Abingdon

[Deskpilot]

Hi guys. It's been some 50 years since I was at Abingdon, my first posting in the RAF after training as an air radar mech. I so miss my Beverley's of 47 Sqdn. Loved them even though I was only there for a year or so prior to my Tech's course. Anyway, re the hangers. The large one was built just prior to my arrival and was built from the roof down, ie, the roof was built on the ground, then it was jacked up and the walls put in afterwards. I can still hear those big doors opening with the claxons going. One cold night, a tramp took shelter in a door rescess and didn't wake in time (might have been deaf). Unfortunatley he was squashed to death.
Beverleys were also serviced in another hanger (excuse my ignorance as to types). The secret was, park the Bev side on to the door. Fit trolley's on all wheels so that it could be pushed side ways. Jack the nose up to lower the tail and then nudge it in. Once in and aligned with the vert stabs between the cross beams, lower the nose. I think this was for major servicing only as it took a long time to carry out the manoeuvre. With the large hanger it was just a matter of reversing the kite in so the that the rear end was accessable from the office area roof. Still had to use a Girraff though.
Had my first 2 flights from there to Slasvic Holestein to bring pongo home from excersise's, but they're flying stories, not airfield history.
Another bit of trivia. Bridget Bardot was reported to have completed a full para course there for her film 'Viva Bridget' (Think that's right)
Looking on GE, it appears that the pans at the Shippon end, have been altered. I'm pretty sure we used to be able to park 4 Bev's in line abreast. The Sqdn offices and crew rooms were backed onto the fire gate road out to Shippon (in the tree line). I could be wrong but I think these were of wood or Aspestos construction. I'll do a bit of research as my curiosity had now been pricked.
CYA later.

[Deskpilot]

Further to my previous post.
1st: A photo of 47 Sqdn dispersal from the Shippon crash gate. We used to fight over who would used the wing de-icer wand, the only warm thing out there.

2nd: See the pan behind the row of officers married quarters. We had to park a u/s kite there one day but as we turned her round to face the exit, she began to sink though the concrete. Paniced yells of "Keep moving" persuaded the Centurian Tug driver to do just that and we managed to get her back onto the peri track. Those small pans were never intended for heavy transports.

3rd: Behind "The large hanger" there used to be the Salvation Army Club and every weekday morning at 10 o'clock, there was a mad dash for anyone near enough, to get in line for coffee and HOT JAM DOUGHNUTS covered with oodles of sugar. Talk about tooth rot and feeding the animals at the zoo. Good fun though.

More Happy Days.

[historymadd]

Further to my previous post.
1st: A photo of 47 Sqdn dispersal from the Shippon crash gate. We used to fight over who would used the wing de-icer wand, the only warm thing out there.

2nd: See the pan behind the row of officers married quarters. We had to park a u/s kite there one day but as we turned her round to face the exit, she began to sink though the concrete. Paniced yells of "Keep moving" persuaded the Centurian Tug driver to do just that and we managed to get her back onto the peri track. Those small pans were never intended for heavy transports.

3rd: Behind "The large hanger" there used to be the Salvation Army Club and every weekday morning at 10 o'clock, there was a mad dash for anyone near enough, to get in line for coffee and HOT JAM DOUGHNUTS covered with oodles of sugar. Talk about tooth rot and feeding the animals at the zoo. Good fun though.

More Happy Days.

hi there

the airfield is virtual dead there is a small motorised glider flight and the runways are used occassional by helicopters from nearby raf benson.

The staion generator house has been demolished and the edwards barracks for the territiorial army is now on that part of the site google is 2004.

there is an annual airshow in may but all the airfield buildings are deralict and just waiting to be demolished in the next year or so.

the runway can still take heavy aircraft they landed a c17 as amended lol there last airshow but is rapidly wearing out in places.

it is also used for motor racing and model air clubs who have very realistic jet models

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl425Ik8kc0


copy thgis link first part is a couple of blokes messing but the take off and flight is over the airfield last year

the large hanger is f hanger and a history of it is on this site


that was b hanger second from the top on google earth
link to power boxes around dispersal

historymadd

[historymadd]

Mexico, nice pics is the original watch office extant in front of the 'A' hangars?

hi there

the old technical training behind the watch tower building no 69 was demolished in the summer by asbestos removal contractors.

cheers

[92fis]

hi there



the runway can still take heavy aircraft they landed a c130 there last airshow but is rapidly wearing out in places.


historymadd

It was a C-17 that landed at the last show, quite a bit larger than a C-130.
Here it is.

[historymadd]

It was a C-17 that landed at the last show, quite a bit larger than a C-130.

cheers for that it was big and grey lol
and made loads of noise cheers of to the optiicians lol

seasonal view today

houses to the rear of shippon dispersal

cheers

[David Thompson]

It was her 1959 'blockbuster' Babette goes to War which was filmed at Abingdon . She jumped out of a Hastings fuselage being used by the parachute school , possibly C1 TG559 , and landed on a pile of mattresses . No change there then...m'lud . Its actually a thread on the Air Britain Forum at the moment , not Brigitte but the Hastings !

[mawganmad]

What type is that hangar showing in the more recent posts, never seen one like it?

[bvs]

Just outside B Hangar feb 1983

[historymadd]

Just outside B Hangar feb 1983

hi there
do you recall where the radar was i think it may have been over the faringdon road side near the enginie detuner point
???????

view from air traffic may 2009


cheers