Band of Brothers airfield
Band of Brothers airfield
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The C47's did take off from North weald as far as i can remember, the main film set was in Hatfield and the surrounding areas. I remember being woken up by gunfire at 2 in the morning. Steven spielberg and tom hanks returned to hatfield to use the Old BAe site follwing them using it to film saving private ryan there too.
The airfield that they actually launched from on the day is Smeatharpe, Devon.
This is near Dunkeswell, Devon. Home of the only US Navy flying field during the war.
This is near Upottery (Tricky Warren), Devon. Home to the first 2 jets working-up prior to going to Kent to chase the flying bombs.
An interesting area!!
This is near Dunkeswell, Devon. Home of the only US Navy flying field during the war.
This is near Upottery (Tricky Warren), Devon. Home to the first 2 jets working-up prior to going to Kent to chase the flying bombs.
An interesting area!!
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I think the correct airfield for the actual flight on the day was just south of Ramsbury in Wiltshire.
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.c...e=25000&icon=x
Able company were based just north of Ramsbury at Aldbourne and have just recently had their hut/shed they lived in moved to the US.
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.c...le=5000&icon=x
Just west of Ramsbury at Axford is a large pub with a gravel car park. Go to the bottom of the car park on the right and their is a plaque to a DC3 that crashed very nearby on the river.
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.c...le=5000&icon=x
Visit this excellent web page for more info on all the history locally and at the airfield. Before looking at the site turn up your computers volume and then visit.......big smile
http://www.ramsburyatwar.com/links.htm
Regards Chris
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.c...e=25000&icon=x
Able company were based just north of Ramsbury at Aldbourne and have just recently had their hut/shed they lived in moved to the US.
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.c...le=5000&icon=x
Just west of Ramsbury at Axford is a large pub with a gravel car park. Go to the bottom of the car park on the right and their is a plaque to a DC3 that crashed very nearby on the river.
http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.c...le=5000&icon=x
Visit this excellent web page for more info on all the history locally and at the airfield. Before looking at the site turn up your computers volume and then visit.......big smile
http://www.ramsburyatwar.com/links.htm
Regards Chris
Last edited by tonker; 4th Oct 2005 at 16:46.
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I think Ish is right on this one. Indeed they were based at Aldbourne (nice little village - I popped in there a couple of years back), but from everything I've ever read, they departed from Upottery...
I too remember very loud noises in the middle of the night in the vicinity of Hatfield aerodrome during the production of Band of Brothers. The take off scene was indeed shot at North Weald.
I too remember very loud noises in the middle of the night in the vicinity of Hatfield aerodrome during the production of Band of Brothers. The take off scene was indeed shot at North Weald.
Cunning Artificer
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I too remember very loud noises in the middle of the night in the vicinity of Hatfield aerodrome during the production of Band of Brothers.
Just to add.....to get more background to the real drop take a read of David Kenyon Webster's book "Parachute Infantry".
Whilst in the UK the Regiment were based on/near Salisbury plain in and around Aldbourne ( which is indeed a classic English village), however in the invasion build-up they moved (mostly by train) nearly 100 miles South West to their staging area on Smeatharpe/Upottery airfield, about 5 or 6 miles NE of Honiton in Devon.
A lot of the airfield infrastructure is still visible though in a sad state since it returned to agricultural use immediately post WW2. The landowner is not particularly friendly, unfortunately, but since part of the Southern perimeter track is now a public highway you can at least tread on some of the hallowed ground - the contol tower is still there, as are some of old base buildings, dotted around in various fields on the perimeter. It's quite an evocative place - go there on a quiet Summer's evening and you'll end up believing in ghosts..well almost.
Dunkeswell, Smeatharpe's parent field in WW2, is midway between Honiton and Smeatharpe. It still an active airfield and has quite a good. albeit small, museum with lots of US Navy memorabilia.
Whilst in the UK the Regiment were based on/near Salisbury plain in and around Aldbourne ( which is indeed a classic English village), however in the invasion build-up they moved (mostly by train) nearly 100 miles South West to their staging area on Smeatharpe/Upottery airfield, about 5 or 6 miles NE of Honiton in Devon.
A lot of the airfield infrastructure is still visible though in a sad state since it returned to agricultural use immediately post WW2. The landowner is not particularly friendly, unfortunately, but since part of the Southern perimeter track is now a public highway you can at least tread on some of the hallowed ground - the contol tower is still there, as are some of old base buildings, dotted around in various fields on the perimeter. It's quite an evocative place - go there on a quiet Summer's evening and you'll end up believing in ghosts..well almost.
Dunkeswell, Smeatharpe's parent field in WW2, is midway between Honiton and Smeatharpe. It still an active airfield and has quite a good. albeit small, museum with lots of US Navy memorabilia.
Last edited by wiggy; 6th Oct 2005 at 08:15.
