Post by carmedic on Feb 7, 2016 23:56:26 GMT
Technically, not a disused airfield as it is busy with GA, microlights and gyrocopters using one of the runways. ( I have even seen a Jet Provest land here )
What is intresting is how complete this former RAF base is considering it officially closed in 1960.
Kirkbride Airfield was opened in May 1939, it's role was as a storage and maintenance base to keep aircraft safe after being built at various factories before going onto be delivered to a frontline unit. No16 Ferry Pilots Pool of the Air Transport Auxiliary was formed at the airfield because of the number of movements the airfield was seeing during the first years of WWII. Their base was set up in what is now the White Heather Hotel. No.12 MU (maintenance unit) was also set up on the airfield and between 1939 and 1960 they would of dealt with just about every aircraft in RAF service, history shows they ranged from Austers to Liberators. After the war had finished the airfield was as a giant storage area for unwanted airframes. No12 MU remained at the airfield until 1960 when the last aircraft to leave was a Gloster Meteor NF14 and the airfield was closed by the RAF. The image below shows the airfield in 1947 when the airfield was packed with nearly 1200 airframes,
14 of the 15 hangars still survive over this hugh site.
I last visited in June 2012 for their annual flyin, so took the opportunity to look around the old technical site.
MT Vehicle Petrol Installation by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
MT Section Vehicle Shed and Office by Chris Hall, on Flickr
MT Vehicle Petrol Installation by Chris Hall, on Flickr
MT Vehicle Petrol Installation by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Stand-by-Set House by Chris Hall, on Flickr
MT Section Vehicle Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Stanton shelter by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Stanton shelter by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Central Heating Station by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type L Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
Type D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on Flickr
For some reason, I never photographed the tower, but here is a photo off flickr by David Ambridge. It has been renovated and used by the GA airfield
Kirkbride Airfield Control Tower by David Ambridge, on Flickr
What is intresting is how complete this former RAF base is considering it officially closed in 1960.
Kirkbride Airfield was opened in May 1939, it's role was as a storage and maintenance base to keep aircraft safe after being built at various factories before going onto be delivered to a frontline unit. No16 Ferry Pilots Pool of the Air Transport Auxiliary was formed at the airfield because of the number of movements the airfield was seeing during the first years of WWII. Their base was set up in what is now the White Heather Hotel. No.12 MU (maintenance unit) was also set up on the airfield and between 1939 and 1960 they would of dealt with just about every aircraft in RAF service, history shows they ranged from Austers to Liberators. After the war had finished the airfield was as a giant storage area for unwanted airframes. No12 MU remained at the airfield until 1960 when the last aircraft to leave was a Gloster Meteor NF14 and the airfield was closed by the RAF. The image below shows the airfield in 1947 when the airfield was packed with nearly 1200 airframes,
14 of the 15 hangars still survive over this hugh site.
I last visited in June 2012 for their annual flyin, so took the opportunity to look around the old technical site.
MT Vehicle Petrol Installation by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrMT Section Vehicle Shed and Office by Chris Hall, on FlickrMT Vehicle Petrol Installation by Chris Hall, on FlickrMT Vehicle Petrol Installation by Chris Hall, on FlickrStand-by-Set House by Chris Hall, on FlickrMT Section Vehicle Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrStanton shelter by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrStanton shelter by Chris Hall, on FlickrCentral Heating Station by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrType L Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrType D Aircraft Storage Shed by Chris Hall, on FlickrFor some reason, I never photographed the tower, but here is a photo off flickr by David Ambridge. It has been renovated and used by the GA airfield
Kirkbride Airfield Control Tower by David Ambridge, on Flickr
