Willingale
WILLINGALE: Private airstrip
(On CHIPPING ONGAR WW2 military airfield site - see seperate listing)
Operated by: 2000s Fyfield Flying Club (mostly as a microlight airstrip)
Location: E of Fyfield, near Cannon’s Green, roughly 3nm NE of Chipping Ongar
Period of operation: 1946 to - (But not apparently continuous civil use)
In September 2020, Mr Grant Allen very kindly sent this map and a warning notice.
Runway: 2008 02/20 (about) 400 grass
2009: 03/21 340x35 grass
(This runway is on the WW2 site but not it seems on – or part of - any of the WW2 runways)
NOTES: One record found states that WILLINGALE is on part of a disused airfield and this normally means an ex WW2 military aerodrome. I had tried but failed miserably to ascertain what this dis-used airfield was called until June 2005, when I was then pretty certain it was CHIPPING ONGAR in WW2. In 2009 this was confirmed beyond any doubt when I delivered an aeroplane here.
It does seem that from 6th November 1946 it was licensed as a civil airfield for two years, presumably as WILLINGALE and using the WW2 runways? On the other hand records state it was still on charge as a satellite to NORTH WEALD but with no flying, military flying that is, until abandoned in 1959.
According to the British Aircraft Register the Miles M14A Hawk Trainer 3, G-AHUK (ex T9672) was operated here in the late 1940s by the Home Counties Flying Club before being sold abroad 19.08.49. Rather oddly, the dates for it being operated by this flying club are not recorded.
In 1977 still referred to as WILLINGALE with just one aircraft based here it seems. The Cessna 310K G-AXLG of Smiths (Outdrives) Ltd…(What did they do?). The Dart Kitten G-AEXT was certainly flown from WILLINGALE in the 1960s it seems.
An AAIB report EW/G2007/06/16 refers to WILLINGALE Airfield, (disused), and another in 2008 refers to WILLINGALE Airfield (EW/G2008/01/10).
Tony Rowlands
This comment was written on: 2016-10-08 18:00:23....I grew up in Writtle, near Chelmsford, and we used to cycle over to what we called Fyfield airbase, which then, about 1959/60 still had extensive buildings, including a control tower, nissen huts, and mess hall, with murals indicating ite past as a WW2 US airfield. The runway was a huge concrete structure, which I've no doubt has now disappeared along with the buildings we used to play in. They were completely open and unlocked. Happy days. I wonder if there are any photographs of the airfield in its WW2 heyday?
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Tony, Many thanks for these memories. There are many sources for discovering pictures of Willingale in WW2, and I suspect many can be found by searching on Google. Also books of on the subject which your local library should be able to source. Best regards, Dick
Anorak
This comment was written on: 2018-01-07 18:28:37Smiths Outdrives were & still are in the aerospace component business & owned G LG until 2005. It was deregistered in 2010. Now ya know!
Joanne Lawlor
This comment was written on: 2021-02-08 02:49:25My father served in the 556 Bombardment Squardron - Willingale Air Field - USAAF. He married a British girl from Brentwood, Essex, England - My Mum.
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