Airfields, East of York
Thread Starter
I have just ordered "Strong Foundations – Driffield’s Aerodrome from 1917 to 2000" Im hoping it will be an interesting read...
Except for Phillip Rhodes it is another station with an interesting past not too well documented on tinterweb.
Has anyone got 'Post war Yorkshire airfields' by Barry Abraham? Quite a good read.
Except for Phillip Rhodes it is another station with an interesting past not too well documented on tinterweb.
Has anyone got 'Post war Yorkshire airfields' by Barry Abraham? Quite a good read.
The Merseyside Aviation Societies excellent book about airfields (forget the name - mislaid it years ago) listed an airfield on the northeast outskirts of York; has this been mentioned?
Vert little left of Clifton nowadays. Apart from the hangars latterly used as a grain store and up for sale recently, there are a few shelters and bits of hard-standing close to the 'Bumper Castle' pub.
Join Date: May 2001
Location: up North
Posts: 661
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Merseyside Aviation Societies excellent book about airfields (forget the name - mislaid it years ago)
Anyone with Google Earth can grab a KML file from Catalogue of UK Airfields and have fun looking at the many airfields around the UK. Some locations are only approximate but these seem to be mostly the pre WW2 sites.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
to PUG, Airfields east of York
Hi, as a "techie" helped to operate JP`s from Elvington circa 1966, used to send student pilots on first solo`s during training at R.A.F. Linton On Ouse (1FTS). Presumably because of low traffic and very long runway. The aircraft and support crews were ferried daily.
The Yorkshire air Museum is now located there, various aircraft still operate, I understand that a planning application has been made to open the airfield for aircraft maintenance.
Pocklington, now the home of the Wolds Gliding club.
There is another airfield North and perhaps a little east of York called East Moor, now unlandable but still recognisable. Quite close and north of the villages of Haxby and Wigginton.
The Yorkshire air Museum is now located there, various aircraft still operate, I understand that a planning application has been made to open the airfield for aircraft maintenance.
Pocklington, now the home of the Wolds Gliding club.
There is another airfield North and perhaps a little east of York called East Moor, now unlandable but still recognisable. Quite close and north of the villages of Haxby and Wigginton.
Last edited by gsora; 4th Apr 2008 at 19:37.
PPRuNe Secret Agent!
Moderator
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I grew up about a mile from RAF Marston Moor - runway can still be seen across Rudgate Lane (Near Whixley) The only thing I remember was it's where Clark Gable was based during WWII
I grew up about a mile from RAF Marston Moor - runway can still be seen across Rudgate Lane (Near Whixley) The only thing I remember was it's where Clark Gable was based during WWII
PPRuNe Secret Agent!
Moderator
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Heart-throb of the American silver screen, Clark Gable was stationed during the war at Marston Moor Airfield. USAAF Captain Gable was a member of the ground staff. Group Captain Leonard Cheshire was also stationed at Marston Moor for a short while before leaving to become Commander of the famous 617 Dam Buster Squadron.
http://www.wetherby.co.uk/about/facts.php4
Heart-throb of the American silver screen, Clark Gable was stationed during the war at Marston Moor Airfield. USAAF Captain Gable was a member of the ground staff, he was later transfered to RAF Polebrook in Northamptonshire, during this time Adolf Hitler offered a reward to anyone who was able to catch the airman.
Sorry for the late call - just seen the bit about the Lightning that effectively dead sticked it on to Acklington's runway. May/June 1967. I was the only eye witness to the event. The airfield had closed, and I was duty student locking up when I looked up to see the Lightning short finals to make a perfect (silent) landing on the numbers of the (relatively) short runway and come to a halt just short of the other end. As everyone else had gone home - including ATC and the fire section - I rang the SDO to tell him there was a Lightning on the runway. After a torrent of abuse for disturbing him in the bar, and being told there was no chance of one ever landing here, he eventually came out to see for himself (and then apologise). We went off to see what was going on and found the ac gently sinking into the tarmac (the runway was stressed for JPs and not the high pressure LCN of a Lightning). It turned out the pilot was an ex 6 FTS student on one of his pre FHT sorties, and as stated, had effectively run out of fuel well short of Leuchars. Luckily he remembered Acklington and knew he was well positioned for a PFL. IIRC correctly he got a good show for saving the jet - and chopped from the course!
