RAF Wymeswold, Leicestershire - Dec 2010 ** Pic Heavy **

[sYnc_below]

Visited with some guys from AiX last year in treacherous road conditions, one guy is scarred for life by my driving I think

History - Copyright © Brush Aircraft: Production in Loughborough by Tony Jarrom (Midland Counties 1978)

Wymeswold RAF Station officially opened on 16 May 1942 as a new operational training unit (28OTU), which was part of 93 Group, RAF – although it had been in use since 14 April 1942. The advance party arrived at Castle Donington on 22 May 1942, which was by then selected as a satellite airfield. Initial aircraft for the Group were Vickers Wellingtons MK1C with Westland Lysanders and Miles Martinents under No.7 Group Bomber Command.

The training task continued until mid-October 1944, by which time many hundreds of aircrews had been trained; including Squadron Leader David Penman who was awarded the DSO for his part in the magnificent low-level raid on Augsburg. The senior pupils from the unit represented Wymeswold in the historic 'Thousand Bomber' raids. No. 1521 (Blind Approach training) Flight and its Oxfords was additionally resident in 1943–44.

In 1944, with the return of the Allied Forces to Europe, the need for bomber crews decreased, but a greater need for transport aircraft evolved, to serve overseas stations. On 15th October 1944, the station was handed over to 44 Group Transport Command when the job became one of training highly qualified bomber crews for the less hazardous, but equally exacting task, of transports.


Instead of the sight of the Wellingtons and Lancasters, Stirlings and Halifaxes, the Douglas DC-3/C-47 Dakota arrived with a new resident unit, 108 OTU. The 'Dak' found itself flying down the trunk routes opened through the liberated areas of Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. No.108 OTU disbanded in August 1945, and was re-named No. 1382 (Transport Support) Conversation Unit, which remained at Wymeswold, by now in 4 Group, until transferred to North Luffenham in December 1947.


On 3rd May 1949, the station was again transferred, this time to No.12 Group, Fighter Command, becoming the home of No.504 (County of Nottingham) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force which had moved in from Hucknall the previous month with its Spitfires. The unit became the third Auxiliary Squadron to receive the Gloster Meteor. It re-equipped with F.Mk.4 aircraft in March 1950, exchanging these for the higher-powered F.Mk.8 just two years later. At the same time, the airfield was host to an unusual civilian aircraft, the Burgoyne-Stirling Dicer which wore the unofficial registration G-AECN, more properly belonging to a defunct Pou de Ciel. The Dicer was kept in a hangar on the airfield until moved to Burton on the Wolds in 1950.

In July 1954, 1969 (Air Observation Post) Flight, a part of No.664 Squadron arrived with Auster AOP.6 and T.7 aircraft from its previous base at Desford. The flight remained at Wymeswold until disbanded on 10th March 1956.

The airfield took up another role in August 1955 with the arrival of No.56 (Phoenix) Squadron from Waterbeach. Following an unsuccessful year with the Swift F.Mk.1 and F.Mk.2, the squadron re-equipped with the Hunter G.Mk.5 in May 1955, and retired to Wymeswold to work-up to operational standard on its new mounts. With the Hunter firmly established, No.56 Squadron returned home to be replaced by No.257 and No.263 Squadrons, who were in the process of converting from the Hunter F.Mk.2 to the F.Mk.5, and in need of a temporary base while the runways at their Wittisham base were being resurfaced.

Air displays in the 1950s saw many types of aircraft – among them No.92 Squadron Sabres; Chipmunks of Nottingham University Air Squadron; No.211 AFS (later re-named 4FTS) Meteors; Dart Kitten G-AMJP of the Grimsby Flying School; United States Air Force F-84s and B.45s and the Royal Canadian Air Force Bristol Freighters.

The increasing cost of maintaining jet aircraft was responsible for the disbandment of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in 1957, and after almost three decades of service, No.504 Squadron disbanded on 12th February. After this the airfield continued for a time as a satellite station for RAF Syerston (from where in 1946, 504 Squadron had flown Mosquito aircraft). Syerston's aircraft were Hunting Provost trainers, later replaced by the Jet Provost and operated by the resident 2 Flying Training School. In the late '50s and early '60, these could be seen carrying out touch and goes (or '?circuits and bumps') as part of the training procedure for fledgling pilots.

Runway resurfacing work at the nearby airfield at Hucknall resulted in Wymeswold being host to part of the Rolls Royce aircraft test-bed fleet between January 1955 and February 1956. Particularly significant among the Hunter F.1s and Canberras on Avon development flying were two Avro Ashtons – the first (WE670) had been modified with spray gear for icing trials by Napiers at Luton, made its first flight from Hucknall with an Avon RA14 under its belly, and duly landed at Wymeswold, from, where it was operated until February 1956. The 'Conway' Ashton (WB491), which had also been kitted out at Napiers, arrived in November 1955.

In the late '50s, Field Aircraft Services obtained a number of overhaul contracts that were soon to bring a wide variety of exotically marked aircraft to Wymeswold. There began the overhaul of large numbers of European-based RCAF Sabres and T-33ANs (also the odd CF-100 Mk4.B Canuck) between early 1958 and late 1962. Another, brought a number of USAF and USN SC-54D Searchmasters and R5D-1s to be worked on in the lone 'black' hangar in the middle of the airfield. They were supplemented by numerous diverse civil contracts, involving Viking, C-47, Prince, President, Viscount, DC-4, DC-6, DC-7 and Marathon aircraft, as well as a lone Hudson CF-CRJ, which seemed to linger between March 1963 and May 1964.

