Qinetiq is be closing whats left of RAE Bedford, the lease finishes at Thurliegh next March, so that is the end of that.
The good news is I have heard the old documents, photos and film is being trawled through by some ex-boffins. This may then be published including a DVD documenting the history of RAE Bedford.

Seeing mention of the noise trials raises a question from me. I joined Hatfield in September 1973 and worked in the Instrument Lab as an introduction to the industry before moving to the Project Office in December 1973.

During that period, we took part in an excercise on airframe self noise generation that required flying an aircraft over a microphone array in a variety of configurations (u/c up and down, u/c doors open and closed and with different combinations of slat and flap position) with a minimum level of engine noise - as close to low level gliding as safety would allow. This excercise employed not only the HSA team from Hatfield but also a team from BAC at Weybridge and some folks from RAE. The ex-BUA VC10 was used during my time at the site and some of the flying was 'quite dramatic' with a low power pass over the microphones followed by a very late and noisy application of power with the runway ever so close! And boy was it cold!

Whilst we were there - Nov / Dec time in 1973 - a Hastings and a Comet - both allocated to RAE for some research works - did a photo flight with the airfield as the backdrop and a Dove/Devon as the photo aircraft. The Comet and Hastings changing position to be closer to the Devon and the airfield. We were told that both the Comet and Hastings were about to go and so the photos were taken as a momento. My very unreliable memory tells me that bo the the Comet and Hastings were in more or less standard RAF Transport Command colours rather than RAE colours - unlike the VC10 and the 1-11.

Has anyone got any of these photos? I would love a copy to remind me of some very happy days when I learned a lot.

RAE Thurleigh Photo's
 

I have photo's of the RAE fleet during 1992. What are you after I have pic's of the Seaking in fact I used to Fly a RC Helicopter with a similar setup as I attached a Camera to the front of the RC Helicopter in the same arangement.

saman

As far as I can remember, the Hastings was in a predominantly blue finish. I think you`re right about the Comet. We are of course talking about 35 years ago....ho hum.

I remember the VC10 noise trials, certainly looked amazing from the tower!

Loki,

Trust me, from out on the airfield - I seem to remember we had our caravan near the VTOL pit - they were sensational! Especially when, after one particular pass, the usual noise did not come on after the usual 'x' seconds after it passed overhead - and we all rushed out the 'van to see the VC10 just climbing away from a very very very low altitude at very high alpha supported on solid black carbon and solid noise!

Saman

U2 at Thurleigh
 

Back in 1966 I recollect the walking out to the main runway to greet a U2 pilot who had just landed. Years later I met him again - his name was Ed Smart and he had become the IFALPA representative on the ICAO Air Navigation Commission. Small world!

During April/May 1967 a WU-2A "66722" was detached to Thurleigh for a clear air turbulence research project "Hicat". it entailed flights of up to 9 hours from Scotland to Norway. The pilot was Captain Ken Mason of USAF. The U-2 is now at the Wright -Patterson Museum.

U2 Landings
 

U2's would land at RAE BEdford when the cross wind at Alconbury meant they couldn't land safely, it was interesting to see a pilot exit an aircraft in a space suite.

Trident and comet collision
 

I was also aware of a colision of a Comet and Trident touching each other whilst one was about to land while the other was waiting to take off at the end of the runway, not sure when I think in the 70's, not sure which was on approach though. I think the tail fin was damaged and if the story is true tyre marks on the roof of one of them. A ery close call.

A landing Trident 3 hit the top of XP915 fin and rudder whilst waiting to take off . This occurred on January 19th 1971. It was repaired and used in foam arresting trials in 1973.

I've just picked up your question about "Wings Over Thurleigh". I've got the same problem - I'm reading a copy that belongs to someone else and cannot find another copy. Details: ISBN 0-9541594-0-3; published by Allison Printers, Wollaston, Northants. The only place that seems to recognise the book is Amazon but they don't have a copy. If you find a source, please let me know.:)

It was printed not published by Alison Printers

Could affect a search.

Trident v Comet
 

Seem to recall in the dim distant past, there was a cartoon of the incident somewhere on the airfield and the Trident had been renamed "Fourdent" in commemoration.:)

Wings Over Thurleigh
 

Not found on AbeBooks Official Site - New & Used Books, New & Used Textbooks, Rare & Out of Print Books and if they haven't got it (110 Million books on line!) it is going to being hard to find!

Re Trident incident G-AWZA was the aircraft and was on autoland training detail.I know the training captain who was in command at the time as well as the chap handling as P2.

report here....
Air Accidents Investigation: 4/1972 G-AWZA and XP-915

Thanks Tridentman for the Trident information, the best photography book on RAE aircraft is "Testing Colours" by Adrian Balch,Airlife 1993. It will answer the queries on the Hastings colour schemes.

Thurleigh's last flight ?
 

Interesting thread on Thurleigh, guys, but I'm interested to know whether my departure from Thurleigh on 14th April 2007 was the last recorded from the site ? My colleagues and I were offered a Blanik L13 glider which was quietly rotting in one of the old workshops there, and because the workshop was itself due for demolition, the glider's owner wanted rid. Because the glider's trailer floor was shot, we decided to aerotow out on the last remaining 500 metres of runway not covered with cars, vans or sheep. So 14/4/07 saw Blanik G-DCVB towed out by Wilga G-BXBZ to Lyveden in Northants. If anyone is documenting the history of the airfield, the departure was recorded on video and I'm happy to make a copy available. Any advance on 14/4/07 ?

And if T-21 is reading this, I've worked out who you are. Remember us together in a K7 at 600 feet over the A1 on a Navex to Crowland in 1998 ? It would be great to see you again.....

