Wittering 5 mile runway -- is it true?
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Wittering 5 mile runway -- is it true?
In his book, Winkle Brown says that Wittering had a 5 mile runway, especially equipped with resue crews and equipment for returning bombers in trouble. They could clear the wreckage of a Lancaster in minutes, apparently.
But did it really have a five mile runway? That's phenomenal and must make it one of the longest runways ever.
But did it really have a five mile runway? That's phenomenal and must make it one of the longest runways ever.
25.000+ feet? 27R/09L at LHR is 10,000-ish..IIRC
I don't think even NBO or HRE are that long...
From my days chugging up and down MME-LGW on a shed, I seem to recall that Cottesmore's is longer - there was always the chance to compare the two when passing overhead. There was also plenty of time to watch the trains on the east coast line that appeared to be overtaking us.... :-)
r
I don't think even NBO or HRE are that long...
From my days chugging up and down MME-LGW on a shed, I seem to recall that Cottesmore's is longer - there was always the chance to compare the two when passing overhead. There was also plenty of time to watch the trains on the east coast line that appeared to be overtaking us.... :-)
r
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Wittering is listed as having 9,000'/2760m - it's here on Local Live - and it is hard to see that it could have been longer, except perhaps at the W end of the rw, but only by a small amount.
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I thought that Manston was the runway geared up (pardon the pun) for aircraft without gear!! If not the longest, it must surely be the widest runway in the UK.
There was a time when foam covered runways were available at the touch of a buttone, but not these days.
There was a time when foam covered runways were available at the touch of a buttone, but not these days.
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WB must have meant Woodbridge which along with Manston and Carnaby were built as emergency landing strips for damaged aircraft and also acted as Master Diversion Airfields with FIDO. Woodbridge had a 3000m hard surface with 500m grass undershoot/overshoot. This still is only a total of 4km or about half of what Winkle quotes in his autobio.
Anyone know of any longer runways at that time?
Anyone know of any longer runways at that time?
Well, it's almost true...
There used to be 2 grass aerodromes; these were Wittering and nearby Collyweston. In 1943 it was decided to join the two together; this required some tree-felling and ditch filling, but ultimately provided a 3 mile grass runway. This stretched from the Great North Road all the way to Collyweston village.
It was used in the war to recover 'lame ducks' - and by trials organistaions after the war. I think the infamous Me163 conducted various (unpowered!) skid landing trials at the time.
The 9000 ft 'V-bomber' runway was built over the 3-mile grass runway in the 1950s.
As for Collyweston, well that's where we went for certain 'Special Weapons' courses. Imagine the joy of listening to a Chief Technician explaining the Pauli Exclusion Principle to you at 0830 when you've got a thumping hangover.....
There used to be 2 grass aerodromes; these were Wittering and nearby Collyweston. In 1943 it was decided to join the two together; this required some tree-felling and ditch filling, but ultimately provided a 3 mile grass runway. This stretched from the Great North Road all the way to Collyweston village.
It was used in the war to recover 'lame ducks' - and by trials organistaions after the war. I think the infamous Me163 conducted various (unpowered!) skid landing trials at the time.
The 9000 ft 'V-bomber' runway was built over the 3-mile grass runway in the 1950s.
As for Collyweston, well that's where we went for certain 'Special Weapons' courses. Imagine the joy of listening to a Chief Technician explaining the Pauli Exclusion Principle to you at 0830 when you've got a thumping hangover.....
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Bedford
Was RAE Bedford (EGVW). When Thurleigh was initially being developed as a research centre after the war, the original plan included a 5-mile runway extending out to Little Staughton and with its maintenance area close to Twinwoods Farm. Defence cuts put a stop to all that, but just South of Thurleigh a narrow country lane still suddenly splits into two carriageways as it passes through a dip where a taxiway to Twinwoods was due to have passed across!
