RAF Llandow, 1940s/50s overhead pics?
 

As it says in the title, I was looking for overhead shots of Llandow (west of RAF St Athan) during the late war and early post-war years. Has anyone got anything? Trying to locate hard surfaces under the ground before buying some land to put a new GA runway on.

(PS Don't tell the neighbours!)

Cheers

If you look at Google earth you can see quite clearly where hardstanding, including what it nominally nowadays subsurface is present. It was obviously an aerodrome that had its customers dispersed far and wide for there is an extensive taxi track both north and south of the field. More often than not the soil covering is no more than an inch or two and it always looks different when viewed from above.

You may get some joy from Ordnance Survey historic mapping.

Interesting you bring this up, there was 'a plan' about 2001 (ish)
to re-instate part of the extant runway (@ 400m ) that runs parallel
to the Sigginston lane for GA, coupled with a GA maintenance facility.
Was being mooted when CWL put their prices waay too high for GA.

You can find remnants of hardstandings and taxiway stretching all the way from Llandow to St Athan's north site at Picketstone and Frampton to the south,although whether or not the two were actually linked by hard taxiways is still a contentious issue, some say 'yay' some 'nay', its been suggested that what is now a section of public road was pressed into service on occasion as the 'missing link'. It was mentioned in the St Athan
station history that aircraft did taxi to Llandow from the MU, to use the hard runway there.

ttfn

Ivor. I tried to buy that particular section of tarmac a while ago but the new owner doesn't want to sell or even to lease it for aero use, sadly. I've been scouting fields within about 10 miles for a strip and have got a good idea of where the concrete is but wondered if a 1940s shot would show something that I missed.
Google is great for this task but I've Googled the area to death!

I have a large-ish wedge to spend on a field (along with a few other 'wedged' people) but have not found the perfect site.

Talk to the chaps over at AIX as they can probably help you out with an aerial or site plan. Failing that, contact National Heritage at Swindon. They've got pretty much the entire wartime/post war RAF and USAAF aerial photo collection and you can ask for a photocopy of the areas your after or book the photos and pop over and take a look at them in person.

Blue up, 'the flying vet' has an airstrip at St.Donats,near his house.

You could probably contact Mrs vet via their practice in Barry, given the current situation.

ttfn

Uhhhhhhhhhhh....Maurice is a bit....ummmmmm. Y'know. Whilst I got along fine with him I've always felt that a little distance between us was a safe thing. "Like a social handgrenade with the pin out" is one of the better descriptions I've heard.

Anyway, his strip is a little short, bumpy and too much N/S for me and I'm sure Kirsty has enough on her plate at the mo.

I've been directed to some interesting shots of the Llandow environs, circa 1947, that show a 400 yd stretch to the south of Sigingston. Might be worth investigating since Google shows it as being in a field of crops but with little growth over it.

Llandow from a Do Do view point
 

Great memories of Llandow over the years..

YouTube - The Goodies - Dodonuts (Part 3 of 3)


My brother and I pedalled up there to watch the Goodies filming ( 1976), there are a few good shots of the airfield.

The bikers made good use of the facility on Sundays too in the 80's...aaarh the smell of castrol 'R' filled the air.
With regard the search for the truth about 'linked' or not try speaking with some of the more senior members of the farming community in and around Siginstone , Frampton and Llanmaes they were the ones that gave up there land for the effort.

But they won't sell me any of it!

Blue up
There's a decent layout plan and 1946 aerial photo in "Airfields and Landing Grounds of Wales - South" - might be useful.

Try this link.

The Airfields Of Vale of Glamorgan Llandow

Llandow was connected to St Athan by taxiway(s) during wartime. I learnt this when I did a course at St Athan back in '86. If you look on googlearth you can trace the old taxiway and the hardstandings which led off it.

And the seventies CT, this was 1973, and no, it's not Barry Sheene, the clue is on the bike;)
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f2...can0001-12.jpg

MMMmmmmm !!!!!!!! Thruxton Vellocette ? By every chance ????? 1964 model ????

Thank you for that.

Keith.

Close enough Keith, 1965 Venom Clubman. Still riding it:ok: