In Trail 65 we head west again this time to the borders of Bedfordshire and Northampton, where a former wartime airfield evolved from a base for USAAF bombers into a centre of aviation excellence. First built during the Second World War, it supported critical missions over occupied Europe. In the post-war years, it transitioned into a leading site for aeronautical research, contributing to major advances in jet technology, carrier operations, and automated landing systems. Although official flying ended in 1994, the site continued to reflect a remarkable legacy, marking its place in history as a cornerstone of Britain’s military and civil aviation development.
In this trail, we go back to Bedfordshire and the former RAF Thurleigh.
RAF Thurleigh (Station 111)
Situated some 6.5 miles north of Bedford, RAF Thurleigh was built on land approximately 250 feet above sea level. Although not a high elevation, its open plateau setting – typical of many wartime airfields – exposed it to the elements. Surrounded by multiple river sources, the location benefited from good natural drainage, aiding its suitability as an airfield site.
The nearby village of Thurleigh has a long recorded history, appearing in the Domesday Book as La Lega*1 – a name that over centuries, has evolved into its current form. In a similar fashion, the airfield that bears the same name, would come to be known under many titles of its own: RAF Thurleigh, USAAF Station 111, RAE Bedford, Bedford Aerodrome, and Thurleigh Airfield Business Park amongst others. Yet throughout its history, one theme remained constant – aviation.
The War Reaches Bedfordshire: Early Bombings and Construction (1941)
Thurleigh’s association with the Second World War began even before construction commenced. Isolated bombing incidents in the parish during 1941 – possibly the result of jettisoned bombs from German aircraft – marked its early wartime experience. Once the airfield’s construction began however, it quickly caught the attention of the Luftwaffe. On 17th April that year, eight enemy bombs were dropped directly onto the construction site, causing damage to the incomplete runway. A second attack on 12th August 1941 saw another eight bombs fall along the northern boundary, again damaging the airfield and rupturing a water main*2. Both raids highlighted how conspicuous such developments were to enemy reconnaissance and subsequent aerial attacks.
Once land had been sourced, the airfield’s construction was carried out by the company W.C. French Ltd. and officially opened during the summer of 1941. At this early stage, Thurleigh was a modest airfield in size, suited only for fighters or light to medium bombers. Its first operational residents were the personnel from No. 18 Operational Training Unit (OTU), part of the RAF’s Bomber Command. Having recently adopted the twin-engined Vickers Wellington, 18 OTU (formed from the Polish Training Unit in No. 6 Group, in June 1940 to train light bomber crews for Polish operational squadrons) was tasked with preparing new crews transitioning onto bombers ready for active duty.
Though OTUs were primarily training units, they often found themselves involved in operational sorties, especially during periods of ‘maximum effort’. As a result, many crews suffered casualties, even before they joined a front-line operational squadron.
Following them, in October 1941, 12 Operational Training Unit – first formed at RAF Benson in April 1940 – briefly stayed here. Their residency lasting a mere month, it remains unclear whether it was the entire unit, or just detachments that were present here during that time. It was also at this time that the first recorded aircraft landing took place at Thurleigh: Wellington IC R1234*3 touching down on the new runway, marking a small but important milestone in the station’s dramatic history.
12 OTU Were not the only training unit to reside here. The Central Gunnery School (CGS), famed for “training the trainers” remained here from December 1941 until their departure to RAF Sutton Bridge on the Lincolnshire / Norfolk border in April 1942.
First established at RAF Warmwell on 6th November 1939, the CGS would train both gunners of bombers and fighters in the art of aerial warfare, those attending having proven themselves in combat already. Once trained, they would return to their original squadrons and pass on their valuable knowledge to others.
Tropical Kit and Tragedy: The Brief Story of 160 Squadron (1942)
Thurleigh’s relative quiet made it an ideal location to raise a new unit, and on January 16th 1942, the ground echelon of 160 Squadron RAF, formed here. Created as a Consolidated B-24 Liberator unit under War Establishment order WAR/ME/448 (dated 31st December 1941), the squadron’s formation began with the arrival of 108 airmen, who were followed by a further 126 the very next day. Over the following weeks, the numbers of ground crew and support staff swelled, as it did, each one was issued with tropical kit, a move that suggested a deployment to the Far East.
Throughout the weeks that followed, the air echelon underwent heavy bomber training some with 1653 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Polebrook, while other crew members were sent to RAF Upwood for additional preparation. In mid-February, the posting finally came through and the ground party departed enroute to the Far East. Meanwhile, the air crews transferred to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, where they collected their new B-24s before they too left for the Far east.
Tragedy and Transition – May 1942
The now quieter Thurleigh would then experience a series of tragic accidents. On 18th May 1942, Wellington IC DV783, flown by a Polish crew led by Pilot Officer J. Kilmcsyk, crashed shortly after taking off. Just moments after departing the runway, the aircraft suddenly, and without warning, dived into the ground; the ensuing fireball killing all five crew members onboard. The Wellington, along with the crew’s bodies, was later recovered and the airmen interned in the Polish War Graves section of Newark cemetery in Nottinghamshire.
This was the second fatal crash suffered by the unit in as many days, a tragedy that was compounded by another such incident the following day – although mercifully this time, there would be no fatalities.
Not long after this short but devastating period, 18 OTU departed Thurleigh, a move that signified the end of its ties, as a training airfield, with Bomber Command. For the remainder of the war, there would be no further front line, RAF units assigned here, and attention now turned to its new owner, the United States Army Air Forces.
In Part 2, we continue our journey through Thurleigh’s wartime history. We see the arrival of the USAAF, and share their experiences both good and bad. We learn of the failures of the B-17 and how through innovation they overcome these problems becoming one of the most successful bomb groups of the war.
The full story of RAF Thurleigh can be. read in Trail 65.
There has been much written about the young Kennedy, his life, his family and his death, but a lot of information around his death has remained ‘unknown’ for many years. Even today, the actual cause of his death is not clear and will probably remain so.
Joseph Kennedy Jnr was based at RAF Fersfield (originally RAF Winfarthing) in Norfolk (Trail 27), and had only been there a few weeks before he tragically died on August 12th 1944, whilst operating on secret operations. A tragic loss, this is the last flight of Joseph Kennedy and Wilford Willy from RAF Fersfield, Norfolk, England.
The Crew – Lieutenant Joseph Kennedy Jnr.
Joseph Kennedy was born July 25th 1915, Nantasket, Massachusetts, he was the eldest brother of eight siblings including John F. Kennedy. He was son to Joseph Patrick Kennedy and Rose Fitzgerald. Throughout his life he had been pressured into the political life by his father who had high hopes that his son would become the future President. Joseph Jnr wanted to please. As war loomed, Joe Kennedy Jnr rose to the challenge seizing his opportunity to become the ‘shining light’ of the Kennedy family.
The Kennedy parents instilled a desire to be competitive, to win and succeed and to be the best. This came out in Joseph during his time at both home and at school. The pressure on Joseph was enormous, and it was clearly evident throughout his short life.
Joseph lived in the shadow of his younger brother John, who would captain a PT boat in the Far East, and in Joseph’s absence, go on to become President of the most powerful nation on Earth. John was the brighter, the more determined of the two, and this caused friction between them. Joe always wanting to ‘out-do’ his brother persevered, but never seemed to quite make it.
It was this determination and rivalry that perhaps led Joseph to do what he did, to impress, to be the best and the ideal way he thought was as a war hero.
With a remarkable academic background behind him, Joseph Kennedy joined the U.S. Naval Reserves on October 15th 1941, reporting to the Naval Air Station (N.A.S.) at Jacksonville, Florida the following day. After several months of training he received his commission and on January 10th 1943 he joined a flying patrol squadron. In May he became a Junior Grade Lieutenant transferring to a bomber squadron in the following July that year. In 1944, on July 1st, he was promoted to Lieutenant United States Naval Reserve. His military life would last just over one month.
Joseph was posted to RAF Dunkeswell serving under the RAF’s Coastal Command. Flying a PB4Y he would carry out U-Boat searches over the Atlantic around the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic. As he accumulated flying hours, he rarely came into any real danger, even when posted to cover the Allied invasion fleet over Normandy he rarely came into contact with any opposing aircraft or vessels.
Joseph Kennedy’s opportunity came when volunteers were asked for to undertake a special secret and dangerous operation. He jumped at the chance to be a hero.
Joseph Kennedy arrived at RAF Fersfield, Norfolk on 30th July 1944, where he was trained for two weeks. On August 10th 1944, he wrote a letter home, it would be his last communication with his family. Joseph Kennedy was to become a pilot in operation Anvil, the Navy’s version of Aphrodite.
Lieutenant Wilford John Willy
Sadly, Lieutenant Wilford J. Willy (s/n: O-137078), has remained in the shadows probably because the status of Joseph Kennedy Jnr. A tragic loss nonetheless and no less an important one. Willy was born 13th May 1909, New Jersey. He enlisted in the Navy in 1928, gaining his Naval Wings on April 30th 1937, just two years after he had married his sweetheart, Edna C. Schaffery, the women he left behind. On advancing through the rank of Chief Petty Officer, he was awarded Lower Grade Lieutenant (April 28th 1942) and two months later, on June 26th, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant. Willy served at a number of operational stations, including Pearl Harbour, before being posted to RAF Fersfield, in Norfolk.
Willy, now an expert in Radio Operations and procedures, became the Executive Officer of the Special Air Unit One (S.A.U.1), the rank he achieved when he took off with Kennedy on August 12th 1944.
Operations Anvil and Aphrodite.
Whilst Drone technology and research had been around as early as World War I, it was still relatively unchartered territory. However, radio controlled drones (modern name Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or U.A.V.s) were already being used with relative success for target practice by the RAF and USAAF during World War II. The ‘Queen Bee’ being one of many used by the RAF. The Germans had also been investigating drone and guided bomb use through examples such as the Mistel aircraft (the most successful being a combination of either a FW-190 or Me-109 mounted above a Ju 88).