Was RAE Bedford (EGVW). When Thurleigh was initially being developed as a research centre after the war, the original plan included a 5-mile runway extending out to Little Staughton and with its maintenance area close to Twinwoods Farm. Defence cuts put a stop to all that, but just South of Thurleigh a narrow country lane still suddenly splits into two carriageways as it passes through a dip where a taxiway to Twinwoods was due to have passed across!
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Manston, before defence cuts, had a foam facility for aircraft without gear, there was another airfield also, I recall it may have been Leeming, that had foam.
Manston's runway is 9000ft x 200ft, the widest runways in the country, at 300ft, are St Mawgan and, before they closed it, RAE Bedford also at 300ft.
I can't imagine why a Lancaster, capable of grass field performances, would ever need 5 miles of tarmac to stop, it didn't go fast enough in the first instance
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Whilst training for my PIFG on ULAS many years ago, we were actually refused an approach at USAF Greenham Common....
The reason? Noise abatement...
So we went to RAF Andover instead for an ACR7 approach.
The reason? Noise abatement...
So we went to RAF Andover instead for an ACR7 approach.
'I can't imagine why a Lancaster, capable of grass field performances, would ever need 5 miles of tarmac to stop, it didn't go fast enough in the first instance'
Manston and Woodbridge were both emergency landing grounds for aircraft in distress on operations in WWII. Hence they were wider and longer than the norm so that they could accept multiple diversions and potential accidents. They were located at the 'nearest' suitable locations to enemy territory, hence Manston on the Kent peninsular and Woodbridge on the Suffolk coastline.
Longest current runways off the top of my head are Heathrow, Gatwick and Macrihanish is up there very close to the top of the pile too. Aurora obviously not being STOL
Manston and Woodbridge were both emergency landing grounds for aircraft in distress on operations in WWII. Hence they were wider and longer than the norm so that they could accept multiple diversions and potential accidents. They were located at the 'nearest' suitable locations to enemy territory, hence Manston on the Kent peninsular and Woodbridge on the Suffolk coastline.
Longest current runways off the top of my head are Heathrow, Gatwick and Macrihanish is up there very close to the top of the pile too. Aurora obviously not being STOL
This demonstrates the approximate distance of a 5 mile grass strip, giving a maximum distance to the A1. Pick any angle within the shaded area for the runway direction.
Given the position of the River Welland, a 5 mile grass runway does not look feasible.
Given the position of the River Welland, a 5 mile grass runway does not look feasible.
As I wrote (after having researched it), Wittering/Collyweston had a 3 mile grass runway at the end of the war, not a 5 mile runway!
Brize is 10000 ft, by the way. As one of nigel's 747 crew discovered when they used the Thiefrow figures (12000 ft) instead of the Brize figures for a reduced thrust take-off back in the early 80s. Rotation occurred rather close to the far end, I was told.
Brize is 10000 ft, by the way. As one of nigel's 747 crew discovered when they used the Thiefrow figures (12000 ft) instead of the Brize figures for a reduced thrust take-off back in the early 80s. Rotation occurred rather close to the far end, I was told.
Last edited by BEagle; 28th Nov 2006 at 10:52.
A look at This Link confirms BEagle's figure of 3 miles in 1943, shortened to 2 miles during 1945 - 46.
What isn't clear is whether this refers to nautical or statute miles, which would obviously make a considerable difference to the runway lengths in feet, although not enough to explain WB's figures.
What isn't clear is whether this refers to nautical or statute miles, which would obviously make a considerable difference to the runway lengths in feet, although not enough to explain WB's figures.
Is that the Little Staunton near RAF Thurleigh/RAE Bedford as that is the only reference I can find to Little Staunton.
As Wittering/Collyweston is bounded by the A43, A47 and A1, I estimate that a runway of 3 miles maximum is theoretically possible, the runway would have a height change of some 60 feet over the westerly 2 miles.
As Wittering/Collyweston is bounded by the A43, A47 and A1, I estimate that a runway of 3 miles maximum is theoretically possible, the runway would have a height change of some 60 feet over the westerly 2 miles.