Cotswold airfield.

[yellowtriumph]

I spent a pleasant new year in the Cotswolds and passed 'Cotswold Airport' whilst on the way to Cirencester. I assumed this was a modest local airport and was somewhat surprised to see two 747's parked up albeit without any engines.

Is this one of those airfields were aircraft are perhaps flown to be broken up or parted out for spares? No markings that I could see on the aeroplanes from my angle of view.

[Johnny F@rt Pants]

Could be Kemble?? It is where many aeroplanes go to retire.

[DaveReidUK]

Air Salvage International (http://airsalvage.co.uk/)

[yellowtriumph]

Thank you Johnny F@rt Pants and DaveReidUK.

Do you know if this was a purpose built facility or is it based on something perhaps more 'historical'? By this I mean, as a complete novice in such matters it would seem to me that very large aircraft like the ones described on their website would need a substantial runway to land etc. To purpose build one in the Cotswolds would seem to be quite a financial/technical undertaking.

So, I'm wondering if maybe it was founded on some previous military facility or infrastructure for example.

[KelvinD]

ex RAF Kemble, I believe.
Here's a visdo showing a B747 arriving there in 2013:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfr7Rj_5HLM

[Groundloop]

As already mentioned, originally RAF Kemble:-

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotswold_Airport

[Rasthem]

Was RAF Kemble, at one time home of Red Arrows. Now privately owned Cotswold Airport. There are several flying schools and various other businesses. Sometime used by F1 teams for aero testing.

[yellowtriumph]

Many thanks for some interesting info and links.