Both the USAAF and USN were undertaking secret trials into drone aircraft operations with the view of attacking the heavily defended and ‘impenetrable’ submarine and ‘V’ weapons sites across northern France . The aim, to stop, or at least reduce, the Nazi’s use of the V1, V2 rockets and the development of the new V3 canon.
Codenamed ‘Aphrodite‘ by the USAAF, and ‘Anvil‘ by the Navy, they were two secret operations running side by side. The idea behind these operations, was to remove all excess equipment from war-weary B-17s and B-24s, fill them with explosives, such as the British Torpex, put in radio receivers so that the drone (baby) could be controlled by a separate aircraft (mother) and fly them into designated targets. A volunteer crew of two would take off, set the aircraft in flight and then bail out over the U.K. or English Channel, leaving the ‘baby’ in the control of the ‘mother’ aircraft. These would then fly, by remote control, to the target when they would be put into a dive destroying whatever they hit.
The controls of the B-17 . The arm linkage moved the control column in response to the radio controls. (credit USAF)
The idea was remarkable but not new, and the equipment whilst innovative for its day, was basic to say the least. In all the operations undertaken only one drone ever reached its target, and that was through more luck than skill.
‘Azon’ (from AZimuth ONly*1) controls had been used successfully on individual 500lb or 1000lb bombs, where the control box was attached to the rear of the bomb and controlled by the bomb aimer through a joy stick. Using two directional controls (left or right) he could direct a bomb very accurately onto a given point. The downside of Azon, was that range and fall had to be determined in the usual way by the bomb aimer, and could not be altered once the bomb had left the aircraft.
Azon had been used and proven in attacking bridges, railways and other longitudinal targets and was very accurate with a good bomb aimer. However, because of its limitations, it could only be used in one dimension and therefore was not capable a making a ‘baby’ take off.
Two aircraft types were identified for the project. Boeing’s B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ and Consolidated’s B-24 ‘Liberator’. These once converted would be given new identifications BQ-7 (usually B-17Fs) and BQ-8 (B-24D/J). In each case it was deemed that two crew members would be needed to raise the ‘baby’ off the ground, partly because of the strength needed to pull back the control columns in these heavy bombers. Once airborne, they would climb to around 20,000ft, arm the Torpex, set the aircraft on a trajectory to the target, switch on the receivers and bail out.
About twenty-five BQ-7s were modified, but it is not known accurately how many USAAF BQ-8s were converted. However, it is known that at least two naval PB4Y-1s (the naval version of the B-24 of which 400 had been converted from B-24 status – these were given s/n 31936 – 32335) were converted to BQ-8 standard; one of which was flown by Lt. Kennedy and Lt. Willy on the 12th August 1944.
A number of support aircraft were needed for each mission. Prior to the attack a Mosquito XVI of the 653rd BS would photograph the target. Then the ‘baby’ would be accompanied by at least one fighter (either P-38 or P-51) incase the ‘baby’ lost control and had to be shot down, and for fighter escort; a ‘mother’ either a Lockheed Ventura or another B-17 modified to CQ-4 standard, and a photographic Mosquito from the 8th Combat Camera Unit (CCU) to record in-flight behaviour. A post mission photo reconnaissance operation was carried out by the 25th BG at Watton to analyse the effectiveness of the bombing. It therefore took a lot of fuel, crew and aircraft to fly one drone to its target.
Because of the design features of the bombers, the USAAF looked into removing the cockpit to allow easy departure. The only aircraft that received this treatment was B-17F, “Olin’s 69’ERS” 42-30595 formally of 560BS, 388BG at Knettishall. It was never used on an Aphrodite mission and was scrapped post war after being used for training in the open cockpit mode. The BQ-8 (B-24) also had modifications made in the form of a widened hatch in the nose allowing for an easier escape from the aircraft. Once modified, the aircraft would have had all previous markings removed, and a special white or yellow paintwork applied to identify them from other bombers in the air. To assist the controllers in sighting the ‘babies’ whilst in flight, the aircraft were fitted with a smoke canister that would be ignited allowing the bomb aimer to see the aircraft as it began its dive. In addition to this, two cameras were fitted to some ‘babies’ that transmitted pictures to the mother or support ship. These pointed at the controls through the plexiglass, a revolutionary step forward in drone technology.
A modified B-17 (BQ-7) with its canopy removed, this aircraft became a training drone. (Credit USAF)
In all, there were fifteen missions undertaken by the USAAF and USN, but none were to successfully hit their targets. These included: Mimoyecques (Fortress); Siracourt (V1 Bunker); Watten (V2 Bunker); Heligoland (U-boat pens); Heide; Le Havre (docks); Hemmingstedt (oil refinery); Herford (marshalling yard) and Oldenburg (Power station). Both the operations and entire programme were cancelled only a few months after the Kennedy/Willy mission.
The last flight.
At RAF Fersfield, on August 12th 1944, Lieutenants Joseph Kennedy Jnr. and Wilford J. Willy, both of the S.A.U. 1 of the Fleet Air Arm Wing Seven, boarded their converted B-24 Liberator, s/n 32271 (ex USAAF B-24J 42-110007)*2 and began their preflight checks. The aircraft was filled with 21,270lbs of explosive. At 17:55 and 17:56 two Lockheed Ventura ‘mother’ aircraft took off, followed by a further navigation aircraft and then the ‘baby’ at 18:07. The ‘baby’ climbed to 2,000 ft, the two ‘mothers’ 200 feet higher and slightly behind. They were joined by two Mosquitoes, one for monitoring the weather, and the second, a USAAF F-8, to photograph the ‘baby’. This aircraft was flown by pilot Lieutenant Robert A. Tunnel and combat camera man Lieutenant David J. McCarthy. There was a further B-17 relay ship, a P-38 high altitude photo reconnaissance aircraft and five P-51 Mustangs to provide fighter cover.
The group set off toward the target at Mimoyecques , Northern France. They were to fly south-east toward the Suffolk coast, then turn south and head toward the target. Once level and stabilised, Kennedy and Willy handed over control to one of the ‘mother’ ships Then they reached the first control point (CP) at which time the group began to turn south; the ‘mother’ controlling the ‘baby’. Shortly after the turn was completed (about two minutes) Kennedy was heard to give the code “Spade Flush“, then at that 18:20 the ‘baby’ disintegrated in what was described as “two mid-air explosions” and a “large Fireball”.*4 The explosion, spread debris over a large area of the Suffolk countryside killing both crew members instantly. The following Mosquito also suffered damage and minor injuries to its crew. Following the explosion, all the aircraft were ordered back to base and the crews debriefed.
Many months (and indeed years) of investigations followed, but no firm conclusions could be drawn as to the precise cause of the explosion that ripped the aircraft apart. A number of speculative theories were drawn up, but the most plausible is that the electronic arming system was faulty, and when Kennedy or Willy, flicked the switch, an electronic short occurred that caused the bombs to detonate. Oddly the film that was in the following Mosquito has never been seen or made public – if indeed it was filming at that time.
The cause of death of both Joseph Kennedy and Wilford Willy still remain a mystery to this day, the secrecy behind one of the world’s worst explosions remaining locked away in archives.
Joseph Kennedy wanted to be a hero. He wanted to be talked about as the one who achieved and outshone his brother. Sadly, this dream cost him his life.
The letter sent to the Kennedy’s after Joseph’s death.*3
The letter sent to the Kennedy’s after Joseph’s death.*3
This fateful mission and its two crew members are remembered across the world. In France, the Mimoyecques museum contains a memorial honouring both pilots, and their names are carved in the Tablets of the Missing at the American Cemetery, Madingley, Cambridge. Kennedy has a ship the Destroyer ‘USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.’ DD850 named after him, and this is now a museum in Battleship Cove, Fall River, Massachusetts. Both aviators were awarded the Naval Cross posthumously,
Lieutenant Joseph P Kennedy Jr, USNR, appears on the Wall of the Missing at the American Cemetery, Madingley, Cambridgeshire.
Lieutenant Jospeh P. Kennedy Jnr had no dependents but Lieutenant Wilford J. Willy left a widow and three children.
Sources and further reading.
*1 Azimuth being the clockwise horizontal angle from a given point (usually North) to a second given point.
On Sunday July 30th 1944, Lancaster PB304 from 106 Squadron RAF Metheringham in Lincolnshire, crashed with the loss of all on board, along with two civilians, in Salford Greater Manchester.
Lancaster PB304, was a MK.III Lancaster based at RAF Metheringham in Lincolnshire, flying under the squadron code ZN-S. It was tasked to attack enemy strong points at Cahagnes in the Normandy battle zone following the Allied invasion in June.
The early briefing at 04:00 was not a welcome one, many men having been out the night before following a stand down order due to bad weather and heavy rain over the last two days. On board that day was: F/L. Peter Lines (Pilot); Sgt. Raymond Barnes (Flt. Eng.); F/O. Harry Reid RCAF (Nav.); F/O. John Harvey Steel (Air Bomber); Sgt. Arthur William Young (W.O/Gunner); Sgt. John Bruce Thornley Davenport (Mid-Upper Gunner) and Sgt. Mohand Singh (Rear Gunner)*1.
The operation, code-named Operation Bluecoat, would involve attacking six specific targets, each one identified to assist a forthcoming offensive by British land forces in the Normandy area.
After all the ground checks were completed and the signal given to depart, PB304 began the long taxi to the runway, take off was recorded as 05:55, but it is thought that this was ten minutes early with the first aircraft (ND682) departing at 06:05. Once in the air, the aircraft formed up alongside twenty other 106 Sqn aircraft, meeting with a smaller formation from 83 Sqn at Coningsby before joining the main formation.
The weather remained poor with heavy cloud blanketing the sky between 5,000 and 10,000 feet, as the 183 Lancasters from No. 5 Group and one Mosquito headed south toward the Normandy coast.