A decision by Field Aircraft Services to move their operation to the newly constructed regional 'East Midlands Airport' at Castle Donington was to prove the beginning of the end for Wymeswold as an active airfield, and by the end of April 1969, only three aircraft remained; a DC-3 (G-AMYJ), a 'Conair' DC-7 (OY-DFR) and a 'Bahamas Air' Viscount (VP-BCD), of which the latter had been in evidence since early 1967.

Building No.6 Drawing No.7811/41 Picket Post (Sick Quarters)

Building No.3 Drawing No.7815/41 Ambulance Garage and Mortuary (Sick Quarters)

Building No.5 Drawing No.7811/41 Sergeants & Airmans Ablutions/Latrines (Sick Quarters)

M&E Plinth (Sick Quarters)

Building No. 17. Drawing No. 7811/41 Picket Post

Unknown electrical building - Airfield Site

Building no. 8 Drawing No. 11008/41 Battle Headquarters - Airfield Site

Building No.53. Drawing no. 518/40 Control Tower - Airfield Site

Building No.27. Drawing no. 147/41 25 Yard Machine Gun Range

Building No.24. Drawing no. 7828/41 Motor Transport, Offices, Bays & Ramps

Building No.21. Drawing no. 7821/41 Gas Clothing Store

Building No.21. Drawing no. 7821/41 Gas Clothing Store

Building No.5. Drawing no. 7829/41 Guard House

Building No.5. Drawing no. 7829/41 Guard House

Building No.5. Drawing no. 7829/41 Guard House

Building No.5. Drawing no. 7829/41 Guard House

Building No.25. Drawing no. 18648/40 Electrical Sub Station

Building No.25. Drawing no. 18648/40 Electrical Sub Station

Building No.25. Drawing no. 18648/40 Electrical Sub Station

Building No.25. Drawing no. 18648/40 Electrical Sub Station

Revo T2 Mk.II Taxiway Light

Picket Post - Bulk Fuel Site

Bulk Fuel Site

 

[Priority 7]

looks like a nice explore if a little snowy...

 

[klempner69]

Brilliant shots particularly the control tower ones.

 

[sYnc_below]

Brilliant shots particularly the control tower ones.

Thanks...these are all with my old camera too

 

[historymadd]

unknown building

hi there

Looking at the floor of the building and the type of runway light it was almost certainly a b centre which house transformers for the runway lighting.


aix link

http://www.airfieldinformationexcha...d.php?3705-Airfield-Lighting-B-Control-Centre

cheers

hm

 

[hydealfred]

A truly fascinating place with so much left to see. Well done on superb shots and report.

In building 21 they look like airliner seats ???

 

[stevie]

Theyre out of an old Viscount Hydealfred.
Great pics mate and a pleasure showing you around here even though it was so bloody freeezing at the time!!!!! I knew you'd be impressed with the place.

Just to recap on that info there was a few more periods of use at Wymeswold after that. From the 18th to the 20th of may 1970 No.1 Squadron RAF used the airfield for a Foreward Operating Location Exercise with six Harriers and East-West Aviation used a section of the airfield to fly a Let 410 and an Antinov An-2 during the latter end of 1995.

 

[hydealfred]

Thanks Stevie - clears that up nicely

 

[sYnc_below]

hi there

Looking at the floor of the building and the type of runway light it was almost certainly a b centre which house transformers for the runway lighting.

hm

Thank you very much for this info, I assume this would be 1950's or later then? (it doesn't appear on the WW2 airfield plan)

 

[sYnc_below]

Great pics mate and a pleasure showing you around here even though it was so bloody freeezing at the time!!!!! I knew you'd be impressed with the place.

have your feet thawed out yet?

 

[WinchItIn]

Nice set of photo's Hal, did you get access to the BHQ?

 

[V70]

Excellent report!.. I love all the old signs and labels, great stuff. Good to see so much has survived on such a derelict site. Good work on identifying so much of the buildings too.

 

[stevie]

Good to see so much has survived on such a derelict site.

...and we didn't have time to visit all the buildings in the technical site or training area on this perticular visit. It's certainly one of the best examples of a WW2 airfield (albeit mainly derilict) anywhere.

 

[stevie]

have your feet thawed out yet?

You'll be plesed to hear i've FINALLY got round to buying some proper walking boots mate . A wise move methinks!!

 

[stevie]

Thank you very much for this info, I assume this would be 1950's or later then? (it doesn't appear on the WW2 airfield plan)

It's from the 1950's era.

 

[sYnc_below]

Nice set of photo's Hal, did you get access to the BHQ?

Yup but it was flooded, only the observation cupola was dry.

 

[fluffy5518]

Top quality report and stunning piccies !!! I could only dream of a snow and sunshine day - my camera would be shaking with the excitement !!! Great to see the tower still stands and in tip top derelicty - goodness condition !!!! They look so much better (atmospheric wise ) in that condition !!

 

[sYnc_below]

Top quality report and stunning piccies !!!

Thanks...its a shame I didn't have any glass for my Canon at the time, these were all shot on a Lumix TZ6...........The Canon would have smoked these pix

 

[Kaputnik]

Great set of pics! i love nosing around this place, it's somewhere you can keep going back to and finding something you missed last time

 

[historymadd]

unknown building

Thank you very much for this info, I assume this would be 1950's or later then? (it doesn't appear on the WW2 airfield plan)

Cold war era some of this stuff is still in use today believe it or not

there is quite a bit on airfield information exchange about the lighting of airfields and asscoiated bulidings

beemn on a few like that raf abingdon has some old stuff like that on it but well chavved now

cheers hm