Hi
During my research of the airfield at Henley-on-Thames I have been told that a Whitley aircraft mistook at night Henley airfield and force-landed here, after the undercarriage collapsed the aircraft was written off and eventually scrapped, however I cannot find anything regarding this accident and am hoping someone with knowledge of bomber accidents might know the answer.
A Tempest believed to be a Mk.II from Langley on a test? and quoted by someone who witnessed it as being painted yellow apparently suffered engine failure at altitude over the airfield and the pilot managed to glide it down, (difficult in a Tempest I would imagine) and force-landed onto the airfield it apparently was hastily covered-up before being collected by Hawkers?? and taken away, again I have not been able to find anything regarding this accident.
There was also a fatal Tiger Moth accident possibly a 13 EFTS aircraft crashed behind some cottages next to the airfield some time in 1940 again any information welcomed.
Another question is a test that happened here a couple of times using an Anson fitted with a hook that collected a cable on the ground with a dummy attached. This I have been told was to have been used to pick-up agents over in France again any information would be welcomed.
Cheers
By: Resmoroh - 27th October 2009 at 16:18
Bentley, Hi,
I regret that my time at Waterbeach was all too short and that I did not make the acquaintance of the said “Twinkle Toes”. I avoided the Queen’s Birthday Station Parade (sleeping off nights!). I was quietly minding my way to the NAAFI when I got clobbered for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Birthday Parade. Luckily, I’d been at Square Bashing (Hednesford) with a bloke who was now in Stores. He had (being in receipt of a few beers) furnished me with a number of Uniform Deficiency Chits. Deficient 1 x Rifle Sling meant you couldn’t possibly go on Parades!! The SWO and the Discip Sgt were out for me. Two days later I was summoned to SHQ where informed that I was going to El Adem for the last 18 months of my National Service. Those 18 months were, variously, the most boring, exciting, interesting, etc, etc, of my Nat Svc career. I could fill a book but it would only bore 99.736% of this Forum’s readers/correspondents.
Good days
HTH
Resmoroh
By: Resmoroh - 27th October 2009 at 15:49
Bentley,
On Google Earth try 51°32’05.49″N 00°51’18.62″W (roughly the centre of the airfield)
Or 51°31’45.45″N 00°51’09.11″W (a still existing defensive Pillbox).
Various garages and metal-bashing firms in Reading (and elsewhere, locally) were requisitioned in the early days of WW2 (and following the Luftwaffe attack on the main Spitfire production centre in Southampton) to make bits of Spitfires. They metal-bashed panels, fuel-tanks, wiring looms, etc, etc. All these were taken to RAF Henley-on-Thames to be put together with the ‘Big Bits’ of the airframe and the Engine to “make” a Spitfire. These were then Test Flown before going off to have radios, guns, etc, fitted at some MU. RAF Henley-on-Thames was variously known as Crazies Hill, or Cockpole Green, etc. It’s other claim to fame is that it was the very first RAF Station to have a Rotary Wing resident Sqn.
And what is there now – nothing but a Pillbox in the middle of a field to show it was an important airfield in WW2. Not Biggin Hill, or Scampton, I grant you, but significant in its own right. The ‘Locals’ must have been aware that they were “doing their bit”.
HTH
Resmoroh
By: Newforest - 27th October 2009 at 15:29
That’s the problem, you never have time to explore your own neighbourhood!:D
http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Henley-on-Thames.html
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October 27, 2009 at 2:32 pm