With further poor weather ahead, signals were beginning to come through to abandon the mission and return to base, but communication between aircraft was garbled and difficult to understand, it may have been as a result of German interference broadcasting messages over that of the master bomber. The order to abort finally came through just after 08:00 even though some of the formation had released bombs on target indicators (TI) dropped by the Pathfinders. Smoke was by now mixing with the low cloud causing more confusion and difficulty in identifying the primary targets. Not all aircraft understood the message however, and many continued circling in the skies above Cahagnes. To make a difficult situation even worse, there was by now, an approaching formation of over 450 American A-20s and B-26s along with just short of 260 P-51 and P-47 escorts on their way to France; the sky was full of aircraft in thick cloud and was an accident waiting to happen.
Difficult communication continued, some aircraft were seen disposing of their bomb loads over the Channel, whilst others retained them. Various courses were set for home, but with many airfields closed in by low cloud, alternatives were gong to be needed and alternative courses were issued to the returning bombers of each squadron.
106 Sqn were ordered to fly north along the western coast, passing over Pershore and on to Harwarden near Chester, before turning for home. The messages coming through continued to be misheard or misunderstood with several aircraft landing at either Pershore, Harwarden or Squires Gate at Blackpool. Gradually all aircraft managed to land, whether at home at Metheringham or at away airfields. Patiently the Metheringham staff waited, nothing had been heard from PB304 and they could not be contacted on the radio – something was wrong.
Precise details of the accident are sketchy, but an aircraft was seen flying low and in some difficulty. It passed low over Prestwich on the northern edges of Manchester, where it was later seen engulfed in flames. It twice passed over a playing field, where some suspect F/L. Lines was trying to make a crash landing, but this has not been confirmed. At some time around 10:10 -10:15 the aircraft came down resulting in a massive explosion, a full bomb load and fuel reserves igniting on impact. Many houses were damaged in the explosion with one being completely demolished.
As a result of the accident, all seven of the crew were killed along with two civilians, Lucy Bamford and George Morris, as well as, what is believed to be, over 100 others being injured all to varying degrees.
PB304 was the only aircraft lost that night, in a mission that perhaps with hindsight, should not have taken place. The poor weather and difficult communication playing their own part in the terrible accident in Salford on July 30th 1944.
The Memorial at Metheringham pays tribute to all those who flew with 106 Sqn.
Notes and Further Reading.
*1 Operational Record Book AIR 27/834/14 notes Sgt. Young as Sgt. A.L. Young.
A book written by Joseph Bamford the Grandson of Lucy who was killed that night, was published in 1996. “The Salford Lancaster” gives excellent details of the crew, the mission and the aftermath of the accident, published by Pen and Sword, it is certainly worth a read for those interested in knowing more about the incident.
Carter. K.C., & Mueller. R., “Combat Chronology 1941-1945“, Centre for Air Force History, Washington D.C.
Freeman. R., “Mighty Eighth War Diary“, Jane’s Publishing. 1980
In Part 1, we saw how Narborough was established as a Night Landing Ground, and how the RNAS passed it onto the RFC to train pilots in aerial combat at great rick. In Part 2, that rick continues and so does the development of the aerodrome to the point it becomes the largest aircraft based airfield in Norfolk.
2nd Lt. Allen Ingham Murphy, killed March 30th 1917 ‘in an aeroplane accident’.
These departures left only the reserve squadrons at Narborough, and it wouldn’t be long before they too suffered causalities. The first of these to lose a valuable pilot was 50 Reserve Squadron on March 30th 1917. A young Canadian, not yet out of his teens, 2nd Lt. Allen Ingham Murphy, was killed when his Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 ‘A2720’ stalled whilst turning after take off. 2nd Lt. Murphy was the first of many casualties from the units that year – training young pilots was not getting any easier.
April saw the arrival of yet another of the Reserve Squadrons, with 64 Reserve Squadron (RS) being posted in from Dover (Swingate Down) in mid April. Another of the training units they would also bring RE8s, Avro 504s Nieuport 17s, BE2s and Shorthorns.
Lt. Hubert J. Game, All Saints Church Narborough.
A second tragic accident on June 8th 1917, showed how fragile these aircraft could be. Lieutenant Hubert John Game was attempting a loop when he got into difficulty and ended up in a steep dive. Trying to pull the aircraft – a BE2 (A2794) – out of the dive was too much for its fragile structure and it suffered a catastrophic wing failure, both wing extensions breaking away leaving the aircraft uncontrollable. Lt. Game was originally a Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery (RFA) and was attached to 53 (Training) Sqn RFC at Narborough, when he was tragically killed. He was also the younger brother of Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Woolcott Game, and was just 26 years old at the time of his death. He is another one of those whose grave lays a short distance away from the site of Narborough airfield.
Many of those who joined up to fight had jobs or were celebrities in their own field. Many famous actors went on in the second World War to have successful military careers, and many sports personalities also performed admirably. At Narborough, 2nd Lt. William Smeeth was a 22 year old who transferred into the RFC from the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles. Before the war he attended the Loretto School (a prestigious boarding school whose building dates back to the 14th Century, and was founded in 1827 thus claiming to be Scotland’s oldest) from 1909 to 1913, and was a player in the Loretto XI. Considered a “fine, slow, left-handed bowler”, he was wounded in France and posted to Narborough as a flying instructor. On 17th July 1917 he was flying an Avro 504B (A9975) which was struck, whilst landing, by an A.W. FK8 which was taking off at the same time. In the accident Smeeth was killed, and he remains the only military grave in his home town of Bolton Abbey in the Yorkshire Dales.*6, 7
The inherent danger faced by trainees was made no more obvious once again on October 29th, when two more aircraft, both from 50 RS, were lost in separate accidents. The first an Armstrong Whitworth FK.8 (A2730) side slipped during a turn and nose dived into the ground killing both crewmen, 2Lt. Norman Victor Spear (aged 29) and Air. Mech. 1 Sidney Walter Burrell (age 22). The second aircraft, also an Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 (B219) spun off a low climbing turn also killing its pilot 2Lt. Laurence Edward Stuart Vaile (aged 23). It was indeed a black day for 50 RS and a stark reminder to the trainees.
2Lt. Laurence Edward Stuart Vaile, killed ‘in an aeroplane accident’ August 29th 1917.
In October and December 1917 two more units bolstered the numbers of personnel at Narborough. Firstly, 1 Training Squadron was reformed here on October 1st, whilst 83 Sqn, born out of 18 (Reserve) Squadron (RS), arrived at Narborough two months later, both these bringing a range of aircraft that they quickly swapped for FE.2bs. 83 RS had previously been based at Wyton commanded by Major V. E. Albrecht and were one of the first units designated a Training Squadron Station rather than Training Depot Station.
83 Squadron had only been formed in January that year and within three months of their arrival here, would be on the front line at St. Omer attacking enemy troop concentrations, attempting to stem the early German spring offensive.
The occurrences of all these tragic accidents was becoming so frequent, that one instructor, Capt. W.E. Johns, creator of ‘Biggles‘, later cited spies as the cause of many ‘accidents’ – claiming that they had tampered with the machines causing the deaths of the crews on board. Johns, himself having written off many machines, believed Americans with German sounding names were to blame for aircraft breaking up in mid-air or crashing at the bottom of loops. More likely however, the fault lay with over exuberant or simply poorly trained recruits.
Like most airfields, there were those locals who disliked the presence of the military and their new flying machines on their doorstep, and there were those who welcomed them into their villages and homes with open arms. Narborough was no different and there are many tales of interactions between military personnel and the local civilians.
The nearby Narborough Hall opened its doors to wounded brought in the from the fields of Flanders, whilst local people, in conjunction with airfield staff, held money raising events to help with food shortages. The local hostelries were frequented by personnel from the airfield, and friendly sports events were held between civilian and military teams. On some days, flying events were put on to display the aircraft and the skills of the pilots training with the RFC. Many came to watch in awe whilst others complained about low-level flying disturbing livestock, and pilots making a nuisance of themselves in the villages; others complained about the speeding lorries that brought in both supplies and men.
In early 1918 a year after the United States declared war, airmen of the 20th, 24th and 163rd U.S. Aero Squadrons were brought into Narborough and attached to 121 Sqn which had just formed in the opening days of the year. Whilst using a variety of aircraft, the backbone of the squadron was the DH 9, an aircraft they used until their departure to Filton in August and eventual disbandment.
As a unit set up to train the Americans, times were hard and often relationships were strained, the cold British winter weather being a substantial change from the hot climate of Texas from where many originated. These units, once here, were spread far and wide, amongst other squadrons across the UK; their Campaign Hat, a broad-brimmed, high-crowned hat, becoming synonymous with their presence.
There would be no let up in the movements in and out of Narborough. 1918 would see yet more arrivals in February with 26 Training Squadron (TS) and 69 Training Squadron (TS) both units being posted in during that month. Flying a mix of Henry Farman models, the two units would leave Narborough in August to form 22 Training Depot Station in Gormanston, Ireland. Whilst here in Norfolk though, they would carry out training duties, honing their skills alongside the already present training units and the newly arrived Americans.
As time passed, the angst between the US and RFC staff began to mellow. The initial feeling of US personnel having a much more ‘laid back’ approach to rank and uniform being extremely distasteful to the more rigid RFC officials. By the time they were to leave though, relationships had matured and their sad departure ended what had become a generally happy association between them all.
The last months of the war saw no let up in training either; keen to join the RFC young men continued to join up and train to fly. In mid February 1918, two 18 year old boys were perhaps fulfilling a dream when it all went tragically wrong. Flying a DH.4 (B2121), 2Lt. John Fyffe Shaw and 2Lt. Charles Arkley Law of 26 Training Squadron, were both killed after their aircraft’s engine failed causing it to stall and then nose dive with dire consequences into the ground.
When crews arrived at the scene the throttle was found only half open, suggesting the aircraft had stalled during the low level right-hand turn they were performing. Insufficient fuel would have starved the engine leading to it cutting out and causing the resultant crash. Both airmen were from Scotland, Shaw from Dundee where he remains, and Law was from Edinburgh – he remains buried in Narborough.
2Lt. Charles Arkley Law killed after his engine failed and the aircraft stalled.
