# RAF Llandow



## ww2nut (Mar 2, 2008)

Welcome to RAF Llandow another airfield that i hold dear to my heart. lovely in its state of industrial deriliction and still showing true signs of its once great past. many visits and ecxplorations have ocurred here with my 2 sons. please have a look at the photos and leave a comment. unfortunatly this site is about to be built over completly demolishing the whole place in the name of housing development...fab! at least i have hundreds of photos and plans for future generations. 
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this airfield famous for being the place that
Pilot Officer 
Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941
wrote the poem HIGH FLIGHT after a sortie in his spitfire over the fields of south wales.

_Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God._ ​

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blister hanagers in industrial use 


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the old water tower in top condition just behind the control tower

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this passenger aircraft using the airfield after the war, crashed killing all on board, the plane (tutor) was seen to over shoot the runway and stall after atempting to come around for another try...over loading and bad weather conditions were to blame...prior to the crash Llandow was planned to become Wales's main airport but post crash, the desision was changed and Rhoose airport was given the contract instead (few miles down the road now cardiff international airport) Llandow was shortly closed and faded into the mists of time having been robbed of its future......

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only a few fields away from the end of the runway. Having been to the crash site you can still see scars in the landscape where the aircraft crashed.



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a truly historic and facinating derilict airfiled whos history speaks for itself, i wonder if one day we will regret not saving these and other places that in our present time of development and forward thinking, seem to have no place or role. i feel it is important to save these places to let tommorow know what was and what could be again......

*for this and other intresting ww2 history photos etc go to [www.walesatwar.bravehost.com 
email me [email protected]*​


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## King Al (Mar 3, 2008)

Great pics + poem, Love the mix of old and new pics


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## ww2nut (Mar 3, 2008)

King Al said:


> Great pics + poem, Love the mix of old and new pics



thanks for your visit and comments, i love that poem as well great shame it all has to be demolished shortly.


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## Foxylady (Mar 3, 2008)

Fascinating history. Enjoyed seeing your pics and the archice ones you posted, ww2nut. I didn't think I'd read that poem before, but the last few lines seemed very familiar.

Cheers for that.


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## ww2nut (Mar 3, 2008)

Foxylady said:


> Fascinating history. Enjoyed seeing your pics and the archice ones you posted, ww2nut. I didn't think I'd read that poem before, but the last few lines seemed very familiar.
> 
> Cheers for that.



thanks for the post, getting the hang of this site now, truly enjoying it all!


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