Unknown airfields

Here’s a recent one of Portreath taken on a cold February morning.

Martin

landraver

that airfield is Croughton (Brackley), Northamptonshire. Now a USAF radio research station according to:
http://www.homepages.mcb.net/bones/06airfields/UK/uke05.htm
Multimap:
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=europe&x=456079&y=232015&scale=25000&width=700&height=410

Richard

any ideas?

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=51.991778~-1.183691&style=h&lvl=14&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=4342104

Thanks for the responses, I’ll agree on Hampstead Norris, looks like the woodland is the same.

I didn’t realise the RAF still had Portreath, doesn’t show up on anything!!

Richard

Like this one?

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Portreath.html

Adrian

What is going on at Portreath now? looks like one of the runways is still in use? Is it still RAF / Navy / Army / other military?? Richard

Portreath is still RAF and in use as a communications establishment (most of it being underground I believe). Will see if have any air to grounds at home.

Martin

An aerial photo at ploughing time would be very interesting, as the chalk rubble where the concrete was removed shows bright white through the thin soil.

Adrian

Google Earth shows the “ghost lines” better.

Blimey – well spotted, that man! I’ve been wracking my brain for days trying to remember the airfield I knew where the runways met in the middle. Given how many times I’ve wandered round Hampstead Norris…:o

There has been a huge amount of change in the landscape around it as well as the airfield itself, but I think you are spot on. Look at the edge of the wood, and remember how much new land was brought into cultivation in the 1960s and 1970s.

An aerial photo at ploughing time would be very interesting, as the chalk rubble where the concrete was removed shows bright white through the thin soil.

Adrian

The first one is Hampstead noris.

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/HampsteadNorris.html

I don’t think its Peplow, the taxiway looks like a different layout although the runways are similar. Any other ideas?

What is going on at Portreath now? looks like one of the runways is still in use? Is it still RAF / Navy / Army / other military???

Richard

Moggy is certainly right re the second being Portreath, see satellite view on the following (excellent) website:

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/Portreath.html

I suspect that this could be Peplow but printed as a mirror image. Then that might be a Shawbury Vamp T11!

I’ve zoomed in on the aircraft from the scan, here is the result. Looks Vampire like to me.

It’s a Vampire…

EDIT: Sorry, I can see a larger image on my PC, but it’s no larger than the original here…

Definitely not Condover. What are the dark marks across the runways?

I thought it looked more like an Argosy

I don’t think the Cessna 336/337 was around at that time! Must be a Vamp then.

I thought the aircraft was a Vampire or a Venom but I could be wrong!

The numbers at the bottom of the 1st photo indicate it was taken on 14th July 1955 and the Bottom photo was 26th May 1957 if that helps identyfy them at all.

Second one is definitely Portreath. At first sight, I thought the other might be Peplow or Seighford but on checking doesn’t seem to be either. The main runway looks too long for Condover and there are too many buildings. The aircraft looks like a C337.

Is that a Cessna 337 or a Vampire crossing the top image?