In a major reforming of the military structure on April 1st 1918, the RFC and RNAS were finally amalgamated officially forming the Royal Air Force, a major turning point in the history of the force as it is today. To reflect this, RFC Narborough also took on the new name RAF Narborough, but a mere name change wouldn’t stop the intense work from going on as usual.
As the summer approached and the weather improved, so too did the relationship between the various nationalities. The American’s arrival at Narborough was now matched by the arrival of some thirty or more women of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)*2 – which along with the Women’s Naval branch (WRNS) and Women’s Legion, formed the Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) on April 1st. Many of these women performed roles in admin sections of the Air Force, telephonists, catering and personal duties whilst some entered the more technical roles, parachute packing, riggers, mechanics and carpenters. By the war’s end, Narborough would have in excess of 100 female personnel working at its site.
On September 12th 1918, 55 Training Depot Station – who originally formed at Manston when 203 Training Depot Station (TDS) was renumbered – arrived here also to carry out training duties. A large number of these training Depots existed at that time and continued on to the war’s end. Like other training units 55 TDS also flew a large range of aircraft types; B.E.2e, D.H.4, 6, and 9, Avro 504j and k and S.E.5a.
The Plaque at All Saint’s Church Narborough, honouring those who served at Narborough.
This latest squadron to join the many arrived during a time of major redevelopment not only of the site, but the training units as well. Narborough with such a huge influx of staff was now developing new accommodation buildings, hangars and work space. Electricity supplies were at last being installed, new roads created to get men and supplies around the site much quicker and a new hangar, The ‘Red hangar’ – due to its red brick construction – was added near to Battles Farm. The site had become so big now that it was one of just a few considered for homing the new enormous Handley Page Bomber the V/1500 which was capable of bombing Berlin. But like both Sedgeford and Pulham that decision went elsewhere, to Bircham Newton, with its more suitable and stable soils and long term development potential.
Whilst no V/1500 was ever stationed at Narborough, Capt. J. Sinclair of 166 Sqn Bircham Newton, did land one on the site proving that it could be done and that Narborough airfield was more than able to cater for its needs. However, the aircraft never made the flight to Berlin, the Armistice being called just before the operation was planned to go ahead.
In November 1918, the war finally ended. After 4 and half years of brutal warfare, millions had died, a small fraction of those killed had been either based at, or passed through, RAF Narborough in their training.
Then, after the news of the cessation of conflict, the big reduction in manpower and machines would begin. As units began to arrive home from France they were quickly disbanded. At Narborough, several of these arrived as cadres, No. 64 (14th February), No. 56 (15th February)and No. 60 (20th February) where upon they joined 55 Training Depot Station to see out their last few months of existence.
Despite this, training continued on, but with less urgency than before. The arrival of one (Sir) Alan Cobham went rather unnoticed, just another instructor to train those stationed here. His focus was on those who struggled to achieve the status of ‘pilot’ for whatever reason – whether it be lack of ability or just through lack of ambition. He remained at Narborough until February 1919 at which point, like so many others, he was demobbed and returned to civvy street.
With flying restrictions now lifted, Cobham teamed up with brothers Fred and Jack Holmes forming their own Aviation Tours company buying an ex RAF Avro 504K, a car and some petrol. He soon added to this a second 504K (G-EAKX and G-EASF) with which they created the famous ‘Cobham’s Flying Circus‘, performing daring barnstorming shows across the country.
In 1921, with the great depression, he began to work for an aerial photographic company and air taxi firm, this led him on to long distance travel, becoming known as “the King of the Taxi Pilots“.*8
Cobham went on to have an incredible aviation life, pioneering both long distance flight and aircraft technology. He made civil aviation more accessible and popular to the masses his influence on aviation going far beyond the training of RAF pilots.
With the war over it was now time for harsh decisions. The monetary and human cost of the war had been astronomical and the military were now no longer the favour of the Government. A new restructure and decommissioning of vast quantities of military equipment was on the horizon. In one small gesture in March 1919, 55 Training Depot Station were disbanded only to be renamed 55 Training Squadron, this simple move brought it inline with other training units of the same designation.
The four units who arrived at the end of 1918, would now one-by-one disband or move on elsewhere to disband; 56 departing to Bircham Newton on December 30th where it disbanded a month later; 60 followed in January only to disband before the month was out, and 64 ended its days on New Years Eve 1919 at Narborough. With that, its days now over, Narborough was deemed surplus to requirements and with the disbandment of the recently renamed 55 Training Squadron, on New Years Eve, the airfield was unceremoniously closed for good.
The post war years saw the closure of many other war time airfields like Narborough. But unlike its sister station RAF Marham a mile or so away, it would remain closed. For over a year the site remained unoccupied and unused, and the usual vandalism began to take its toll. Machinery, tools and even scraped aircraft remained on site for enthusiastic youths to make their playground. Then in 1921, the buildings and contents were all sold off in a two day event over 2nd and 3rd February, in what was considered to be one of the biggest auctions in Norfolk: some of the items going to local farmers, other for small industrial units, some to schools and the like; Narborough was now scattered to the four corners of the county. The remainder of the site was sold to the farmer and it quickly returned to agriculture, a state it remains in today.
Some of the original buildings are reputed to have existed for many years, even to the present today, (a car show room in Cromer, a furniture warehouse in Terrington-St-Clement and a nearby hut at Setch) whether they still do, is difficult to ascertain, but most have long since succumbed to age, their inevitable deterioration and eventual demolition. In 1977 the last hangar on the airfield, a hangar known as the ‘Black Hangar’ was demolished after severe gales took the last sections of roof. With little option but to pull it down, it was removed leaving little trace.*2 The last full building on site, known as the ‘Racket House’ after personnel used it to play squash, burnt down in 1995, and with that the last trace of the airfield was wiped away.
Narborough itself having no hard runways or perimeter tracks has long since gone. A small memorial has been erected by the Airfield Research Group who are part of the Narborough Local history Society, aiming to promote and preserve the memory of RFC/RAF Narborough; a memorial plaque also marks the graves of those who never made it to France, and the small Narborough Museum & Heritage Centre holds exhibits of 59 Squadron in the local church.
During the First World War some nineteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to members of the RFC/RAF, of those three had passed through Narborough. Several famous individuals also cut their teeth at Narborough, and some went on to achieve great things in the aviation world. Many trainees lost their lives here, but many became successful pilots seeing the war out alive.
Significant not only in size, but in its history, Narborough has now been relegated to the history books. But with the dedication and determination of a few people the importance and historical significance of this site will hopefully continue to influence not only the aviators of tomorrow, but also the public of today.
The Narborough memorial which sits at the entrance to Narborough airfield. It was refurbished after the original was struck by a vehicle.
After Narborough, we head east once more toward Swaffham. After turning off the main A47 we come across another American airfield. In the next part of this trip we visit the former RAF Attlebridge.
The full story of Narborough can be read in Trail 7 – North West Norfolk.
Sources and further reading (RAF Narborough)
National Archives: AIR 27/554/1; AIR 27/558;
*1 Fleet Air Arm Officers Association Website accessed 14/6/21
*2 Narborough Airfield Research Group “The Great Government Aerodrome” NARG, 2000
*3 RAF Museum Story Vault Website accessed 14/6/21
*5 On May 31st 1917, all RFC ‘Reserve Squadrons’ were renamed ‘Training Squadrons’.
*6 “Loretto Roll of Honour 1914-1920” National Library of Scotland digitised copy. accessed 17/5/25 via Google books.
*7 Renshaw, A., “Wisden on the Great War – The Lives of Cricket’s Fallen 1914 – 1918“. Bloomsbury. 2014
*8 Gunn. P., “Flying Lives with a Norfolk Theme“. Gunn. 2010
The book “The Great Government Aerodrome” is an excellent publication about the history of Narborough and contains a great many photos and personal stories of those who knew Narborough. It is well worth a read.
At the turn of the last century, flying was in its infancy, and airships formed the main threat from an enemy. Aeroplanes were fragile, slow and cumbersome and those that flew them, risk death at every turn with no means of escape.
As aircraft developed and those in high ranking positions finally saw their potential, production went into overdrive, but there was a greater need, the need for those to fly them.
In Norfolk, the threat from airships was very real, and so many new airfields sprung up to defend the British Isles from these roaming menaces. One such airfield, became the largest of them all, a huge site of 900 acres it dwarfed all other aircraft based airfields, and yet, it failed to last beyond the war.
In this part of Trail 7, we head to modern day RAF Marham, for on its fringes lie a field of forgotten heroes who gave their all during the First World War. We look at RAF Narborough.
RAF Narborough
Originally constructed as the largest aircraft base of the First World War, Narborough Airfield in Norfolk has been known by a variety of names over the years: Narborough Aerodrome, RNAS Narborough, RFC Narborough, and later RAF Narborough. However, the most unofficial — and arguably the most evocative — title, ‘The Great Government Aerodrome’, offers a sense not only of its vast scale (spanning over 900 acres), but also of the diversity of aircraft and personnel stationed there. Initially operated by the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), the site later came under the control of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), and eventually the newly-formed Royal Air Force (RAF), with each change of name reflecting the evolving structure and ownership of Britain’s early air services.
Records show that the site at Narborough had military links as far back as 1912, in the year that the RFC was established when both the Naval Air Organisation and the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers were combined. Unfortunately, little exists to explain what the site was used for at this time, but it is thought that it was used by the army for training with horses and gun carriages. In later years, it was used as a base from which to counteract the threat from both the German Zeppelin and Schütte-Lanz airships, and also to train future pilots of the RFC and RAF.
Narborough’s history in these early days is therefore sketchy, few specific records exist as to the many changes that were taking place at this time particularly in relation to the development of both the RNAS and the RFC.
However, Narborough’s activities, and its history too, were no doubt influenced on July 1st 1914, when the name RNAS Narborough was officially adopted, and all Naval flying units of the RFC were transferred over to the control of the Navy. A major development in the formation of both forces, there were at this point, a total of: 111 officers, 544 other ranks, seven airships, fifty-five seaplanes (including ship-borne aircraft) and forty aeroplanes in RNAS service.*1 Some of these may well have seen service at Narborough at this point.
