Portland

[Daveg4otu]

Yes - I see what you mean.

Mag Variation - I think (stand to be corrected on this ) that over several hundreds(maybe thousands ) of years , the Mag N pole travels in a circle that eventually leads back to its starting point.

[rat256]

from map reading 101 I seem to remember that the mag variation will eventually move full circle, I think the variation is something like 2 degrees in 100 years, although some areas change more than that (something to do with localised iron ore deposits in the earths crust)

as for that runway... my word, is it even worth having? i've seen model planes need more runway than that!!

[PaulHP]

A few pictures from today:


Former Admin Block and ATC by PaulHP, on Flickr


Old Runway Light Casing by PaulHP, on Flickr


Old Runway Light Casing by PaulHP, on Flickr


Old Runway Light Casings by PaulHP, on Flickr


Old Runway Number by PaulHP, on Flickr


Site of the former RNAS Portland by PaulHP, on Flickr

And one from the Navy Cemetery:


J.F. Mantle, V.C., War Grave, 1940, Portland, Royal Navy by PaulHP, on Flickr

[REF]

Nice photos PaulHP, it looks more dis-used in your photos than it does in the ones earlier on in the thread. Is the runway still used? The last evevated view is excellent with the beach in the background.

[PaulHP]

My guess would be no as the runway has two X's painted on it. The Coastguards just seem to fly off their helipad.

[Carnaby]

The second lighting picture isn't ! It says 'Avery' on it -something to do with Avery Fuel Oil Inc ?

[Daveg4otu]

The runway is out of use and has been for some years.
If you look at the historical imagery on GE you can go back to 2001 when the old runway alignnment was in use... a repaint job somewhen between then and closing shifted the northern end of it to the west.

Paul's 4th & 5th pictures are of the area in my 3rd picture(see post #1) - originally several heli-spots ....now slated to become a car park and green area (according to locals I interrogated when I was last there)

[PETERTHEEATER]

The second lighting picture isn't ! It says 'Avery' on it -something to do with Avery Fuel Oil Inc ?

Yes, AVERY-HARDOL make aviation fuel couplings etc. It's the cover for a pressure refuelling point.

[Waspie]

I still live on Portland and used to fly out of it during the 70's through to the 90's prior to it closing down.

The runway orientation has changed, what was runway 04/22 is now 05/23, looking at the new marking and comparing them with the old hardly discernible runway markings I believe the numbering is more than a shift in variation.

Over my time working out of PO, the runway was changed from a seriously short runway pre 1970/1, incapable of taking any FW other than Harrier. The runway had a temporary shift in orientation, Aprox 90 degrees, running north, south whilst a new runway was constructed along the original 04/22 orientation. This new runway was longer and strengthened as well as having dedicated 'hardened spots' to facilitate the heat from the hovering Harriers jet efflux. At the same time a new fire station was built on site to the north of the runway. The fire station had previously been located outside the airstation at Boscowan in nearby Castletown. New hangerage, tie down points and radars were installed.

There was talk of a C130 making a landing at PO but from memory I only remember a C130 putting wheels down running along the short runway and lifting prior to the piano keys.

I pass the old place daily and it breaks my heart to see the once busy heliport used by a shortly to depart CG helicopter. (Albeit - as I type there quite a few rotary wing sitting on the runway due to the Olympics. The sailing academy now sitting on what what the fire training pits, the Fleet Target Group hangers and 'crash and smash' the aircraft recovery section. The very visible fuel tanks that identified PO so easily from the air have gone in there entirety.

Regards, FW flights, the dockyard next door!! Used to have many float fitted aircraft circa 1930's 40's. I will attempt to dig out some old pics of that as well as few of the new site similar to the ones posted above.

[Waspie]

A few pic of RNAS Portland including a dockyard shot.

South side of the airfield with what I think is a Westland Whirlwind Mk1 (I think!)
075.JPG


Portland airfield pre 1970, Helicopters in use at the time where Whirlwind and Dragon Fly.
079.jpg


Portland dock yard and one of it's aircraft. I will leave it to you guys to identify.
114.jpg


Portland airfield from the west cliffs of Portland. The picture was take whilst the air station was still operational. Flying Wessex Mk 5's of 772 NAS, Lynx, Mk 2 & 8 of 703 NAS, (Training Squadron), 829 NAS. The Wasp had been withdrawn from service by this time.
View of old Airstation apr03_1.jpg