Leighterton airfield was used during the first world war to train members of the 1st training wing of the australian flying corps royal australian air force. While history has since treated especially him none too kindly, it should never be forgotten that but for his and hestons involvement, britain would have almost certainly lost had this country entered war with germany a year earlier. It covers the lot, from the first military airfield in britain, at larkhill, salisbury plain, in 1911, through to a nice phot of the armoury at leighterton, in gloucestershire, dating from the first world war. Our history stapleford flight centre london england. Taking its name from the farm which provided most of the land, this airfield was planned in 1939 as a rlg for 9 fts hullavington and was first used at the end of july 1940 for night flying by the units harts and audaxes.
November 2007 meeting report keyworth local history society. Pay book and pay online download form find out more. Francis frith the uks leading publisher of local photographs since 1860. Airfield, by jeanette ingold takes place in muddy springs, texas during times of the depression. Originally required as satellite airfield for raf catfoss the land was requisitioned in 1940. Rfcraf squadrons at filton during the first world war. Raf filton was a world war ii, royal air force sector airfield situated at filton aerodrome about 8km 5mi north of the city centre of bristol, england. For statistics about leighterton itself, go to units and statistics. Originally a grass airfield, elvington was rebuilt with three hardened runways which were completed ready for operations in october 1942. It had two hangars and 36 dispersals and three concrete runways. Bowldown farm uk airfield guide a guide to the history. Airfield publications publish books on uk airfields, recent publications include raf kirton in lindsey, burtonwood, woodvale and 611 west lancashire squadron, royal auxiliary air force, raf brampton and raf waterbeach. Gb historical gis university of portsmouth, history of leighterton, in cotswold and gloucestershire map and description, a vision of britain through time. The airfield was reactivated during the second world war.
They represent a class of military airfield that is poorly protected and one with many conservation challenges. It now appears that leighterton was indeed a seperate site. Egbw is located in wellesbourne, warwickshire, england, 3. Podington was then used as a satellite for nearby chelveston.
It is employed for offroad racing cars and test running refurbished andor new designs of trucks. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of elvington airfield. Attlebridge airfield 466th bomb group 2nd air division. The wwii airborne photos of leiston airfield were taken by bob prante from a 100th bomb group b17. A photographic archive and record of ramsgates municipal airport over three decades. An aerodrome was constructed for them at bowldown farm on the edge of leighterton, with at least 14 hangars for the aircraft in addition to a. Bob was a 364th fs armorer and later transferred to the 357th fg photo shop. Cowley airfield morris motors flying field 19391945. Moors exhaustively researched book is the first to tell the full story of the part detling played in the defence of the realm and the history of flight. Leighterton bowldown farm airfields of britain conservation.
Work to lengthen the runways, although this was not wholly successful due to landscape problems. The raf and fields had both left by 1960 and, apart from the flying club there was little commercial activity on the site. Some of the airfield buildings were utilised as industrial units, many timber storage sheds were built on the old runways and a council tip was established on the site. History of leighterton, in cotswold and gloucestershire. The aim of the dunsfold airfield history society dahs is to preserve those features of dunsfold airfield that have significant historic or architectural interest, in order to retain for posterity the unique contribution of the airfield to our national aerospace heritage. Raf elvington airfield history aircraft, airfields and. It was mostly sold and returned to agriculture in the 1960s70s. Nos 7 and 8 training squadrons arrived at this latter airfield in the second half of february 1918. The 82nds lincolnshire airfields were raf fulbeck, raf folkingham, raf barkston heath and raf saltby. Raf milfield was a royal air force station which operated during the second world war, located near milfield, northumberland the airfield opened on 26 january 1942, hosting no. It had four grass landing strips of varying lengths, they ranged between 1100 yards to 1450 yards. On the way to wolverhampton we will visit leighterton, where.
See also seperate entry for leighterton for probable previous history. Ridge class leighterton primary school leighterton. Raf seighford is a former royal air force station located 3. Located in yorkshire, raf elvington was a bomber base and was part of 4 group bomber command. Raf babdown farm is a former royal air force relief landing ground located 2. Afc leighterton bowldown farm airstrip leighterton aerodrome raf leighterton. Airfield publications a specialist publisher in aviation. Usaaf 434th troop carrier group arrived on 7 oct 1943. The otu trained groundattack pilots for the hawker typhoon. The wing was established on 1 september 1917 as the 1st training wing and commanded the afcs pilot training squadrons in england until april 1919, when it was. Raf fulbeck was a troop carrier airfield of the 82nd. The airfield is now used in part as the blyton raceway.