Narborough’s first interaction with flying occurred when a solo flyer – thought to have been Lt. F. Hodges in an Avro 504 *2 – touched down on farmland near to Battles’ Farm in the Autumn of 1915. Neither the pilot, the aircraft type nor the purpose of the landing can be substantiated, but it may well have been the precursor to the development of an airfield at this site.
The airfield itself was then developed, opening early that year (1915), on land that lay some 50 feet above sea level. It sat nestled between the towns of Kings Lynn (10 miles), Swaffham (5 miles); and Downham Market (9 miles), and a mile or so away from the small village of Narborough. A smaller aerodrome would, in 1916, open literally across the road from here, and at 80 acres, it would be tiny in comparison. However, over time, it would grow immensely to become what is today’s RAF Marham, an active airfield that has matured into one of the RAF’s top fighter airfields in the UK.
So by mid 1915, Narborough’s future had been decided, designated as a satellite station to RNAS Great Yarmouth, (itself commissioned in 1913) it was initially to be used as a night landing ground for those aircraft involved in attacks on enemy airships, the most likely reason for its location. No crews were permanently stationed here at the time however, ‘on-duty’ crews later being flown in to await the call to arms should an airship raid take place over East Anglia.
This first arrival of an aircraft in August 1915, led to the site being kept in use by the RNAS for the next ten months. During that time, aircraft of the Air Service would patrol the coastline around Norfolk, using aircraft mainly from Great Yarmouth along with a series of emergency landing grounds including Narborough. The threat from German airships at this time being very real. These landing grounds were strategically placed at intervals along the coastline with others more inland, these included: Aldeborough, Burgh Castle; Covehithe; Holt and Sedgeford all of which combined to make North Norfolk one of the densest regions for airfields at that time. But, and even with all these patrols, the roaming airships that made their way across the region had little to worry about as many of the fighter aircraft used could neither reach them at the higher altitudes nor locate them in poorer weather.
However, as a night landing ground, little activity would directly take place at Narborough (there are no recordings of airship sightings from Aircraft using the airfield) and so after a dormant ten months, the RNAS decided it was surplus to requirements and they pulled out leaving Pulham the only ‘in-land’ station larger than Narborough open in Norfolk at that time.
The future of Narborough could have so easily ended there, but even as closure plans were made, its future was still relatively secure, and it would not be long before a new user of the site would be found. Discussions were already in hand for the RFC to take over, provided the land owners’ permitted it! Luckily they did, and soon fifty acres of rough terrain and a small number of canvas flight sheds were theirs. As for staff accommodation, there was none, so when 35 Sqn arrived at the end of May 1916, Bell tents and make shift accommodation had to be erected by the personnel, in order to protect themselves from the harsh Norfolk elements.
With the First World War raging across the fields of Flanders, the demand for aircraft and trained crews grew rapidly. These new flying machines were evolving swiftly into lethal weapons and highly effective reconnaissance platforms, capable of identifying enemy positions and directing artillery fire with increasing accuracy. To meet the urgent need for trained airmen, hurried training programmes were established, and Narborough soon became a vital preparation ground for budding pilots.
Training, by any standard, was rudimentary. Recruits were required to pass a series of written examinations, followed by up to twenty hours of solo flying, a number of cross-country flights, and two successful landings. Added to this was a fifteen-minute flight at 8,000 feet, culminating in a dead-stick landing — that is, returning safely to earth with the engine cut. It was, in truth, barely enough experience for what lay ahead in the violence of aerial combat.
Like many newly established stations, Narborough was designated as an RFC training site — officially known as a Training Depot Station — joining a growing network of such facilities across Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. Their primary role was to prepare pilots for the rigours of air combat, with instruction in dog-fighting, aerobatics, cross-country navigation, and formation flying.
With the arrival of the RFC came immediate expansion. Additional acreage was acquired that same year, extending the airfield westward beyond the area already occupied by the RNAS, bringing it close to the present-day boundary of RAF Marham. As was often the case with wartime construction, adjustments to the local infrastructure were necessary. A road that once bisected the site was eventually closed to accommodate the growing airfield footprint.
RFC Narborough from the air 1917. @IWM (Q 111416)
So, it was during June 1916 that the first RFC squadron would make use of Narborough as an airfield, 35 Sqn transferring over here from Thetford with Vickers FB.5 and FE.2bs. disposing of their D.H.2s and Henry Farman F.20s in the process. Within two months of their arrival, the nucleus of the squadron would then be used to form a new unit, 59 Sqn, who were also to be stationed here at Narborough (under the initial temporary command of Lieutenant A.C. Horsburgh) with RE8s. On the 16th August, Horsburgh would take on a new role when the new permanent commander Major R. Egerton, was transferred in. It would be he who would take the unit to France the following year and command until his death in December 1917.
During their time here, these daring young trainees, many whom were considered dashing heroes by the awe-inspired locals, would display their skills for all who lined the local roads to see. As these eager young men quickly learned though, flying was not always ‘fun’, and the dangers of the craft were always present, many with dire consequences. Accident rates were high and survival from a crash was rare, even ‘minor’ accidents could prove fatal. All Saints church yard at Narborough, pays testament to their dangerous career with fourteen of the eighteen military graves present being RFC/RAF related.
The initial drive for both these squadrons was to train pilots in the art of cavalry support, using advanced pilot training techniques. This included being able to send Morse code messages at a rate of six words per minute*2 whilst flying the aircraft over enemy territory – certainly no mean feat.
Deaths on and off the airfield were commonplace and not all aviation related either. During late June 1916, one of the Air Mechanics of 59 Sqn, Charles Gardner, suffered a heart attack and died, just one day prior to the official formation of his squadron. Whilst not considered to have been directly related to his role, his loss saw the beginning of a string of deaths in August that would set the scene for the coming months.
The first of these was another thought to be, unrelated aviation death, although whether or not Corporal Patrick Quinn was on duty at the time is unclear. He died on August 18th, whilst riding his motorcycle in the vicinity of the airfield, the narrow Norfolk roads catching him unaware. Then, just two days later on August 20th, the first of many fatal air accidents would occur.
In this instance, one of 59 Sqn’s pilots, Lt. Gordon William Hall, was killed when the DH.1 (4631) he was flying, side-slipped on approach to the airfield crashing into the ground as a result. A Court of Inquiry (87/8413) concluded that the aircraft had been “banked too steeply” and that the pilot had put the aircraft into a dive that made it uncontrollable. A verdict therefore of ‘accidental death‘ was subsequently recorded against Lt. Hall.*3
A mere eight days later, it was the turn of 35 Sqn to suffer its first fatality and in a not too dissimilar accident. On the 29th, an Armstrong Whitworth F.K.3 (6201), was written off after it too side-slipped and dived following a slow turn. The Pilot, Air Mechanic 1st Class Moses Boyd, was tragically killed in the accident flying an aircraft that was based at Thetford but undertaking a training exercise here at Narborough. His Court of Inquiry (Ref. 87/4971) on 9th September 1916)*3 , summated that it was a “Flying accident. Turning having lost flying speed”. By now, the dangers of flying were becoming all too apparent and with another two deaths before Christmas, the glamour of flying was quickly becoming tarnished.
However, despite these accidents, young men continued to arrive at the airfield for training, but the large influx of personnel did not mean it was at all a glamorous place to be.
As a training ground, accommodation was basic to say the least, Narborough being described by one trainee as a “desolate, God-forsaken place“*4. Quickly realising the problem, the authorities, began to erect new buildings not only for personnel accommodation, but for training and maintenance roles as well. In response, a total of six permanent hangars, probably RFC General Service Flight Sheds, were erected by the design company and builders Boulton & Paul, three each side of the main road. The Boulton & Paul company based at Norwich, would go on to design and build many aviation related products including the famous ‘Defiant’, a turreted fighter of World War II.
With continued expansion over the next two years, up to 150 buildings would eventually be built on the site, a mix of technical, administrative and accommodation. This on going process of construction and development would, by the end of the war, see some 1,000 personnel based here at Narborough – a number comparable with many modest Second World War airfields.
Narborough wasn’t the only airfield being developed in the immediate area though. Next door, across the road, the new RFC Marham was opening, a much smaller site, that sat in the centre of what is now modern day RAF Marham. Why the two were put so close together is anyone’s guess, but Marham quickly became the home and headquarters to ‘C’ Flight 51 Squadron. The remaining two flights of the squadron being based at both RFC Mattishall and RFC Tydd St Mary.
Marham opened for business in September 1916 and one of those who would be stationed here was Major A.T. Harris, later ‘Bomber Harris’ of Bomber Command fame. He was in command of 191 Night Training Squadron, and took part in many flights from the airfield. Marham, like Narborough, would eventually close at the end of the war in the huge disarmament programme of the immediate post war years. But, unlike Narborough, it would be reborn in the expansion period of the 1930s and grow to what it is today.
There was a good relationship between the two stations, with plenty of rivalry and good humour. Flour bombs from Marham crews on Armistice day were met with a retaliation from Narborough crews with soot bombs, the culmination of several years of war finally coming to an emotional close.
RFC Narborough 1916. The six RFC hangars can be seen in line along the former Narborough – Beachamwell Road. (Marham Aviation Heritage Centre)
The RFC was now building in strength, not only in its front line units but in its reserves too. On November 2nd, 1916 a new reserve squadron was constituted and formed here at Narborough, 48 (Reserve) Squadron (RS). Models flown by the unit at this time included the Grahame White XV, the Maurice Farman Shorthorn and Sopwith’s Pup. As a newly formed unit they would have to get established, gain crews, admin staff and equipment. Once this was in place they could then move on, and after just a month, they departed Narborough heading for the Lincolnshire airfield at Waddington.
The vacancy at Narborough was quickly filled though, in mid December No. 50 Reserve Squadron (RS) arrived from the Kent village of Wye, just as the Sedgeford based 53 Reserve Squadron (RS) also arrived with 504s, BE2s, DH6s and RE8s.*5
Between their arrival and November the following year (1917), the date they departed for Spitalgate, 50 Reserve Squadron would lose twelve flyers in accidents, three Air Mechanics with the remainders being Lieutenants, both 1st and 2nd Class. Five of these remain in the local churchyard.
