Perhaps you might consider sending articles, memories, snippets, help wanted requests, suggestions, ephemera, illustrations in fact anything that may add a small piece towards the jigsaw of hucknall s history. During world war ii, the aerodrome at hucknall was the location of the first flight of a p51 mustang fitted with a rollsroyce merlin engine. Jan 20, 2016 the disused hucknall aerodrome, you can clearly see the outline of the grass runways and the development of the north side. Visit of the railway queen to hucknall, hucknall station, c 1938 the railway queen was crowned annually at the railway carnival in machester. The following organisations are either based at, use andor have at least potentially significant connections with the airfield as at 010720. Fascinating facts about arnolds history that you might not know. Doing a night flying training exercise the pilots view of the airfield was suddenly obscured by a blanket of fog which developed without any warning. All the above information and descriptions whether in the text, plans or photographs are given in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact. Hucknall airfield wikipedia an piemonteis, lenciclopedia. A brief history of the raf station at wymeswold, 194278 tony jarram. On 5 november 1918 the 23d aero squadron repair left. Raf hucknall in the second world war 19391945 the wartime. Nottinghamshire and derbyshire airfields in the second world. The first airfield on the site was opened in 1918 by the royal flying corps and called rfcs harpswell after the village of that name just across the a631 road.
Airfield way in hucknall is in the east midlands region of england. Flying from raf hucknall near nottingham to raf yeadon, the crew of the bi plane. Robin hood statue listed as remarkable place by historic. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside. Hucknall aerodrome nottingham, united kingdom airport. Jan 03, 2018 fascinating facts about arnolds history that you might not know. Free family history surgeries are held at hucknall library on 1st saturday of the month, 10am till 12am. Photos of nearby places hucknall eastwood underwood nottingham newstead abbey old maps of hucknall airfield historic maps of hucknall airfield and the local area. An airfield was established at hucknall in 1917 for the royal flying corp.
In june 1919 the grass airfield was returned to its former use as farmland. She was also the daughter of one of the most eloquent and darkly romantic poets in history, lord byron. Hucknall airfield is located in united kingdom, using icao code egna. Feb 18, 2017 in 2012 i completed a photo book history of the merlin flying club, i hope you enjoy the story. Fascinating facts about arnolds history that you might not. Military aerodrome ww1, then civil, military again in ww2 and later reverting to civil aerodrome. Hucknall west street pg32 hucknall flying bedstead pub pg33 hucknall flying bedstead. If you are the author of a local history book on nottinghamshire, submit a page in the usual way and we will locate it here. The aerodrome had been operated by the merlin flying club since 1971, it is owned by rollsroyce group plc following previous ownership by both the air ministry and ministry of aviation. Probably the most bizarre project ever undertaken was the jet control research unit better known as the flying bedstead, the first tethered flights taking place in 1953 and the first free hover in 1954. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Ga info in 1977 several ga types were based here, quite unusual in those days i suppose for what was essentially a private company owned airfield.
G371 avro 694 lincoln b2 rolls royce hucknall, notts airfield, uk england mike dowsing collection 1956. Hucknall airfields of britain conservation trust uk. Tw591 auster aop6 royal air force hucknall, notts airfield, uk england dave welch collection 1955. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading military airfields in britain during the second world war war in britain series. This page combines information for the address airfield way, hucknall, nottingham, ng15 6wz, and the neighbourhood in which it resides. Hucknall aerodrome project gutenberg selfpublishing. Hucknall airfield, built in 1916, became raf hucknall. Twentyone squadrons the history of the royal auxiliary airforce 1925 1957.
Hucknall airfield, ashfield area information, map, walks. Our third exhibition, assembled and maintained by our volunteer members in the hucknall group, is held in two post war wing test hangars on the original hucknall aerodrome, where engines and technology items from the days when this airfield was the home of the. The airfield has been sold by rr for housing development. I am always on the lookout for items for inclusion in the history based newsletter hucknall torkard times. The wing test hangars at rollsroyce in hucknall date back to 1934, when the company leased two hangars at the hucknall airfield, which was established in 1917, and created a. The 1st of september 2019 is the wartime memories projects 20th birthday. As is familiar from many wellknown allied escape stories. The wartime memories project is run by volunteers and this website is funded by donations from our visitors. Hucknall aerodrome was located 5nm north northwest of nottingham, nottinghamshire, england and. I am always on the lookout for items for inclusion in the historybased newsletter hucknall torkard times. Hucknall, formerly known as hucknall torkard, is a town in greater nottingham, nottinghamshire, england, in the district of ashfield. Interesting information for airfield way, hucknall. The disused hucknall aerodrome, you can clearly see the outline of the grass runways and the development of the north side. Military airfields in britain during the second world war.
I have heard two versions of why the town came by its name, and like. Situated about four miles north of nottingham, theres been a settlement in hucknall for around 1,400 years. Hucknall aerodrome dates to 1916 when it opened under no. Hucknall heritage society was formed in 1984 with the aim of providing a regular series of meetings to educate and entertain members by providing talks and presentations on subjects with a local heritage or historical theme. Nottinghamshire and derbyshire airfields in the second world war british airfields in the second world war brooks, robin on. A list of hucknall dates timeline 1170 newstead abbey founded. The wing test hangar at the rolls royce site, watnall road, hucknall, erected by rollsroyce in 1944, is listed at grade ii for the. Login or register to view extended features for hucknall airfield. In 2012 i completed a photo book history of the merlin flying club, i hope you enjoy the story. The group also keep an eye on the many heritage buildings in hucknall and the surrounding areas and where possible lobby. Wing test hangar and concrete detuner supports to the west, non. Scholefield collection 1943 full details tw591 auster aop6 royal air force hucknall, notts airfield, uk england dave welch collection 1955.
