Pershore

[canberra]

This place got a mention on the news last night when they did a bit on the temperatures, apparently it got to 13 degrees c.

Now heres a question why has MOD held on to this airfield for so long? It closed to flying over 30 years ago.

[Denis]

The haulage company I worked for for many years had a contract with the MOD. Pershore was a strange place, with the Hangars full of captured Iraqi vehicles from the first Gulf war. A giant microwave oven (best description) for cooking Army vehicles as part of a test for electrical emissions was housed in one of the Hangars. Decontamination units for the weapons inspectors were also built there. The place was also used by 22 SAS for laser range finder tests on on the old runways.
Most of the accomodation units for the British forces in Bosnia were bought together and sent by road to theatre, along with various other equipment we took out on a regular basis.
I was only able to take one photo of Pershore, and that was out on the runway away from any buildings due to the secrecy of the airfield, ...there is a black helicopter hovering over the house now. Maybe I should retract this statement and tell you it is all a figment of my imagination...

[PNK]

Wasn't Time Team there a few years ago?

[Stevo]

Wasn't Time Team there a few years ago?

Yes they where, it was on again recently. It was the same time as foot and mouth as part of the airfield was used to bury cattle. They used the tower as the incident room. I think Tony R's opening line was 'This is RAF Pershore a WW2 airfield' or something like that

It was medieval or ironage settlement I think.

:wink:

[Clayhanger]

QinetiQ has a facility there according to their web site: http://www.qinetiq.com/home/contact/locations.html

[REF]

Some photos taken last week. The site is very much off limits and I took these pics from the road, Long Lane, that runs across the north of the airfield site.

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/WORCESTERSHIRE/Pershore/20090820Pershore6-1.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/WORCESTERSHIRE/Pershore/20090820Pershore6-2.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/WORCESTERSHIRE/Pershore/20090820Pershore6-3.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/WORCESTERSHIRE/Pershore/20090820Pershore4-1.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/WORCESTERSHIRE/Pershore/20090820Pershore4-3.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/WORCESTERSHIRE/Pershore/20090820Pershore4-2.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/WORCESTERSHIRE/Pershore/20090820Pershore1-1.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/Flyer719/WORCESTERSHIRE/Pershore/20090820Pershore2-1.jpg

[Blackadder]

2008 photo

http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/ss276/anon240577/Pershore2008.jpg

[Peter]

Who owns the airfield now if it is off limits? Great pics!

[REF]

QuinetiQ owns the site I believe, if they don't own it they lease it but they are the only user there now

[bvs]

I did a low pass along the runway in a Bulldog out of Abingdon circa 1981/2 scouting for a 'safe haven' as part of an exercise,the Radar was still on the Tower roof then and still operational.
We also checked out Little Riss and Colerne,nice little trip away from playing soldiers for me :D

[worcester aviation]

Having actually been on site to repair a machine for a utilies company that rented a T2 hanger to store pipe,I can confirm that General Dynamics/Rockwell use the J type hanger behind the tower for experimental work.
The last time I passed it via Long Lane,there was a Humvee with a TOW missile launcher on top.
There is also a private security training company on site,as I knocked on the door and was greeted by a rather large man,as I had to ask where the fork-lift was.No prizes for guessing which Hereford based regiment he was from...
West Mercia police did use the main runway for driver training before moving to Defford.

[rossarob]

yes time team were there and so was I

[Resmoroh]

In one of the hangars there was a TOTALLY dark room/range. This was run by RAE/DERA (or whoever it was at that time). It was used to develop the algorithms used in FLIR (airborne Forward Looking Infra Red). Lots of high-powered boffins there! But some of us had to go out and measure reality on the ground (literally!) to compare it with the Peruvian nose-flute music from the boffins. A lot of trogging about in the middle of the night in a certain part of Wales with some Gentlemen From Hereford while the Boscombe Hunter made low passes overhead. The main thing I - as the 'unfit' Met Man - can remember was that it was bl**dy cold, and that there was a continual cry from The Gentlemen of "Fer chrissakes, Cloudy, get a bl**dy move on".
When you next see those pix on TV of infra-red target acquisition, and a munition subsequently destroying whatever, just remember that a lot of the development work was done using facilities at leafy Pershore!
They also make some damn powerful cider in that neck of the woods!!!!!!!!
HTH
Resmoroh

[Carnaby]

They also make some damn powerful cider in that neck of the woods!!!
....and just to the south, some aptly named beer

http://www.pub-explorer.com/realale/wyrepiddlebrewery.htm

Graham

[Resmoroh]

Graham,
In the very late 40's or very early 50's I did a couple of years in the school summer hols at Harvest Camp on a farm at Throckmorton (just next to Pershore airfield). There were no showers at the camp. We used to sit on the wier at Fladbury to wash-off at the end of the day as the Oxfords(?), etc, were circuit bashing. You used to have to lie fairly convincingly to the locals to get them to buy you a half of that explosive scrumpy!! It's where I came across the Piddles (various!!).
Much later in life I did the FLIR job, and then installed the Automatic Weather Station. So I suppose I've been connected, on and off, with Pershore for more than 40 years!
HTH
Resmoroh

[Berni]

For sale or could even be sold already!

[Jerry]

Off here this week, if photos are permitted i'll get some.

[REF]

Fingers crossed jerry, it'd be great to see some decent pics of the tower.

[Jerry]

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc143/Gingie28/DSCF2975.jpg

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc143/Gingie28/DSCF2958.jpg

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc143/Gingie28/DSCF2962.jpg

http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc143/Gingie28/DSCF2960.jpg

[Jerry]

I can't put any more up, due to the usage of the site.

[Bernard Anthony Morris]

I lived in one of the cottages just outside the main gate until I left to join the Air Force.My father worked on the farm just down the road.When I was in school there I used to watch the Oxfords and Chipmunks do their bits.
After they left I used to go up to the airfield and lie on the grass reading.It was a nice spot.

[ianfv652]

My Father was MOD Fire Crew at RAF Pershore from 1952 until his death in 1967. I went to the Open Day in I think in 1963. Here are two pictures. First of the Fire Crew with my Father on right hand end of line. A shot of the "new" Fire Station - is it still there I believe it was used for some BBC Programme about building war time "stuff"1232012321.
If anyione has information or memories about the Fire Section please contact me. I am in touch with Eric Carnell who was a firefighter there.

[PETERTHEEATER]

That looks to be directly to the left of the Control Tower but I think the building to the left of the crew is long gone and replaced by a more modern fire station. The hangar survives.

[ted angus]

Afraid its a rubbish picture but here is the new fire section with the same 4 crash trucks- Yes I know it should be RRE not RAE but its to do with my filing system .
TED

[PETERTHEEATER]

That fits nicely Ted, thanks.