In early 1917, Nottingham born Captain Albert Ball, VC, DSO & Two Bars, MC arrived at Narborough; a veteran of the front line, he served here for only a short time as an instructor before the draw of the front line took him back once again. This time there was no coming home as he was killed after an intense aerial battle on May 7th that year with 44 victories under his belt. He was just 20 years of age.
Albert Ball via ‘Visit Nottingham’ website.
With increasing numbers of squadrons and men being required for front line units in France, both the original 35 and 59 Squadrons departed Narborough in early 1917. 35 Squadron were first to go, and those left behind saw them off from local train stations with all the pomp and ceremony they could muster. A few days later a convoy of 3 ton Leyland lorries, trailers and an assortment of other vehicles loaded with men and equipment, set off for France where they met the air party who had already flown to St. Omer. 59 Squadron would follow to the same airfield on February 23rd, both squadrons remaining in France until 1919 and the war’s end.
In Part 2, the reserves are left to carry on training, but its not an easy job. The development and growth of Narborough continues and eventually the RAF is formed. There are major changes all round.
The full story of Narborough can be read in Trail 7 – North West Norfolk.
Sir Arthur Harris’s continuation of the bomber initiative of 14th February 1942, in which German cities became the focus for RAF raids, led to massed formations of light and heavy bombers striking at the very heart of Germany.
In order to achieve these aims, bomber forces of 1,000 aircraft would be required, meaning every available Bomber Command aircraft would be utilised along with those from Operational Training Units (OTU) and (Heavy) Converstion Units (CU).
On June 25th, 1942, whilst on operations to Bremen, the third of the ‘1,000’ bomber raids, one of the first operational aircraft casualties for 1651 CU would occur when N7442 was shot down shortly before 01:00 by a Luftwaffe night-fighter over Holland. One factor that made this particular loss so great was that not only did all seven crewmen onboard lose their lives, but one of the crew, P/O. Lewis A. Booth (s/n: 118627), had gained international caps playing for England’s National rugby team.
Born on September 26th 1909, Lewis Booth was the son of Alfred and Amie Booth. He was educated initially at Giggleswick School in Yorkshire, after which he transferred to the Malsis School becoming one of sixteen boys who was lost during the war and since commemorated on the Chapel’s Stained glass window.
Booth attended the Malsis school for two years, 1920-22, when the school first opened. A grand School, it was founded by Albert Henry Montagu, which grew and expanded over the years.
Ten years after he left the school, Booth made his international rugby debut in a game against Wales at Twickenham (January 21st, 1933), in front of a crowd of 64,000 fans; a game in which Wales beat England by 7 points to 3. Booth played his last international match against Scotland at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield stadium two years later on March 16th, 1935. Throughout his two year international rugby career he achieved seven caps for England scoring three tries, his first for England against Ireland at Twickenham, on 11th February 1933. After serving his national team, Booth went on to serve his country joining the Royal Air Force where he achieved the rank of Pilot Officer within Bomber Command.
On the night of 25/26th June 1942, he was in a Short Stirling MK.I flying with 1651 Conversion Unit (CU) based at RAF Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire. 1651 CU was one of three Conversion Units set up in January 1942, by merging previously formed Conversion Flights. It served to convert crews of No. 3 Group to the Stirling, a rather ungainly aircraft that developed a poor reputation as a bomber. 1651 CU would join that night, sixty-eight other Stirlings in a force of over 1,000 aircraft; a mix of heavy and light bombers, ranging from the Hampden and Whitley to the Halifax and Lancaster.
Take off was at 23:58 from RAF Waterbeach, the weather that week had been good with little rain for many days. After forming up they headed for Germany a course that would take them across the North Sea and on to the western coast of Holland. Just 40 minutes into the flight, whilst over Waddenzee, the Stirling was attacked by a Luftwaffe night fighter and shot down with the loss of all seven crewmen on-board.
A Stirling MK.I bomber of 1651 HCU at Waterbeach. @IWM (COL202)
P/O. Booth was publicly reported missing four days later on Tuesday 30th June in an article in the local paper “Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer”, which stated that he had been ‘lost in a Bomber Command raid’. The article highlighted Booth’s rugby career, saying that he had been a member of the Headingly Club playing over sixty games for his county team Yorkshire, before leaving to join up.
P/O. Booth died just short of his 33rd birthday, he left behind a wife, Gladys, and a son Michael. His son would follow in his father’s footsteps also taking up rugby and also playing for his home country. P/O. Booth’s body was never recovered and remains missing to this day.
P/O Lewis Booth is joined by two other Pilot Officers, two Flying Officers, a Flight Lieutenant and two Sergeant Pilots amongst other ranks and service personnel all honoured by the Malsis School. Amongst the many awards they’ve achieved are three D.F.C.s and an A.F.M.
The game of rugby was hit hard by the Second World War, during which Germany would lose 16 of its international rugby players, Scotland 15, England 14, Australia 10, Ireland and France both 8, Wales 3 and New Zealand 2. All these losses were a severe blow to the international game, a game that brought many enemies face to face in a friendly tournament where there was little more at stake that honour and a cup.
With no official burial, P/O Booth’s service was commemorated on Panel 68 of the Runneymede Memorial, Surrey.
Lewis Alfred Booth @Tim Birdsall from the Malsis website.
During March 1944, an event took place in the UK that considering its historical importance, is little known about. It was actually quite a momentous event, especially in terms of aviation history, and in particular the Second World War.
As a follow on to RAF Glatton and Trail 6, we look into the short-lived presence of Boeing’s mighty aircraft the B-29 ‘Superfortress’, in what would appear to be its first and only wartime presence on British soil.
At the time of the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941, the United States was less than ready for a global war. The retaliation and defeat of not only Japan, but Nazi Germany as well, was going to be both costly and massive, requiring a huge increase in manufacturing of both arms and machinery.
This increase meant not only aircraft for the Air Force, but the infrastructure to support and train the aircrews too. A network of airfields and supporting organisations totalling some $100 million in 1940, would, by the war’s end be valued in the region of $3,000 million. In terms of size, this infrastructure would cover an area of land equal to the combined areas of: New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.*1
To complete the task, along with aiding her allies, the U.S. was going to need to design and manufacture many new models of aircraft, aircraft that would outshine anything previously made available to the U.S. forces. Long range bombers in particular, capable of travelling great distances were going to be required – and a lot of them. At the outbreak of the European war, the U.S. Army Air Corps was in comparison to the European forces, very small, commanding just 26,000 officers and enlisted men, and operating only 800 front-line aircraft. The Luftwaffe on the other hand, had expanded considerably over the previous years, now commanding some 3,600 aircraft. The British, who were still some way behind the Germans but growing rapidly, had available to them some 2,000 aircraft, whilst the French could muster slightly over 1,700. *1a
To meet this demand, U.S. aircraft manufacturers were going to have to start by modifying, and with some exceptions, redesigning the various aircraft types that were already available to the U.S. forces. However, and likewise the British and German manufacturers, new models were going to have to be designed and put into production very quickly if victory was to be achieved in any of the world’s theatres.
Preempting war, the US Government put out tenders for long range bombers, in answer to which during the 1930s, the Boeing Model 299, first flew. Eventually being purchased by the US Government to fulfil the role, it was put into production as the iconic B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’, and was followed not long after by the B-24 ‘Liberator’; a more modern aircraft which took its maiden flight in 1939. But sitting on the drawing board at this time, was another aircraft that performed even better, the formidable B-29, a bomber designed to fly at altitudes up to 40,000ft, beyond the range of anti-aircraft guns and faster than many fighters of the time. The aircraft was so advanced in design that depending upon its payload it was capable of flying distances of up to 5,000 miles, far beyond that of any other heavy bomber.
Whilst the U.S. aircraft manufacturers had already begun designing and testing these new models, it would be some time before the number and types of available aircraft would come anywhere close to being comparable to those of the Luftwaffe, R.A.F. or even later, the Imperial Japanese Air Force.
By August 1942 both the development and production of these two heavy bombers, the B-17 and B-24, were well underway, and so it was decided that they would go initially to the European theatre rather than the Far East. The competition for the attack on Japan now lay between the B-29 and Consolidated’s competitor the B-32 ‘Dominator’ – an enlarged and also pressurised version of their B-24. However, two years after the first design drawings were revealed, neither of these aircraft types had yet flown, and so the shorter ranged B-17 and B-24s were going to have to fill the gap until such times as their replacements could arrive.
The war in the Far East would provide its own set of problems. The distance that supplies would have to be taken would take time and before any invasion could take place, lost ground not only had to be recovered, but held. To achieve this, ground forces would need to be protected by an air umbrella, a defensive shield formed so tightly that air supremacy was guaranteed.
Getting supplies into China was difficult, by air it required long and dangerous flights over the ‘Hump’, the Himalayan mountain range, usually fulfilled by C-47s and DC-3s, their commercial equivalent. With the C-46 ‘Commando’ and C-87 coming on line later on, the frequency and quantity of these supplies could increase but it was still not enough for the Chinese, nor for the difficult task ahead.
By March 1943 the stage was set. The Fourteenth Air Force was created out of Maj. Gen. Claire Chennault’s China Air Task Force, which by the summer time, had begun attacks on coastal positions, ports and troop concentrations under Japanese control. This air umbrella was in part achieved over Burma, and the desired attacks on Japan now looked more possible, but the B-17s and B-24s that had worked tirelessly lacked the range to hit the Japanese homeland; the long range high performance B-29 was by now desperately needed.
During the Quebec Conference in August that year, U.S. officials put forward their proposal to stage American long range bombers on airfields in China, the area required for such bases being under Chinese control already and therefore not at the mercy of the Japanese forces. This offensive, designated the Matterhorn Project, would involve the still as yet untested in battle, B-29s, their longer range and larger bomb capacity enabling them to ‘bomb Japan into submission’ in a similar way that Sir Arthur Harris had hoped for in Europe with the RAF’s bombing campaign against Germany’s industrial targets and cities.
