why a lack of airfields (past and present) in Hertfordshire

[diddy1234]

I was wondering why a lack of airfields (past and present) in Hertfordshire

apart from Leavesden, Fowlmere, Hatfield and the airfield at Welwyn (forgot the name), what else was there ?

I know that any new airfields would not appear now as Hertfordshire is a 'commuting' county but I was wondering why not in the past.

[Denis]

RAF Hunsdon
RAF Sawbridgeworth
RAF Nuthampstead (USAAF)
Panshanger (Welwyn)
RAF Bovingdon (USAAF)
I was going to say Broxbourne, but it was technically Nazeing, so therefore under Essex! Fowlmere is in Cambridgeshire.

Not many admittedly, Leavesdon, Hatfield & Radlett were airfields attached to aircraft manufacturing bases and not purpose built as military airfields.

[REF]

http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/av...fordshire.html

[PaulHP]

I was going to say Broxbourne, but it was technically Nazeing, so therefore under Essex!

Exactly where was it? I thought it was by the train station where the gravel pits are, only the co-ordinates in Ken Delves book put it in the middle of the road across from Nazeing Glass.

As for Hunsdon don't you mean Harlow North?

[philbasildon]

Most airfields around London started as fighter stations during WW1 and were placed were the perceived threat was coming from, east and south of the capital. The Zeppelins did attack London from the north but these were expected to be dealt with by aircraft based closer to the coast in Suffolk and principally Essex. The Gotha's flew from bases in Belgium because of their shorter range. Remember that Holland and Denmark were neutral and not available to the Germans, indeed the Dutch anti aircraft accounted for quite a few German aircraft that strayed into their air space including a couple of Zeppelins. The only neccessity for stations north of London would be if Scotland had declared war on England!

[canberra]

I am from Hertfordshire, youve got to remember that its actually quite a hilly county, and as we all know hills and aeroplanes dont mix!

[PETERTHEEATER]

The hills from which the 'foinest bit of sharpening stone' in Hertfordshire originates?

[T-21]

Another reason may be proximity to the balloon barrage ring around London during WW2 it would have posed a danger to aircraft in poor visibilty and Minimum Safety Altitudes were unheard of then.