Duck End Farm
Note: This map only gives a rough position within the UK. But, "close enough for government work", as a ground school instructor often said, when I was learning to fly.
DUCK END FARM: Private airstrip
Location: In/near Wilstead, E of A6, 3nm S to SSE of Bedford town centre
Period of operation: 1960s to 1980s only?
NOTES: In the mid 1970s it seems two aircraft were based here; the Auster J/5L Aiglet Trainer G-AMYD and a Cessna F.172G G-ATRE.
In the July 2016 edition of Light Aviation magazine, DUCK END FARM features as the spot where, 1972 the Thruxton Jackaroo G-APAL came to grief after hitting power lines when coming into land at dusk. Incredibly both people on board escaped without injury. Although 'written-off' for insurance purposes, the remains were stored at Shuttleworth (OLD WARDEN) and they later formed the basis of a restoration of the airframe back to its original Tiger Moth configuration - as N6847.
Very fitting too, as this rare Tiger was one of the few that escaped from France in the evacuation in WW2, roughly around the time of the famous Dunkirk (Dunkerque) exodus.
More information will be most welcome.
Andrew Johnson
This comment was written on: 2018-06-01 15:31:12With reference to Duck End Farm airfield, Wilstead, Bedfordshire, this airfield was certainly in use in the 1960s as I remember being flown from there on a couple of occasions by Sid Miles in his two Aeroncas. Also I remember in the 1980s seeing a Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer land there.
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