first flew.....................






wulf

[Blanket Stacker]

Lough Erne is next to the Duke's estate outside Enniskillen.

[chevvron]

On the south coast, between Chichester and Portsmouth, is a Navy research establishment called Funtington. This was an ALG during 1944 and like most ALG's was quickly returned to farmland after D - day, although in this case farmland seems to be a misnomer. Having said that, one of the controllers at Farnborough when I arrived in '74 was an ex Mustang pilot who flew from there, and he told me the ALG was actually sited south of the local road rather than north of it like the present site.

[Wander00]

Did not DoW's Goose also use Valley a lot in the mid 60s (I was
there Jan-June '66, and seem to revcall the aircraft being around.

[TerryhaynesPPR]

I retired to Warlingham in Surrey having grown up next door to Biggin Hill and then living near to Croydon airport and being active in model flying there and later Hang-gliding and occasional light aircraft out of Biggin and Redhill. So aviation is sort of in my blood.

Anyhow, I was amazed to find that there are three lost airfields within walking distance of my house. Hamsey Green ( or Gardner ) airstrip from 1931 was an RAF training unit briefly during WW2 and appears in several books and photos from a 1933 flypast. It was used by 162 ATC up to 1953 and was allegedly in use up to the 60's - I have seen another forum post where a Biplane was apparently hangered and flown out of there. The Hangar apparently burned down in 1975. Located N51.3136 W-0.0413889

The second is more mysterious. Kennel Farm to the South and in Chelsham parish ( N51°18.82 W000°02.48 ) is larger but devoid of any signs beyond crop marks showing the characteristic and absolutely unmistakable 'A' runway layout. But that is it - nothing beyond a couple of listings and no dates. Locals seem to confuse this with a decoy strip in Woldingham operated from 1940-1943 ( very near to the Hang-Gliding school I helped start in the early 70's ) which was used to draw German aircraft away from Kenley. But this was clearly a busy field presumably between the wars and not used by the RAF. PS. Added 13th May There are Video's on Youtube posted by Green Dragons showing winch launches of Hang-gliders and Parasails.

*The third field just north of Oxted is a real mystery because it appears nowhere in any listing but came up on a Google earth trawl. It is bounded by the M25 to the North, Gordons Way to the East and Barrow Green Road to the South. No crop marking but the perimeter track is distinctive and there is what looks like the remains of a hard standing set within an octagonal parking area. A track or possibly stream or open culvert bisects the lower eastern part so either this is later or it never was an airfield. Anyone got any info / clues / photos of any of the above? *( I have now been told this wasn't a wartime or disused airfield but the Helipad for Mohammed Al-Fayed's helicopter which he used to commute )

[chevvron]

The third field just north of Oxted is a real mystery because it appears nowhere in any listing but came up on a Google earth trawl. It is bounded by the M25 to the North, Gordons Way to the East and Barrow Green Road to the South. No crop marking but the perimeter track is distinctive and there is what looks like the remains of a hard standing set within an octagonal parking area. A track or possibly stream or open culvert bisects the lower eastern part so either this is later or it never was an airfield. Anyone got any info / clues / photos of any of the above?

I'm afraid you've been unintentionally misled here. The field you're talking about isn't an old wartime airfield but is actually Mohammed Al Fayed's old place; he moved out about 8 years ago. The octagonal area surrounds his helipad - he used to commute to/from Harrods in one of his S76s.
I used to fly out of Redhill and studied it several times; I assumed the hardened peri track was maybe where his descendants could drive vehicles legally on private property.
By way of compensation however, take a look at N51 20' 12.6" W000 08' 49" just south of the Wallington smallholdings and south of Little Woodcote Lane; just east of a small golf course there appears to be an airstrip running roughly N/S.

[treadigraph]

Terry, Kennel Farm was frequently used for parascending activities in recent years. Saw a Jodel at very low level over Warlingham a year or two back, think he may have been visiting the strip.

Chevvron, the Woodcote Park strip may have been used by a weightshift type microlight, there often used to be one buzzing around the western side of Purley on fine evenings. Not seen it for several years though.

[Shackman]

That location at Farleigh was used as a Q-type decoy airfield in 1941, initially to 'protect' Kenley before becoming a 'Starfish' (ie permanent) site , along with Woldingham, South Godstone and Walton Heath. to dummy raids away from London.

As far as the Oxted site is concerned, you might like to look at the surrounding estate and do a bit of Googling!

Beaten too it by a long way (didn't see the new page!).
As chevvron says - Oxted was Al Fayeds pad, but there was a big ding-dong about oil extraction going on (look for appeal court rulings etc) in the same area.

[pulse1]

I am a bit surprised that, in 8 pages, no-one has mentioned that focal point of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Greenham Common. It is still a decent visual waypoint if you're passing that way.

I spent the last few years of my working life on the old Portsmouth airfield as a tenant of Portsmouth Aviation Ltd who started up the airfield to operate a service to the Isle of Wight. They are still very much involved in defence work.

[ian16th]

The former RAF Lindolme and RAF Thornaby.

[chevvron]

Did I mention Stradishall and Binbrook?