Station of nations the history of raf balderton raf newark 58 mu raf winthorpe. Behind is the pioneering rolls royce flying bedstead vtol prototype that made its first flight at hucknall in 19531954 1989 robert truman. Nottinghamshire and derbyshire airfields in the second world war british airfields in the second world war. As is familiar from many wellknown allied escape stories, pows could not be supervised every hour of the day. Hucknall local history group was formed in 2003 under the name hucknall library local history group with the aim of providing a forum for people to explore the history of hucknall, this works in several ways. As such, this article is primarily concerned with the history of the hucknall aerodrome, where members enjoyed flying model aircraft over a glorious 43 year period. Aviation memorials in nottinghamshire visit nottinghamshire. Thats another airfield to become the victim of owners unsympathetic to their own companies aviation roots. Hucknall airfield united kingdom world airport codes. Its correct name is newstead priory 1180 approximately money given by geoffrey torkard for erection of tower and nave of st.
During world war ii, the aerodrome at hucknall was the location of the first flight of. Rfcraf training squadron station and training depot station. From 1927, rollsroyce began using the airfield for flight tests. Military airfields in britain during the second world war war in britain series kindle edition by jon sutherland, diane sutherland. The town is notable as the site where rollsroyce made the first demonstration of. This was the scene of his second go at escaping which led to what the raf called the hucknall incident. The airfield was first constructed as a world war one training depot station, between 19161918, opening in 1918. With the advent of the jet engine, hucknall became involved not only with the engines but developed such things as the afterburner and reverse thrust systems. Should you wish to leave a small donation towards the upkeep and ongoing running of the website, it. Whilst the number of airfield sites is likely to remain fairly. The postcode is within the hucknall west wardelectoral division, which is in the constituency of sherwood. Raf hucknall in the second world war, the wartime memories project. Our third exhibition, assembled and maintained by our volunteer members in the hucknall group, is held in two post war wing test hangars on the original hucknall aerodrome, where engines and technology items from the days when this airfield was the home of the rollsroyce flight test centre from 1934 to 1971. By colin savill shackleton wr977 dedication to duty.
The flying bedstead takes to the air over hucknall aerodrome in the early. Marys church 1189 geoffrey torkard gives 120 acres of hucknall land to newstead priory 1288 land held by newstead priory included hucknall torkard. Two pairs of belfast truss aircraft hangars survive from this period and are listed buildings please see sk 54 nw 33 and sk 54 nw 34 for further details. T3177 bristol beaufighter iif rolls royce hucknall, notts airfield, uk england r. Raf hucknall airfield xp980, the fifth hawker p1127 kestrel seen at yeovilton painted in early shar markings. Nottinghamshire and derbyshire airfields in the second.
Very nice airfield, good runway 29 very friendly service and landing fee only. Prewar aircraft hangers at hucknall airfield, notts two pairs of belfast truss aircraft hangars survive from this period and are listed buildings. Dec 24, 2014 hucknall airfield home of rolls royce flying club for 50 years, will cease operation end of february 2015. More hucknall stats in late 1944, 1764 raf personnel plus 228 waafs were stationed here. Rollsroyce hucknall mac airfield history derek martin updated by the webmaster the club has resided at its current flying field since 2015. Local historian bob massey has published his third book on the history of arnold and the surrounding area. Raf hemswell project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
Hucknall airfield, ashfield local area information, map, walks and more. Wymeswold raf station officially opened on 16 may 1942 as a new operational training unit 28otu, which was part of 93 group, raf although it had been in use since 14 april 1942. When war was declared it was obvious to the major civilian airline companies, imperial airways and british airways, that some curtailment of their services would take place and that this would. A site with phases as a military airfield and as a civilian airfield. Hucknall torkard history the website of local historian. Perhaps you might consider sending articles, memories, snippets, help wanted requests, suggestions, ephemera, illustrations in fact anything that may add a small piece towards the jigsaw of hucknalls history. Hucknall 60 years of test a history of testing at rollsroyce hucknall and a celebration of its heroes. Longstanding hucknall mac chairman, the author of this article, derek martin, appears alongside other wellknown rollsroyce faces. Hucknall was a settlement in domesday book, in the hundred of broxtowe and the county of nottinghamshire. Nottinghamshire history linby and papplewick notebook, an online resource for nottinghamshire local history, genealogy and archaeology. Hucknall aerodrome has a caa ordinary licence number p507 that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee rollsroyce. Pics below taken on that date show rollsroyces spitfire, a gnat of the red arrows, the blue angles support c hercules, and one of the teams f4 phantoms. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of hucknall airfield francis frith the uks leading publisher of local photographs since 1860. The front fuselage of english electric lightning fmk.
If you would like to send us a present, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web. Hucknall airfield hucknall notts places our nottinghamshire. Jul 28, 2011 the last air display at hucknall was on 28 may 1973. Another part of hucknalls history committed to the scrap heap, seems sad that we wont be able to enjoy the sight of a spitfire or hurricane giving a disp. Hucknall airfield page 3 general chat about nottingham. A brief history of the raf station at wymeswold, 194278 hoap. We undertake projects both in the community and for the library to help preserve the history of the town. The town was historically a centre for framework knitting and then for mining, but is now a focus for other industries as well as providing housing for workers in nottingham. Air raids and bomb sites aviation history britain at war. Fascinating facts about arnolds history that you might. In an effort to fly below the cloud base, which was at 150 ft, and to obtain a visual on the airfield the instructor pilot turned quickly when it would appear that he saw the landing lights. Hucknall airfield was built in 1916, which became raf hucknall. Amazing photos of notts life a century ago compiled in new book market place, hucknall see more.
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