Hullavington airfield
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Hullavington airfield
The MOD is to sell Hullavington,the end of another historic airfield.I went to my first air show there on 1954,flew many hours there with Bannerdown gliding club years later,wonder where the two V.G.S. Units will move to-sad
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I remember the tortuous process of learning basic navigation at Hullavington in the Valetta and Varsity which puddled around standard routes with long suffering Master aircrew staff pilots and siggies, coping with a hesitant stream of wrong information being passed forward by the baby navs. Innocent days.
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Hullavington airfield
M.O.D. Has placed ads in local paper with list of pre war owners of the land,they have given them or their descendants two months to contact that's as much as I know!
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The adverts have to be placed to meet the obligations of the Crichel Down rules ( which have just been revised).
This does not necessarily mean that the whole airfield is to be sold. It may be only a portion, for example the site which the karting hangar stands on.
There has certainly been no word locally that the airfield is to be sold.
This does not necessarily mean that the whole airfield is to be sold. It may be only a portion, for example the site which the karting hangar stands on.
There has certainly been no word locally that the airfield is to be sold.
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There would be only one company in Malmesbury that would be in the frame to build a factory that size-as their new factory is already well under way it is unlikely that they would be interested in Hullavington.
In any event, the site would have to be put on the open market so that the taxpayer can see that it has been properly exposed to the market and the best price achieved.
And then there is the small question of planning permission.
Don't hold your breath on this one. Sounds like Kemble all over again.
In any event, the site would have to be put on the open market so that the taxpayer can see that it has been properly exposed to the market and the best price achieved.
And then there is the small question of planning permission.
Don't hold your breath on this one. Sounds like Kemble all over again.
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Dougie M. that picture reminds me of being in Nav school in Texas and shooting a night cel triangle that was big enough to put Texas inside of... and Texas wasn't inside it! Later I got a little better.
Incidentally, is that kit where they got the idea for Teletubbies from?
Incidentally, is that kit where they got the idea for Teletubbies from?
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Valetta
The Nav Training variant or "Pig" as it was known could get several baby navs lost at the same time. A classic case was on a night astro sortie when the students ascended into the astrodomes to take a sighting of the same celestial body and all the little heads were pointing in different directions.
The nursery blue flying suits, G helmets, LSJ's and chest mounted parachute harnesses did nothing to abate the muck sweat of being temporarily unsure of your position.
The nursery blue flying suits, G helmets, LSJ's and chest mounted parachute harnesses did nothing to abate the muck sweat of being temporarily unsure of your position.
My Hullavington memory is slightly different: in 1970 I hitched from school in my CCF uniform to the World Aerobatic Championships there. It was mostly Zlins, I recall. It took me so long to hitch I could only spend an hour there. Must have been plane crazy...
I understand that a company in Malmesbury is trying to buy it to build an additional factory - WE992
Interesting: not so long ago, the head man at the said company was looking for somewhere convenient to both home and HQ to house and operate a very nice set of private wings.
Jack
Interesting: not so long ago, the head man at the said company was looking for somewhere convenient to both home and HQ to house and operate a very nice set of private wings.
Jack
Dougie M #4,
You look as good in your Blue/grey flying suit and yellow LSJ as you did in later years in green growbag sir. More than I can say for myself. Trevor, I too flew with Bannerdown out of Hullavington, though my first exposure was at Colerne in 1972 at Colerne. A quick question for the Navs here. As a youngster my local B of B display was at Gaydon, post V bombers, and the home of No 2 Air Navigation School with Varsities as I recall. Was Hullavington a follow on, a forerunner or just an alternative operating base ?
Smudge
You look as good in your Blue/grey flying suit and yellow LSJ as you did in later years in green growbag sir. More than I can say for myself. Trevor, I too flew with Bannerdown out of Hullavington, though my first exposure was at Colerne in 1972 at Colerne. A quick question for the Navs here. As a youngster my local B of B display was at Gaydon, post V bombers, and the home of No 2 Air Navigation School with Varsities as I recall. Was Hullavington a follow on, a forerunner or just an alternative operating base ?
Smudge
Smudge
2ANS moved from Thorney Island to Hullavington over the Christmas/New Year period at the end of 1961. The first course to start there was 36 Course at the end of January 1962. At the same time 1ANS moved to Stradishall.
I started on 37 Course the day after my 18th birthday party, with my first legal hangover. The rest of the course were not much better!!
The move to Gaydon was later, I think about 1970.
2ANS moved from Thorney Island to Hullavington over the Christmas/New Year period at the end of 1961. The first course to start there was 36 Course at the end of January 1962. At the same time 1ANS moved to Stradishall.
I started on 37 Course the day after my 18th birthday party, with my first legal hangover. The rest of the course were not much better!!
The move to Gaydon was later, I think about 1970.
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Hearing the news about Hullavington brings back wonderful memories of a bank holiday summer weekend spent camping on the base in 1970.My Dad was a member of the Chichester model aeroplane club (CADMAC) and took our family down there to fly control-line a/c and see the flying radio controlled models of other club members. My Brother and I used to fly our little rubber band planes in the big hangars on the base, good fun coz they flew better and didn't blow around. I remember watching the film ' Flight of the Pheonix ' in the station cinema.
We heard a roar of engines from the far side of the airfield one morning and legged it over to find a Lancaster ( NX611 now at East Kirkby ) doing engine runs. My Bro took a photo of me proudly standing one hand on the bomb doors and we were lucky enough to re-create the snap 40 years later in the hangar at East Kirkby in 2010 thanks to a chat with a lovely chap called Fred who let us get thru the barriers and close to his aircraft. Fred sadly passed away in 2013 but we were so impressed with his love of their Lancaster and his genuine interest in our old photo's which he asked to keep copies of. RIP Fred and I hope she flies soon in you and your Brothers honour.
We heard a roar of engines from the far side of the airfield one morning and legged it over to find a Lancaster ( NX611 now at East Kirkby ) doing engine runs. My Bro took a photo of me proudly standing one hand on the bomb doors and we were lucky enough to re-create the snap 40 years later in the hangar at East Kirkby in 2010 thanks to a chat with a lovely chap called Fred who let us get thru the barriers and close to his aircraft. Fred sadly passed away in 2013 but we were so impressed with his love of their Lancaster and his genuine interest in our old photo's which he asked to keep copies of. RIP Fred and I hope she flies soon in you and your Brothers honour.
Dougie M , Is your photo showing the World's first laptop computers ? .............................Blue boxes with green screens look just the right size to hold a Dalton computer [ whizz wheel ] And does not need a battery !
rgds condor .
rgds condor .
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I was on 63 Course, and we were joined by ten Iraqis, who were taught by our Course Commander in Russian. At the end of the Basic course they went on to Stradishall as 63 Course, and we stayed on at Hullavington as 63A Course to do the Advanced Course, only going to Stradishall to do 12 hours on the Meteor NF14.
Remember one of our favourite pubs was The White Hart at Ford, and parties at the various female colleges in Bath.
Happy days 1964!
Remember one of our favourite pubs was The White Hart at Ford, and parties at the various female colleges in Bath.
Happy days 1964!