Since childhood he has been fascinated by all aspects of aviation history. Raf caistor was a grasssurfaced airfield and served its time during the war as a relief landing ground rlg for a number of stations in the area. The battle of britain and penshurst airfield leigh. History babdown was built in 1940 as a relief landing ground rlg with two grass runways and a flare path for no. A memorial has been placed at the site by the bomber airfields society.
The airfield was formerly the royal air force station raf wellesbourne mountford. Leiston airfield, station 373, united kingdom bud anderson. Before redevelopment its important to understand the history and inherited character of these places. Books manston references history of manston airfield. It is intended to bring together the various sources of information at events, squadrons, aircraft and personnel that have been involved in the site. Initially, it was no more than an emergency landing strip but in 1940, during the battle of britain, there were a number of incidents on or near the airfield. This may be an airfield from which you or members of your family had operated.
Plaques note airfields role in both world wars bbc news. The airfield was built to the standard at the time consisting of three concrete runways. Come visit our page where you can see what we have been up to this year is ridge class. The memorials have been unveiled at charmy down, colerne and leighterton airfields. Originally built as an raf bomber command station 194142.
A book by his friends and famil after he drowned at bilgola beach sydney in 1921. Although constrained by three roads and the gransmoor drain the builders constructed a standard threerunway bomber airfield. Steeped in history for more than 85 years, north weald airfield is an ideal place to start your aviation heritage tour. During construction it was decided to extend the runways which in turn lead to the closure of both the a18 to the west of kirmington, and a minor road running to the north of the village.
The site was opened as a satelliterelief landing ground for raf hixon, 7. A small corner of the airfield was used by a crop dusting firm and in 1989, the real aeroplane company moved in and so began the regeneration of the airfield that we know today. The airfield was handed back to the raf in 1945, and it became a civil airfield in 1947 to the 1960s. History of war aircraft, timeline, commanders, main bases, and related books which we have in our collection. Since passing his gft for a private pilots license on the 30th june 1989 in the cessna 152 gwacb at wycombe air park the gates of opportunity opened and he has, for example, flown an aircraft in every country in western europe registered in each country. For specific enquiries, you could try the dedicated forums, army air forces of world war ii and airfield information exchange. The airfield was one of three within the area, the others being raf melbourne and. By the early 1960s the future of tollerton airfield looked precarious. The boxted airfield museum was founded with the aims of educating, promoting, and preserving the history of boxted airfield. Twenty four flying corps members are buried in leighterton cemetery.
On 23 february a fairey battle l5005 on route from manston to brize norton was forced to use the airfield in particularly bad. The upkeep bounced six times, covering a distance of 670 yards, but did veer about 30 feet to the left towards the end. Volume two chronicles events from january 1943 onwards, which includes other is of the airfields history circa 1950s and 1960s. Heston proved not only a busy airfield in world war two but extremely versatile. The emerging australian flying corps possessed two airfields for its own use towards the end of world war one.
The 100th bomb group moved in for a short time in 1943, before being replaced by th 92nd bomb. This site is dedicated to the history of manston airfield, in kent from its first official usage back in 1916. We hope you will enjoy this very rare slice of ww1 australian aviation history. During the war this factory was used for aircraft production and salvage returning to car assembly postwar. Interview with 362nd fs armorer, hoyt parmer drop tanks, the wartime experience of don marner. Fs number 3 glider training school, school of photography, school of education, the airfield construction branch, and to number 9 advanced flying training school. The boxted airfield historical group was founded with the aims of educating, as well as promoting and preserving the history of boxted airfield, including its association with the various usaaf and raf groups that were based here during and after world war ii. Churchills most secret airfield first edition by bernard o connor isbn. However, in 1963 derek truman took over the lease for the. The airfield was bombed in 1940 and 1941 but no serious damage was caused.
Minchinhampton airstrip was used by the ministry of defence. Flew into the st aviation jabiru flyin at boughton south not to be confused with boughton north which is just the other side of the road, boughton is 5 miles south east of downham market very good approaches and an excellent, long 800m grass runway but watch out for the dip hump it is in the raf marham matz so calls to marham are essential and aproaches are from the south. Many former ww2 airfield sites are within easy reach along with important aviation heritage sites. The aircraft were flown over from hullavington in the late afternoon. The airfield is now the site of the annual kent county show, but two memorials stand as poignant reminders of the epic events that transpired in this otherwise sleepy corner of britain. On the squadrons first operation out of stapleford 20th april three hurricanes collided in cloud over the channel all three. The airfield was not used operationally until 9th april when hurricanes of 242 squadron flew in from martlesham heath.
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