Cheers all

Pegpilot

RAE Photos
 

Paul Earl Yes thats me!!
 

Hi Yes thats me How I miss Working at RAE didn't relaise at the time but is was great to work there.
I do have a number of photos that I took during the open day and still have a video of flights out of RAE during The closure of the Airfield.

If your interested drop me a line.

Regards


Paul

[email protected]

Tonka Toy
 

Its been years since I heard that term for the RAE Tornado, I seem to remember a form of elitism going on when working on the Tonka Toy.

Around 1960 whilst living in Clapham, spent many hours during our 'half day closing' at Woolworths looking through the fence......memories of :- Short S C 1.....Comet 3 ....French Etendard....Buccaneer on catapult trials......a 'non flying' Swift painted blue on static/gate display.........went over one afternoon and saw four Valiants on the ORP when they were into dispersing the V bomber fleet all over the country...........impressive

Some interesting stuff here - anyone going to post-up some photos of all the magnificent aircraft seen at Bedford? I'd love to see some for sure!!

Not sure if this has already been mentioned, but a corner of Thurleigh is also now home to many of the uplinks for satellite TV originating from the UK.

There is a video called "The last days at Bedford" or similar, unfortunately my copy's seems to have gone walk-abouts. :(

There were plans mooted recently to turn it back into an active airfield, but I think
 

Eh ? Did you make that up ? Nothing heard locally for years -it was decommissioned and sold for a reason.

All the 'Not Thurleigh' signs are long gone thanks to Standsted.

On another point, the cutting build in anticipation of extending the runway/taxiway is still in evidence: there is too much concrete and drainage arrangements to make it economic to demolish it apparently. And finally, extending it to Little Staughton ? Again are you sure: Twinwoods maybe ?

It is correct, the original requirement was for a 5 Mile long runway, but it was soon deemed unnecessary as jet engines were getting rapidly more powerful.

My piloting GA friends assure me that part of the Thurleigh runway is now available for club flying.

JF

The eastern end of the airfield was licenced earlier this year as Bedford Aerodrome (EGBF).

There are some photos (new and old) in the gallery on its Web site.

Also page 94 of the current Pooleys.

G

Mr Optimistic
 

Just to confirm that when I was working in the 13x9 and the spinning tunnel (RIP) in 1954 it was joining Little Staughton and Thurleigh that had been considered for a long runway.

Twinwood is south of Thurleigh so not in a suitable direction. The cutting to which you refer was connected with the ability to taxy aircraft to the tunnel site for use with a possible blower tunnel facility like the one at Boscombe.

I think you'll find the newly licenced section of runway is strictly PPR for Dr. Jonathan Palmer's motor racing school. He owns a Kingair based at Dunsfold and as visitors by this means are fare - paying, the airfield has to be licenced.

all very interesting
 

Thanks to all: news to me and I live one mile away. Haven't seen any GA from there, stuff seems to come from Little Staughton. The whole area is so twitchy about development with Palmer's and Yarlswood to keep us occupied, doubt that any significant change to the status has happened. Hospitality stuff for Palmer, perhaps.

5 mile runway, now that would have been something.

The Kingair is not used daily - maybe max once or twice a week.
When I closed up friday midday, it was on the ground at Fairoaks where it's used by Synergy Aviation when Jonathan doesn't need it.

Kept very quiet wasn't it? I saw nothing in either of the 2 local rags about it, nor were we sent any planning info about it, I too live about a mile from it.

There was also an ad on here for an airfield manager for them.

It's all very low profile as they wouldn't want to annoy people; they don't even have an ATZ as far as I know, and strictly PPR so they have some control over what types of aircraft can use it.

fair enough
 

Can't say I would deny or get stressed about a little local flying. After all, a thundering great Hercules stormed over the house at low height this morning, filled up half the window (erm, optically). When I first moved here there was lots of traffic (aircraft and ground) so it's all much quieter now, hence no reason to get excited about small things.

PalmerSport - Your venue - Bedford Aerodrome


Apparently the strip of land from the Wind Tunnel site to the main site, and presumably the airfield itself, is a designated 'white zone' wrt planning. This is a form of reserved status which reduces local authority control.

1983
 

I was there as a student in 1983 from about May to September in lab 13 in 115 building. I saw the Jaguar with part of a wing and a bit of bodywork missing, it also had around 10 feet of galvanized steel ladder attached to the damage, Pete F (don't suppose I should be using full names) was with me at the time. I flew on XX105 a couple of times, once ostensibly observing a problem with the DME and another time taking the head pilot's pal home to RAF Leuchars. I got the jump seat for the flight back. I also took the ferry, a Dove, to Farnborough one day to pick up some bits of coloured glass for Sam Kidd's PAPIs. (Sam is long dead and beyond being irritated by the Internet.)

This will sadden you all..

Report - RAE Thurleigh, Bedford - Nov 2011 - UK Urban Exploration Forums

Report - RAF Thurleigh, Bedfordshire. Jan 2011. - UK Urban Exploration Forums

Report - Thurleigh Airflied April 2011 (pic Heavy) - UK Urban Exploration Forums

You will find more links at the bottom of the pages.

I remember as a young avionics design engineer with Westland Helicopters doing some study work into CRT displays for the EH101 helicopter. I and three colleagues drove from Yeovil to RAE Bedford, and then flew back to Yeovilton in a 1-11 equipped with some large Smiths Industries CRT displays. This would have been around 1981/82.

So was that on XX105? Weren't they beam-penetration displays. Small by modern standards but bright and sharp compared to other things at that time. They were only fitted on the pilot side of XX105 when I was there, I think Dennis Stangroom (no idea about the spelling) was in the right seat on one of my few flights and said he preferred to use the CRTs even from the other seat.