To meet these aims a new force would be created, the Twentieth Air Force, which would be made up of two commands: the XX Bomber Command from China and the XXI Bomber Command who would be based in the Mariana Islands after they were retaken from Japanese control.
The aircraft destined to carry out this role, the B-29, was still very much an unknown quantity. Rushed into production with scant attention to testing, it was a monster of an aircraft, with a crew of eleven in pressurised compartments, electronic gun turrets and a massive 141 ft wingspan. The project was to be the biggest in U.S. aviation history, spares alone in the initial contract costing $19.5m, and one which General Arnold
referred to as the “$3 billion gamble”.*1b
The following film “Birth of the B-29 Superfortress” shows a B-29 production line and a test YB-29 in flight. It also contains some short graphic images at the start.
A batch of four XB-29 prototypes were built, and after initial test flights, a further fourteen ‘test’ aircraft, designated the YB-29, were also constructed. But problems with design drawings, missing parts and rushed testing meant that production was slowed to a minimum, part finished aircraft being stored whilst awaiting vital components. After test flights it became apparent that the B-29’s engines were prone to overheating and in several cases catching fire. This delayed further testing reducing flying time considerably until the problems could be solved. During flight tests, this problem with the engines was graphically seen, first on February 18th 1943, and then again a year later.
In February, XB-29 #41-003 (the second prototype XB) crashed into a meat packing factory killing all eight crew on board along with twenty civilians on the ground. The pilot, Eddie Allen, had already received the Air Medal for successfully landing the same XB-29 following another engine fire in the preceding December. A year later, January 29th 1944, engine problems caused yet another accident when #41-36967, the last of the fourteen*2 Wichita YB-29s manufactured, crashed after losing all four engines whilst in the air. This problem with overheating engines becoming the proverbial ‘thorn in the side’ of the Boeing production team.
By the summer of 1943, B-29 training squadrons were being set up, the first, the 58th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Heavy) later the 58th BW (Very Heavy), was formed with the 40th, 444th, 462nd, 468th and 472nd Bombardment Groups, each with four or five squadrons of their own.
After a period of training four of these groups (the 472nd was disbanded April 1944) would transfer to India flying via Africa to join the Twelfth Air Force initially flying supplies over ‘the Hump’, before taking part in operations against Japan from the Chinese airfields.
Departure for these groups occurred over the March – April 1944 period, during which time one of these aircraft would divert to the U.K. causing a huge stir whilst ‘touring’ several U.K. airbases.
Whilst precise sources seem scarce, it is thought that flying B-29s across the southern route raised fears of a Luftwaffe attack whilst en-route, and so a plan of ‘disinformation’ was set in motion to fool the Germans into thinking that the B-29s were to be based in England, ready to be used against German targets. The first part of this ruse was in early March 1944, when YB-29 #41-36963 ‘Hobo Queen‘ took off from Salina Airbase in Kansas and flew to England. It initially took the southern route toward Africa, but then deviated north heading to Newfoundland. The YB-29, piloted by Colonel Frank Cook, then flew across to the UK initially landing at RAF St. Mawgan, in Cornwall.
During its short stay in the U.K. it was known to have visited RAF Horsham St. Faith near Norwich, RAF Bassingbourn on the 8th March, RAF Knettishall and RAF Glatton on 11th March before its final departure from RAF St. Mawgan to India in April that year. The route took the YB-29 to Marrakech, Cairo (2nd April), Karachi (5th Apr) finally arriving at Kharagpur, India, on 6th Apr 1944 . Once here, it was assigned to the 769th Bomb Squadron, 462nd Bomb Group who were then based at Piardoba in India, where it was modified as a tanker to ferry fuel over ‘the Hump’. The YB-29, the only test model to fly overseas, gave a successful service, eventually being declared war weary and returned to the United States, its eventual fate being unknown, presumably, like many war weary models, the aircraft was scrapped.*3
Whilst in the U.K. the YB-29 was certainly a major draw, over 1,000 key personnel viewing the aircraft at RAF Glatton alone, its enormous size dwarfing anything that had been seen in U.K. skies before.
The ruse was considered a success. The many B-29s that followed across the southern route did so without any interference from German aircraft, although how much of that was actually down to the ruse itself, is hard to distinguish. It is even thought in some circles that photos of the ‘Hobo Queen‘ appeared in the newspaper of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party, The Völkischer Beobachter, although an initial search of the paper through the Austrian National Library proved fruitless.
Crews and ground staff swarm around B-29 #41-36963 at Glatton airfield 11th March 1944*4.
Although B-29s were initially considered for the European theatre none operated from British soil until after the wars end, when a joint British and American operation, Project ‘Ruby‘*5, investigated deep penetration bombs against reinforced concrete structures. Three B-29s were prepared in the United States along with four B-17s and a select detachment of admin, maintenance, technical staff and air crew, who arrived at RAF Marham, Norfolk, on March 15th 1946. Initial plans were to test a series of bombs on the submarine assembly plant at Farge, but due to the close proximity of housing and an electricity plant, the U-boat shelter at Heligoland was used instead. The bombing trials began on March 25th by which time an original three B-17s from RAF Mildenhall had also joined the group.
A number of both American and British bombs were tested in the trials:
The US 22,000lb. ‘Amazon’ bomb
The US rocket assisted 4,500lb. ‘Disney’ bomb (used by B-17s in the latter stages of the war)
The 4,500lb. ‘Disney’ bomb without rocket assistance
The American 22,000lb. fabricated ‘Grand Slam’ (designated T14)
The American 12,000lb. fabricated ‘Tall Boy’ (designated T10)
The British 12,000lb, ‘Tall Boy’
The British 2,000lb. Armour Piercing bomb
The inert loaded 2,000lb. SAP (M103) bomb
The Picratol filled 2,000lb. SAP (M103) bomb
The 1,650lb. Model bomb
The results of the trials were quite conclusive, none of these bombs in their current form, were capable of penetrating the 23 ft thick concrete of the Farge roof, and therefore, all would need adapting, redeveloping or redesigning if such operations were to be carried out again.
Post war, B-29s were brought into the UK and operated as Boeing Washington B1s, operating with nine RAF Squadrons: No. 15, 35, 44, 57, 90, 115, 149, 192 and 207 at various airfields including RAF Marham, RAF Coningsby, RAF Watton and RAF Waddington, eventually being replaced by the high flying English Electric Canberra. The B-29 then disappeared from operational service in the UK.
Without doubt, the development of the B-29 had a major impact on the world as we know it today, and even though its first arrival in the UK in March 1944 caused a major stir in the aviation world, it incredibly remains a little known about clear fact. With little documentation available, there is clearly much more research to be done.
Since the original posting of this article, I have been contacted by Daniel Partridge whose grandfather (Leon Suthers) was at Randolph Field in the United States, after the war’s end. He has sent me some photos of ‘Hobo Queen’ after she returned to the US. According to information Daniel has supplied, she was used as a training airframe from January 1945 until 1954, after which she was scrapped. From the photos, you can see that much of the aircraft has been stripped away, presumably as part of this programme, yet the 45 camel ‘mission scores’ have been left. Further information from Daniel confirms that these Camels represent flights ‘over the hump’. My sincere thanks to Daniel for the information.
Hobo Queen Post War (Photo courtesy Daniel Partridge)
Hobo Queen Post War (Photo courtesy Daniel Partridge)
Sources and further reading.
*1 Nalty, B., et al. “With Courage The U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II” 1994. Air Force Historical Studies Office (p61)
*1a ibid (p38)
*1b ibid (p147)
*2 Only 14 YB-29BWs were built (#41-36954 – #41-36967) and all at Wichita. They were painted olive drab upper surfaces and light gull grey lower surfaces.
*3 MSN 3334.
*4 Image courtesy of 457th BG Association.
*5 Comparative Test of the Effectiveness of Large Bombs Against Large Reinforced Concrete Structures (PDF), Report of the Air Proving Ground Command, Elgin Field, Florida – Anglo-American Bomb Test Project “Ruby”. October 31st, 1946.
On June 3rd 1944, Lancaster ND841 ‘F2-D’ piloted by Flying Officer George. A. Young (s/n: 134149) RAFVR 635 Squadron, was detailed to mark and attack Calais as part of the preparations for D-Day. There would be eight other aircraft from RAF Downham Market also detailed for the mission and take off would be late that evening.
Initially, the aircraft and crew, were designated for training, but that night, nine aircraft and crews, were then detailed for operations to Calais, including F.O. Young’s crew in ‘D-Dog’. They were given orders to mark a coastal defence battery, as part of the preparations for the forthcoming D-Day invasion.
The mission as a whole would involve 127 Lancasters and 8 Mosquitoes of No.1, 3 and 8 Groups and the targets would be the gun batteries at both Calais and Wimerereux. It was a diversionary raid as part of Operation “Fortitude South“, to fool the Germans into believing the invasion would occur in the Pas-de-Calais region.
At 28 minutes past midnight, F.O. Young lined the Lancaster up, opened the throttles and began the long run down the runway. As the aircraft approached take off, it began to swing striking the roof of a B1 Hangar nearby. In an uncontrollable state the aircraft crashed just outside the airfield killing all those on board.
All other eight aircraft took off and returned safely after having dropped their bombs as instructed.
On board Lancaster ‘F2-D’ that night were:
Lancaster ND841 ‘D’ and its crew before the fatal crash on June 4th 1944.
Pilot: F.O. George Ambrose Young, aged 24 (s/n: 134149) RAFVR.
Flight Engineer: Sgt. Thomas Snowball, aged 32 (s/n: 1100769) RAFVR
Navigator: Flt. Sgt. Howard Pritchard, aged 22 (s/n: 1578502) RAFVR
Bomb Aimer: F.O. Walter Thomas Olyott, aged 21 (s/n: 151238). RAFVR
Wireless Operator / Gunner: F.Sgt. Robert Sadler, aged 23 (s/n: 1526058). RAFVR
Air Gunner: Flt Sgt. Stanley Wharton, aged 30 (s/n: 1578013) RAFVR
Air Gunner: Flt Sgt. Charles Patrick Nallen, aged 20 (s/n: 427537) RAAF
The Squadron’s Operation’s Record Book (AIR 27/2155/7) for that day simply states:
3.6.44 ‘D’ F/O Young G.A. hit hangar after taking off and crashed on airfield when large bomb exploded and the crew all killed. 8 aircraft returned to base .
