Missing Airfields

[Keef]

Some folks will already know that I've been (for some years) compiling a list of all UK airfields that are or eve were. I've got something over 2,250 entries, for most of which I have dates, users, location, etc.

There are 22 for which I have little more than that name - someone has said "did you know there was an airfield at..." or I've found a passing reference in a book that isn't a "reliable source".

Does anybody recognise any of these, either as airfields or as "definitely not airfields"?

Auquhirie Farm (private strip in 1975?)
Ballasize (WW2)
Bidworth (WW2)
Cobham (WW2)
Dawlish (1933 -)
Denbigh (Gliding?)
Dunottar (approx 1969-75)
Hartfield (WW2)
Headfort
Lodge Hill
Lower Cook Hill Farm (Gliding?)
Malvern
Mousehole (WW2)
Newark (Gliding?)
Pucklechurch
Rudloe Manor
Sagville Farm
Scrabster
Side Hill (WW2)
Sissington (WW2)
Tayport
Viewfield

Any information will be gratefully received! If anyone has any historical documents on WW1 airfield locations, that would be particularly useful: I have many listed, but few with Lat/Long info.

Also, if anyone knows how to convert Irish Grid references to Lat/Long, that would be useful for a few.

[overfly]

As long as you have sufficient detail in the loaded map, most leisure GPS units will let you position cursor to any location and then give you the Lat/Long....

[Speedbird48]

I am not a lot of help but Hartfield, Sussex, was an Army AOP strip in WW2. It was located on the West side of the road that goes North out of Hartfield village after crossing the railway and up a hill and is now an apple orchard.
I spent many years living in Hartfield back in the '70's and researched it with the locals.

[HectorusRex]

posted 02 January 2002 19:42
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Keef,
Have you seen "Military Airfields in the British Isles 1939-1945" by Steve Willis & Barry Holliss?
ISBN 0 907700 12 8
Published by:
Enthusiasts Publications,
Sherington,
Newport Pagnell,
Bucks.
MK16 9PE.
Bought mine at RAF Hendon Museum
HectorusRex
--------------------

[HectorusRex]

Hi Keef,
There is a comprehensive Url dedicated to the airfield sites of Hampshire.
<a href="http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/aviationinhampshireuk1900to2000/index.html" target="_blank">http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/aviationinhampshireuk1900to2000/index.html</a>
Regards,
HectorusRex

[Spiney Norman]

Hi Keef.
Denbigh. I think may be Lleweni Parc which is still used for Gliding. Scrabster.Um! I think I remember this was one of the original airfields established by Capt Fresson when developing the Highland airways routes in his early days but I'll look into that. Fascinating chap, he used to survey airfields by flying around the local area then, on selecting a suitable field, would land and negotiate with the local farmer! Tayport. I've got some written evidence that a detachment of 210 squadron using Singapore and Sunderland aircraft were using Tayport between Sept 29th 1938 until October 8th 1939. The squadron then moved to Pembroke Dock. Newark. I suspect may refer to Winthorpe which has been used for gliding since the end of RAF useage. The airfield being very close to the Newark town boundry. Hope this helps.

Spiney

[Spiney Norman]

Hi Speechless two.
I once had the loan of a superb series,I think there were three books about the development of Highland Airways. I believe they were large format softbacks. Any idea what the title was? I'd love to get hold of these if they're still in print.

Spiney

[newswatcher]

Hi Keef, Rudloe Manor was/is part of the "secret" MOD complex at Corsham, which is mentioned in a number of sites. During WW2, it was used as an underground aircraft factory. I don't think there was an operational airfield there, Colerne is quite near. It has largely been "highjacked" by the UFO brigade and those who think there is a "secret" agenda, as referenced on the following sites:

<a href="http://www.truthseekers.freeserve.co.uk/index3.htm" target="_blank">http://www.truthseekers.freeserve.co.uk/index3.htm</A>
<a href="http://www.ufos-aliens.co.uk/cosmicrudloe.html" target="_blank">http://www.ufos-aliens.co.uk/cosmicrudloe.html</A>

Funnily enough, I am visiting there on Friday. I will ask if there was ever an airfield there!

[Spiney Norman]

Speechless.
Thanks very much for that. I'll act on your excellent information.