The ac was eventually flown out by the UTP a few days later, and even with only just enough fuel to make Leuchars used the whole of the runway
The ac was eventually flown out by the UTP a few days later, and even with only just enough fuel to make Leuchars used the whole of the runway
Clark Gable
Sorry, JB007, not convinced. Marston Moor's entry in 'Action Stations volume 4' makes no mention of Clark Gable. Volume 2 of the same series makes mention of Mr Gable serving at Goxhill whilst taking part in Hollywoods war-effort.
As for your
well, us Yorkshire folk will stop at nowt for a moment of fame. I've no doubt that a number of moustacheo-ed aircrew might have shot a line in Betty's tea-room................
As for your
Famous local historic fact for Yorkshire folk!!!!
Action stations
ZH 875,
I have assembled a full set over the last few years at air shows and those nerdy fairs, and have tended to pay £8-11 a copy. Given that Mad Gordon wants to build "eco-towns" on most of them, I reckon their historical value can only go up!
Re Elvington, remember it is the place where the Hamster from Top Gear nearly lost his life. I have flown in there in the past, and also done a sprint there. Rufforth used to be used for motor sport a lot in my youth, but then that is not West rather than east from York.
not sure that Holme on Spalding Moor was that secret, however post war it was pretty much solely used for Blackburn and then BAe's development and flight testing, so they would have not wanted to advertise too braodly what was going on there. There are some great shots of the first Buccs being taken by road to HOSM for their flight testing. Brough itself was of course not much use for anything Whittle-powered.
Skua
I have assembled a full set over the last few years at air shows and those nerdy fairs, and have tended to pay £8-11 a copy. Given that Mad Gordon wants to build "eco-towns" on most of them, I reckon their historical value can only go up!
Re Elvington, remember it is the place where the Hamster from Top Gear nearly lost his life. I have flown in there in the past, and also done a sprint there. Rufforth used to be used for motor sport a lot in my youth, but then that is not West rather than east from York.
not sure that Holme on Spalding Moor was that secret, however post war it was pretty much solely used for Blackburn and then BAe's development and flight testing, so they would have not wanted to advertise too braodly what was going on there. There are some great shots of the first Buccs being taken by road to HOSM for their flight testing. Brough itself was of course not much use for anything Whittle-powered.
Skua
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Southern UK
Age: 63
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Holme-on-Spalding-Moor
Here is a shot taken at Holme-on-Spalding-Moor summer 1973. Derek Whitehead doing a fly-by in a Navy Buccaneer, in the foreground is the Cayley man carrier replica made by Southdown Aeroservices at Lasham.
Derek Whitehead was the boss at HoSM and hosted the Anglia TV production of "A magnificent man and his flying machines" a documentary film about Sir George Cayley. The machine was car towed up the runway to give Derek Piggott the chance to handle the machine and Anglia to obtain film footage prior to pinging him off the hillside at nearby Brompton Dale. The Cayley replica is on show today at Elvington.
In 1973 HoSM was a hive of activity stuffed with Phantoms and Buccaneers that were going through modification programmes and being test flown during the Cayley filming. I recall being shown the remains of a crater in front of the Tower which had been made some years before when a Bucc had departed into a tumble during a Toss bombing manoeuvre, sadly killing both crew.
Derek Whitehead was the boss at HoSM and hosted the Anglia TV production of "A magnificent man and his flying machines" a documentary film about Sir George Cayley. The machine was car towed up the runway to give Derek Piggott the chance to handle the machine and Anglia to obtain film footage prior to pinging him off the hillside at nearby Brompton Dale. The Cayley replica is on show today at Elvington.
In 1973 HoSM was a hive of activity stuffed with Phantoms and Buccaneers that were going through modification programmes and being test flown during the Cayley filming. I recall being shown the remains of a crater in front of the Tower which had been made some years before when a Bucc had departed into a tumble during a Toss bombing manoeuvre, sadly killing both crew.
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Oop North
Age: 57
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I remember Elvington from the 80's when it was releif landing ground for 7FTS based at RAF Church Fenton. When a course was almost ready for first solo, they would deploy with 2 a/c to Elvington and spend the day in the circuit, leaving CF for the more advanced studes. Everyone who went solo at Elvington, including me, had a cerimonious dunking in the water resevoir by air traffic!
I drove round the edge of HOSM during '73 when I wased based at Lindholme. From this, I would deduce the reason people think 'secret' things happened there was its isolated position and the fact it was difficult to find without an aviation 1/4 mil.
