Pulborough (Charity Farm) Aerodrome

[avion ancien]

Whilst browsing a list of pre-WW2 notams, I noted that no. 64 of 1939 contains reference to this aerodrome. The notams are now held at the National Aerospace Library, Farnborough, and unfortunately as I cannot get there - it's rather a long way from western France - I have not been able to consult this notam to learn more. However I've never before heard any mention of this aerodrome and I haven't been able to find any published reference to it. Does its name mean anything to anyone else? Maybe it's an aerodrome that never came to fruition. But if anyone has cause to go to the National Aerospace Library and has the time to take a look at the notam in question, it would be interesting to know what it says.

AA

p.s. if there is anyone who has cause to go to the National Aerospace Library and is minded to take a look at this notam, could they let me know as there are two others of interest to me - they concern air displays at Wilmington - and I'd be very grateful if you could take a look at these too.

[PNK]

It is still an airfield, now known as Parham. Main activity seems to be gliding. It can be found at TQ0724015060. Charity Farm is still there as well. I haven't got my copy of "Peaceful Fields" to hand but I believe it is mentioned in there as a pre WW2 airfield.

[avion ancien]

Many thanks. The obvious place to look for a "published reference" would have been an O.S. map! However I had thought that the existence of Parham airfield did not pre-date the arrival of the Southdown Gliding Club and that this was well after the last war. But I don't seem to be able to find anything on the web concerning the history of that club.

[PNK]

There area is marked as LANDING GROUND on 1937 OS Maps.

The attached sadly doesn't show any buildings but it appears to have been in use pre-war.

Pulborough landing ground 1937.jpg

[buccaneer66]

The number of times I cycled past this place when I lived in Ashington & never really took any notice of it.

[avion ancien]

Is the landing ground shown on the 1937 O.S. map the same location as the present gliding field at Parham?

[PNK]

Is the landing ground shown on the 1937 O.S. map the same location as the present gliding field at Parham?

Yes it is. The map shows the eastern side only and stops short of the west side (different sheet?). A post war map shows some buildings in the SW of the field but not labelled as anything relating to the airfield. It is still called "Landing Ground" into the 1980s.
If I find anything more I will post it.

[bvs]

Yes agree it is the same site,if you look at GE you should clearly see the outline of the original (probable) perimeter,as PNK alludes to-I do not have time to check today but istr that the airfield might have been used as a dispersal site for (say) 2 Hurrcanes during the B of B (a la BoB film 'South Downs flying club').
The gliding club only use the grass on the east side of the footpath,I did base my glider there for a year but it was a little close to the sea/airways for serious x country flying with a small winged glider.
I live very close to Parham,lovely area to fly over !!

[avion ancien]

'Action Stations' (vol.9) describes it as Pulbrough (Parham Park) Aerodrome and of it, it says:

"During the 1930s, a private aerodrome was established immediately east of the Park and just north of the A283 road and in July 1940 the 100 acre site was taken over as a dispersal ELG for Tangmere. It is believed to have been used later in the war, probably just prior to D-Day, by one of the Auster AOP units".

The OS map reference given is TQ072147. Does that and the location details given in the quote place the site as the same as the present day Parham Aerodrome? If so, can anyone offer any information concerning:

a. its pre-war operational history;
b. when the site was de-requisitioned;
c. its use after being de-requisitioned but prior to the arrival of the Southdown GC (I seem to recollect that it operated from a downland site, near to the coast, for some time post-war)?

Assuming that all of the mentions on this thread, so far, relate to the same - or broadly the same - site, maybe one of the moderators should change the thread title to Parham Airfield so that the thread content is more obvious to most.

[bvs]

Southdown GC had previously operated from Firle Beacon and Friston,not sure when they moved to parham but the East Sussex GC (ringmer) was formed in 1974 by ex southdown members so maybe very early 70's at a guess but too far away for the East Sussex residents who split to Ringmer.
If the link works - lovely pic of classic gliders up on firle Beacon..

.http://picasaweb.google.com/roygilby...89677354455378

if you use the fwd 'arrow' above the photo -there are a few more pics