Spiney

...Have just found that all four titles are available on special order through Amazon.com!
1.Flying against the elements
2.Rivals in the North
3.Wings over the Glen
4.Flying start to the day.
Anyone who is interested in the pioneers of Highland and Island aviation will find these a fascinating read. Aviation before lawyers and paperwork tied it down!

[ 15 January 2002: Message edited by: Spiney Norman ]</p>

[BOAC]

Ref 'Tayport' - having lived there I don't think there was an airfield there. The Flying Boat base was at Wormit between Tayport and Newport-on-Tay, and there was a model of it in the museum in the fortified bit of Oslo harbour (the ?Castle?, I seem to remember.

[Spiney Norman]

Hi BOAC
Oh yes, I agree, I don't think there was ever an airfield at Tayport. The reference I found seemed to refer to occasional visits by Singapore & Sunderland flying boats over a period of around 13 months. My guess is this was part of a policy of investigating the use of harbour facilities for the dispersal of Seaplane units at a time of international tension. I must add, I'm reading between the lines here! The site you refer to was known as Woodhaven. What shore facilities existed here I don't know but the location was used widely from 1942 onwards by a very interesting unit initially known as 1477 flight and later 333 squadron. This unit was formed initially from RNoAF personnel who had managed to escape the German occupation with a number of He115 aircraft and began using them for clandestine operations into Norway. If memory serves me correctly, at least one of these aircraft ended up in Malta! Later the unit became known as 333 squadron which was a Catalina squadron operating from this site and also a Mosquito unit operating from Leuchars under the same overall command. There is much reference to the sight of the Catalina's swinging at their bouys just upstream of the Tay bridge but I've never seen a photo of this, perhaps there is one in the exhibition you mention. Sounds worth a visit.

Spiney

[Spiney Norman]

Ooops, sorry, back on threat again. Re Malvern. I wonder if this may be a misconception that an airfield existed due to the fact that it was the home of TRE, (Telecommunications Research Establishment), during WW2. There were considerable RAF resources here as well as personnel from other arms but no flying actual from the town, this was done at Defford. The old airfield is etill used by the modern succesor to TRE but the only flying is at Croft farm,(N5205.13 W00208.15), on the SSE boundary of the old airfield.
Sagville Farm sounds suspiciously like Sackville Farm,which is a currently active Farm strip and Gliding field just N of the old Thurleigh aerodrome in Bedfordshire. (N5215.87 W00029.08).

Spiney

[I have control]

Re: Tayport I agree with the above comments about the flying boat base. My ex-wife's grandfather used to help maintain a dummy airfield to the east of Tayport to divert potential German raiders from attacking nearby Leuchars. Maybe that's the source of the reference?

[Keef]

Many thanks to all - that's cleared up several of the most puzzling outstanding questions! There's nothing like asking people who know, is there!

Re Irish Grid - I hadn't thought of asking the GPS: I'll see if mine can do that trick. I wrote and use a conversion routine in Excel that does it for NGRs but I don't know the formula for Irish Grid.

On with the data logging... <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[newswatcher]

Keef,

Did my trip to Corsham on Friday, and little further information for you. Local "rumour" has it that there were plans to land executive jets on Westwells Road, in time of crisis. Not a particularly wide road, but someone else might have further info on this. Would have thought that Colerne was near enough to make this unnecessary anyway.

[intermeshing]

Spiney,

My Dad was a lad in Dundee during the war, and he remembers Catalinas operated by Norwegians being moored in the Tay off Tayport. He thinks they lay downstream of the rail bridge though.

[Capt Squat-thrust]

RAF Pucklechurch was a barrage balloon base during WW2, no runways or landing area for aircraft though. It was used postwar for a while (training admin ground trades I think?). Now used as an open prison, Pucklechurch is on the Eastern edge of Bristol.. .RAF Rudloe Manor was the HQ for 10 group fighter command during WW2, it contained an underground operations room and command centre. Still used by the MOD, in particular by the Defence Communications Network. No flying took place at Rudloe, though a number of aircraft were flown from Colerne by 10 group staff.

[Keef]

Many thanks for the extra info - all duly logged!

[Biggles Flies Undone]

No idea if this is the slightest bit relevant - one of my very early girlfriends had a phone number that was LODge hill (shows how long ago it was!) and she either lived near Croydon or Biggin (I get easily confused these days).