West London Airfields (Heston, Hanworth, and Hounslow)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: UK
Age: 69
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It was about 10 years ago now that myself and a fellow wannabe aviation archeologist went scrummaging around in the trees to see if anything was left of the old aerodrome, and found a few uprights of an old metal fence, from which position we deduced (from looking at what few photos are available of the airfriend when active) could have been some sort of boundary fence. We would have investigated further, but you would be surprised at the looks we attracted - two middle-aged men in suits burrowing into bushes on Hounslow Heath one lunchtime....
Either way, i agree with the above - a visit would be a good thing. I grew up in Heston and like some of the posters above have memories of the airfield in the 60s. My mother attended Berkley School and has a lot of stories. My father worked at the maintenance depot at Hanworth in the war, where they repaired the electrics on all sorts of aircraft. His trade was gunnery systems.
Either way, i agree with the above - a visit would be a good thing. I grew up in Heston and like some of the posters above have memories of the airfield in the 60s. My mother attended Berkley School and has a lot of stories. My father worked at the maintenance depot at Hanworth in the war, where they repaired the electrics on all sorts of aircraft. His trade was gunnery systems.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Worcester
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I too would be up for a bit of exploring.....I live in Worcester but get down to London frequently.... and my dog is getting fed up of Perdiswell, Throckmorton and Defford!!
Oldandslow...I would be very interseted in any recollections (or pictures) of Heston during the 60s...
Oldandslow...I would be very interseted in any recollections (or pictures) of Heston during the 60s...
Join Date: Apr 2002
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My Father was taught to fly at Hanworth in 1938 on Blackburn B2's (one of which is still at Old warden). I have some photos of B2's lined up outside the Hanworth house and a course photo which I think is next to the House. My Dad ended up flying Spitfires from Heston in September 1940 with the experimental Photo Reconnaisance Unit PRU. There is a good 1938 aerial photo of Heston taken from the northwest
Heston Airport Image from the AirTeamImages Picture Library
I think the M4 now cuts across the bottom left hand corner of the phot.
My father is now dead, but does anyone know where the PRU was based at Heston?
WS
Heston Airport Image from the AirTeamImages Picture Library
I think the M4 now cuts across the bottom left hand corner of the phot.
My father is now dead, but does anyone know where the PRU was based at Heston?
WS
"Trust Me"
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Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Egham, UK
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"There is a good 1938 aerial photo of Heston taken from the northwest"
Indeed it is!! The arched hangar to the left of the control tower is still there, as is the main approach road -although today the trees have grown somewhat!
Part of this is Heston services on the M4.
WHBM -thanx for your mail! Will reply!
Indeed it is!! The arched hangar to the left of the control tower is still there, as is the main approach road -although today the trees have grown somewhat!
Part of this is Heston services on the M4.
WHBM -thanx for your mail! Will reply!
Way back in the late'70s, there was what I remember to be a T2 or Bellman type hangar just north of the M4 where the western boundary road crosses it on the airfield side. My first wife, who worked for BA, took me to a dance there in about '76 or '77 when it was a BA staff club, possibly the Speedbird Club mentioned at #40. Doesn't seem to be there any more, but I can remember in previous years (mid-late '60s) passing some distance away in a coach and seeing 'Fairy Aviation' in big letters possibly on the roof of the same hangar.
I was just once, some years ago, inside the restaurant of the westbound Heston services (which I pass regularly) and noticed they had a number of good photographs of the airfield from the 1930s up on the wall. Don't know if they are still there.
The services date from the 1960s and the eastbound side is still the original one. The westbound side was destroyed by fire in the 1980s and rebuilt to a completely different design. The photos were maybe added after the rebuilding.
The services date from the 1960s and the eastbound side is still the original one. The westbound side was destroyed by fire in the 1980s and rebuilt to a completely different design. The photos were maybe added after the rebuilding.
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Hanworth Middlesex
Age: 62
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Also, buried in amongst the trees on Hanworth airpark is a pillbox or similar, it is located in the far South East corner of the Air Park, looking at Google earth it is on the crossroads of the Hounslow rd and Uxbridge rd (where the Horse and Groom and Hanworth library are located) does anyone know in which era this was erected?
http://www.multimap.com/s/ivc9aA1O
The Pill Box is to the left of the red circle or select Birds Eye and face South. The pill box is now to the right of the red circle
I think the structure at the Horse and Groom crossroads you are talking about is an old Ice House, the area is named after it, The Mount.
It was built around 1865 by Algernon Perkins who resided at Hanworth Park House, and used it as an Ice House or Cold Store.
http://www.multimap.com/s/jqhCPotk
Again select BirdsEye and face South and you can just make it out in the trees to the right of the Red Circle.
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Naestved, Denmark
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16Gth Hounslow Air Scout Group in Denmark 1971
Hi All.
Long time ago back in the summer 1971 the 16Gth Hounslow Air Scout Group went to Denmark to visit scouts from Herlufsholm Scout Group, in a town named Naestved. I learned from this thread that some of you have been scouts and perhaps have participated in this?
In Denmark the two scout groups among others participated in a Jamboree at Dehnshytten located at the south coast of Sealand. Later on the Danish Scout Group went to London.
We had a scout named Rye living in our home for some days. My older brother Per where the exchange scout with Ryan and have often talked about it could be funny to have some contact again and to share pictures etc.
Is it possible that you know some of the scouts from that time and could make a contact?
Best regards
Jes
KFUM-Spejderne Herlufsholm Gruppe, Nęstved
Long time ago back in the summer 1971 the 16Gth Hounslow Air Scout Group went to Denmark to visit scouts from Herlufsholm Scout Group, in a town named Naestved. I learned from this thread that some of you have been scouts and perhaps have participated in this?
In Denmark the two scout groups among others participated in a Jamboree at Dehnshytten located at the south coast of Sealand. Later on the Danish Scout Group went to London.
We had a scout named Rye living in our home for some days. My older brother Per where the exchange scout with Ryan and have often talked about it could be funny to have some contact again and to share pictures etc.
Is it possible that you know some of the scouts from that time and could make a contact?
Best regards
Jes
KFUM-Spejderne Herlufsholm Gruppe, Nęstved
