Ansty

**stevie** · 09-05-2010, 23:15

Heres another one of those lesser-known airfields that doesn't seem to get much of a mention despite having a fairly varied and interesting history from flight training to being involved in the aircraft engine industry. The airfield opened in 1936 and was active until 1953.
Rolls Royce now own much of the area and there are a few buildings still standing amongst there complex. Out on the main airfield area it seems like i left my visit to late as a big stretch of the singular runway has been lifted during the last 12 months or so and there is lots of building work going on for a new business estate..

I did manage to find a small stretch of runway and some peri track though -

Peri track in the woods -

I would expect that this has something to do with Rolls Royce -

The Runway -

Admittidly this isn't the most exciting collection of pics but i think it's important that Ansty should be represented here on AiX anyway. It's a shame that some of the remaining buildings are behind the fences and security cameras of the Rolls Royce complex.

Cheers,
Steve

**stevie** · 15-05-2010, 03:43

Thanks Peter.

I'm afraid Ansty is yet another one of those old airfields that just fades away!

Funnily enough, ive just been reading about the airfields history in a publication in which it states - " for some strange and unaccountable reason Ansty does not appear in several of the published works on the second World War airfields. It has either been conveniently forgotten or totally disregarded".

Sort of sums the place up i'm afraid!

It's a shame because aside from the hundreds of pilots who trained here in Tiger Moths,Chipmunks etc, There was a huge amount of test flying and delivery of Mosquitos, Oxfords as well as the turbojet experiment and devolopment work of Armstrong Siddeley.

How great would it be if Rolls Royce (the airfield owners) could put a small memorial up at there main gate??

Steve

**Carnaby** · 15-05-2010, 10:25

Just checked - it is completely missing from the Action Station series - not even an entry in the Vol.10 master index.

However Barry Abraham did a bit in Airfield Review 68, April 1995

Aerodrome planned as a flying school by Air Service Training Ltd of Hamble. Land had been purchased in 1935 by the parent group of AST, Armstrong Siddeley Motors Ltd.
9 E&RFTS formed 6.1.36 and managed by Air Service Training Ltd. Became 9 EFTS 3.9.39 which continued to operate throughout war.
4 CANS formed 9.38 and operated by AST. Redesignated 4 AONS 1.11.39. To Watchfield 20.7.40.
A single hangar with a separate two storey office/instruction block, two storey accommodation block, engineering shop and sports facilities erected.
Later Bellman and blister hangars were provided.
Aerodrome used for aircraft manufacture (StandardMotors).
Aerodrome now redeveloped into industrial estate with few pre-war buildings remaining. However, wartime hard runway survives.

He added in AR102, from an Oct/Nov 1940 report on Aerodrome Camouflage

Ansty - Standard Motors. Aerodrome good. Factory roof too light. Aprons shine. Remarks: No urgent treatment required.

Aldon Ferguson added in AR83, July 1999

English Partnerships have just purchased the 100-acre site from Rolls Royce. It is hoped the development of the site will attract major investment in the area.

Site is HERE

Graham

**PETERTHEEATER** · 19-05-2010, 08:04

Ansty pics here:

http://www.flightglobal.com/airspace...x?PageIndex=16

**Blackadder** · 19-08-2010, 22:08

Ansty taken this week, note Coventry / Baginton in the distance

**stevie** · 19-08-2010, 23:54

Thanks for posting that Blackadder. Great pic. I had no idea Baginton was so close to Ansty!
The stretch of runway that still exists is almost as hard to spot from the air as it is when your on the ground by the look of it!

**Dave Smith** · 20-08-2010, 15:34

Ansty used to be very visible from the air perhaps because there were hundreds of cars stored on the runway. Back in the 1970s when I was a controller at Coventry, an HS125 on a visual approach reported that he had the field in sight and was downwind left hand for Runway 23. The snag was that I could see that he had already passed Coventry so I warned him about the proximity of Ansty. Sure enough, he had seen the wrong airfield!

**Piggy** · 17-02-2011, 22:31

There is some info on Ansty at the aircraft museum, Bagington (Coventry) airport. Now then, somewhere, i have a picture of the rocket testing facility at Ansty ....