Denton
DENTON: Military aerodrome (Relief Landing Ground for SYWELL)
Note: This picture (2017) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Traces of evidence just about exist, especially if you have a WW2 map to help. The small river running NE/SW shows the southern extremity, with the solar panel 'farm' in the SE corner. Horton Road was the western extremity.
Military users: WW2: RAF Flying Training Command 50 Group
6 EFTS [Elementary Flying Training School] (DH Tiger Moths)
Location: 5nm SE of Northampton, WSW of Denton village and SE of Brafield on the Green
Period of operation: 1940 to 1945
Runways: N/S 823 grass NE/SW 914 grass
E/W 750 grass NW/SE 805 grass
NOTES: Compared to some operational bases in WW2, where there were well in excess of two thousand people on strength in late 1944, DENTON apparently had at best 126 RAF personnel.
HARD TO BELIEVE?
In briefly looking into the history of this airfield I came across an astonishing discovery on the inter-web. I do so hope it is correct. It lists the visitor types recorded at DENTON during WW2, and, I have to say, my flabber is ghasted.
It states that Airspeed Oxfords, Avro Ansons, Miles Magisters and Masters, plus Westland Lysanders landed here. Plus RAF bomber types such as the Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley, at least one Boeing B-17 Fortress (!), Handley Page Hampdens and Vickers Wellingtons.
For RAF fighter types it appears that Hawker Hurricanes, North American P-51 Mustangs and Vickers-Supermarine Spitfires landed here, the latter including nine on one day! The fabulous fighter/bomber DH Mosquito also arrived here. Perhaps more than once?
AMERICAN MILITARY TYPES
It also appears that 'The Yanks' made their presence felt with types such as the Cessna Bobcat and Crane, Piper L-4 , Noordyn Norseman and Stinson Reliant. Plus the fighter Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and, perhaps needless to say, a Douglas C-47 or three.
It needs to be remembered that relatively large aircraft, such as a B-17 Fortress, Vickers Wellington and Douglas C-47, lightly loaded, could be landed in quite short distances given a reasonably proficient pilot at the controls.
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