Three of the crew are buried in Kings Walk Cemetery, Downham Market, a short distance from the airfield.
In Part 3, we saw how Scone grew in the post war era, taking on more civilian operations, training pilots from around the world. This continued on in the years that followed and so the airfield grew even more.
Airwork’s ideas were big though, and one of the major changes they would make would be the extension of the runways adding not one but two tarmac runways of 2,800 ft and 2,000 ft in 1968. Scone then became the only UK Air Training School to have such facilities. As an international training college it was going to need to be able to accommodate large numbers of personnel, students and aircraft.
By the 1970s Scone had reached a peak with in excess of 400 students being trained at any one time. Catering for all these nationalities was hard work and a separate school had to be set up to standardise the language. A School of English taught both basic English and technical English, meaning that by this time not only were pilots and engineers being trained in aeronautical procedures, but English as well. The AST became so busy, that it boasted of being “the largest civil aviation training organisation in the world”.*3
The demand for Scone’s operations continued to grow, as did the airfield itself. Development took another step forward in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Air Service Training Ltd. expanded yet again. With huge increases in overseas student numbers (over 100 nationalities) a new hall had to be built to provide accommodation for them all. This was Stormont Hall, a large building with all the facilities needed to accommodate and cater for all student needs.
However, like many aviation related histories, things took a turn in the 1990s. Political moves by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Government, combined with changing global economies, caused AST to cease training overseas pilots at the international college at Scone. By April 1996, following the closure of the college, the site owners, Caledonian Investments, broke the news to its users, that it was selling up and in August, Scone was put on the market with a £3m price tag; the end of an era had apparently come to an abrupt end.*4
However, the move did not initially prove to be too much of a set back for AST and Scone as a whole, as it was able to bolster its maintenance programme with the purchase of a Jetstream from Cranfield University. The facilities for the programme, primarily the hangar, proved to be too small, so a larger one was obtained, on lease, from the Airport authorities, and was officially opened for business in November 2008 after an opening ceremony led by the then-Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop MSP.*3
A buyer for Scone was soon found however, and in 1997, the airport was purchased as a going concern by the Morris Leslie Group, who allowed the various companies to continue to operate as normal from the airfield. Scone, or now Perth airport, had a new lease of life and would quickly grow to some fifty companies employing around 400 people once more. It has also updated many of the former buildings, providing both residential properties and workshops. It has over recent years, welcomed high prestige figures including Queen Elizabeth, former President George Bush and Prince Andrew.
AST continue to operate from Scone under the new owner, and they are not alone. Other organisations include the Scottish Aero Club (formerly The Scottish Flying Club) and whose history, goes back to 1927, and who relocated to Scone in 1956, joining ranks with the Strathtay Aero Club to form the new club. The Aero Club remains Scotland’s largest flying club and continues to offer rotary and fixed wing training as well as both auto-gyro and micro-light flying. It also provides maintenance for those aircraft located on the site.
Other users of Perth include Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) flying the EC135-T2 helicopter, a charitable organisation that relies solely on donations to keep it flying. It was formed in 2012 and launched a helicopter air ambulance in May 2013 to assist the Scottish Air Ambulance Service (SAAS) to deliver front-line care to time-critical emergencies across Scotland. SCAA provides a fully equipped medical helicopter that can be deployed to incidents across the length and breadth of Scotland.
Today many of the wartime buildings remain, in use, by small industrial units. The Battle Headquarters, can be seen from the road very much exposed, as all but the top slotted observation ‘turret’ would normally be underground. The accommodation and technical areas are located together and many now form part of a small hotel for those visiting the area.
There are three runways in use, two of concrete / tarmac and one of grass, these being 2,799 ft and 1,998 feet, the third grass runway is 2,040 feet, all joined at the ends to form a perimeter. Two large hangars hold around 85 aircraft with further space for 15 more parked on the apron.
The airfield lies a few miles north of Perth, the main A94 offers access to the airfield and views across some of the site. It sits on a hill and so much of it is hidden from view at ground level. Being an active airfield, access is limited and understandably restricted. However, views of the current residents are available and many of the wartime buildings are accessible operating as retail and industrial units.
The Battle Headquarters is very much exposed, this would normally be below ground level with only the slits visible.
Scone for such a small airfield, has had a long and fruitful history. Its links to pilot training, especially throughout the war years, no doubt sent many airmen to front line squadrons, many of whom would go onto serve in some of Britain’s fiercest air battles. A small and often rudimentary airfield, it played a huge part in Britain’s wartime and post-war aviation history, and long may it continue.
The full history of Scone can be read in Trail 56.
Sources and further reading (RAF Scone).
*1 University of Glasgow website. Accessed 10.2.25
*2 McCloskey. K., “Airwork – A History“. The History Press, 2012.
*3 The Herald Newspaper, 16th August 2020, via website
*4 The Herald Newspaper, 9th August 1996 via website
In Part 2, Scone supported the RAF throughout the war, training pilots and navigators in a range of aircraft. Post war, this demand reduced, but it was not the RAF’s end with Scone, nor the end of pilot training.
With Airwork now owning the site outright, they began to look to the future. In 1950, BEA began trials with flights to Renfrew and Glasgow, a scheme that was hoping to open doors to destinations wider afield, but it was not successful and so the idea never came to fruition. Keen to expand, Airwork then took on conversion flying for the Admiralty, converting naval pilots to from single to twin-engined aircraft. They also carried out engineering and navigational training and began work overhauling radio systems, the future was looking bright for the expanding airfield.
The December of 1950 saw the Glasgow University Air Squadron (UAS) move to Scone as a temporary measure whilst their runway at Abbotsinch was resurfaced. As a result, Airwork became responsible for the maintenance of the training aircraft they were using, primarily Tiger Moths and Miles Magisters. Airwork soon came up with the idea of a trophy to be contested for by the various Scottish University Air Squadrons, called the Scone Cup, the first competition was held in October 1951 and won by Glasgow. After a further name change of the UAS to Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron (UGSAS) in 1965, the squadron re-equipped with DH Chipmunks, bringing yet another type to the small Scottish airfield.
Old buildings are utilised for modern purposes.
Meanwhile the Scone Cup continued, as did the relationship between Scone and the various Air Squadrons, until in 1969, when the RAF centralised all its maintenance work at RAF Turnhouse, and the link with Scone was broken. The GSAS were then reassigned back to Glasgow airport, the location of its origin way back in April 1941.
Like so many other contracts with the military post war, the Admiralty’s pilot training programme wouldn’t last long either, and a gradual reduction in the need for pilot training for the service, forced Airwork to look elsewhere for their trade. The dynamic years that followed saw a huge growth in civil aviation, with jets now spanning the globe in hours and not days, and private flying was becoming evermore affordable to the masses. It was this opportunity that Airwork seized, becoming the first civil school to gain an Instrument rating course certificate for pilot training.
This enabled the now renamed ‘Airwork School of Aviation’ to officially offer its services to civilian operators for the first time, an offer that was taken up by numerous airlines including the first, Sudan Airways, with the first trainees arriving in November 1955.
Although the Navy had ended its contract with Airwork and Scone, it was not the end of military training for good. Whilst 1957 brought the disbandment of some landmark units, on March 8th, another training unit, 1 Civilian Fighter Control Co-Operation unit, formed here at Scone operating the Avro Anson T22. Little seems to be published about the activities of this unit, but I would assume it was, like other training units at Scone, operated by civilians working as part of the Royal Air Force’s training programme. The unit remained active here at Scone, until 31st January 1961 where upon it was disbanded. A year after its cessation on May 10th, an Anson of the unit ‘VV977’ was sold as scrap at No.27 Maintenance Unit (MU) at Shawbury.
With that any RAF connections with Perth ceased. The airfield was passed to ACS Aviation, who claim to be the “leading Commercial Flight Training Organisation in Scotland”. Operating a range of services including commercial pilot training and maintenance provisions.
By the turn of the 1950s / 60s, Scone was heralded as a thriving pilot training facility, seen by many organisations as one of the best available. In acknowledgement of this, the recently formed British United Airways sent their pilots here and were quickly followed by other UK based airlines. The prestige that attracted these airlines led to an award by the Ministry of Aviation confirming Scone’s high ranking status, something that had not been done before to any other UK based school.
Airwork’s organisation stretched the length and breadth of the UK, and as military reorganisations took place, so some of Airwork’s units were either closed or relocated to alternative locations. In the early 1960s, Scones Airwork School of Aviation began to expand further by taking over the School of Aeronautical Engineering from Hamble, which led to yet another name change to Airwork Services Training (AST) to match the new role now being served at Scone. As the school developed and established itself at Scone, so it too began to expand, delving into the roles of electrical, turbine and rotary fields, all of which required further development of the pre-war site.
Modern day Scone is home to a large number of small aircraft.
As Airwork has expanded into the rotary field, the next natural step was to train helicopter pilots at the airfield. The first such operation took place on 30th September 1963, with students from the Ghana Air Force. The instructor on that course, one Cryil Sweetman, would go onto gain his own fifteen minutes of fame flying a Hiller UH-12C in James Bond’s ‘From Russia with Love.’
The growth of Scone continued on throughout the (1960s) decade. During these years no less than thirty Cessnas (130 and 150 models) were brought into the airfield to train pilots, a number that would make it the largest fleet in Europe, giving Scone the advantage over other European training centres. Combine that with the additional training facilities and private maintenance work, Scone was rapidly becoming one of the biggest players in the civil aviation industry.
In the final part, we see how Scone had grown from strength tot strength, through different ownership it has continued to supply training for new and established pilots, establishing itself as one of the largest training centres around.
The full history of Scone can be read in Trail 56.
Aviation Trails 