Enstone

ENSTONE: Military aerodrome later civil private aerodrome

Aerial view in 2004

Aerial view in 2009

Aerial view in 2018

Note: All three of these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©

Note: All other pictures by the author unless specified.

Enstone seen flying over at altitude circa early 1990s

Military users: WW2: RAF Bomber Command 91 Group
OTU (Operational Training Unit)

Operated by: 1980s: Glyme Valley Ltd
1990/2000: Oxfordshire Sport Flying Ltd

PICTURE GALLERY 2017

Sign at the airfield entrance

The Enstone Flying Club building

View of the apron and airfield

The interior of the hangar

The sumptuous lounge area in the Enstone Flying Club

Apron scene

Sign approaching Enstone Flying Club

Airfield view, taken through a window, including the WW2 control tower

Civil activities: GA private, gliding and microlights

Flying club/schools: Air Training Services, Enstone Flying Club, Oxfordshire Sport Flying, Pegasus Flight Training

Gliding: 1981: Enstone Eagles Gliding Club

Location: S of B4030, N of A44, 1nm E of Enstone, 4.5nm E of Chipping Norton

Period of operation: Military 1942 to 1947. Then civil to present day (but was this civil use continuous?)

Enstone 2000

Enstone 2014

Note: These maps are reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.

Runways: WW2: 01/19 1097x46 hard 07/25 1829x46 hard
14/32 1212x46 hard

1990: 08/26 1100x40 hard 08/26 800x50 grass

2000: 08/26 1100x40 hard 08/26 800x40 grass

2003: Another grass runway in use parallel to and north of 08/26

NOTES: In 1997 the following aircraft could be seen at ENSTONE: Beagle A.61 Terrier G-ASCH of the Enstone Eagles Flying Group, PA-18A Super Cub 150 G-ASCU plus PA-25 Pawnee 235s G-AVPY, G-AWMA, G-AXBD, G-AZPA and G-BAWS all of Farm Aviation Services and the privately owned Campbell Cricket G-AYDG.

ENSTONE is one of the success stories in recent years and has become a busy bustling aerodrome.

A sad sight, the Freighter C-FDFC

Another aspect

The Freighter taking its last gasp

A fourth aspect

THE BRISTOL FREIGHTER
In or around 1996 the Bristol 170 Freighter C-FDFC was based here and unfortunately it crashed here on taking off on the 18th July 1996. Incredibly, looking at this picture taken on the 21st July shortly after the crash, although there were two fatalities, six others survived.

THE 'CITY OF OXFORD' SQUADRON
It is claimed that the Enstone Flying Club has its own squadron of Spitfires, the Supermarine Aircraft Mk 26B 90% scale kit planes, and the plan was to have this squadron flying by 2013.

The Aerotechnik L-13SEH Vivat G-BVGD in July 1996

Cessna 140 G-BTBV

Note: I had this picture listed in my article 'Where is this' and in April 2020 I was kindly contacted by Dave Rixon who informed me it is ENSTONE. He had found a similar picture on the web, saying it was taken in 1993. My visit of course was in 1996.

ENSTONE PICTURES (See also article on museums and gate guardians etc)
On the 21st July 1996 I flew the Cessna 172 G-WACL into ENSTONE primarily to photograph the crashed Bristol Freighter C-FDFC.

Julian Roach

This comment was written on: 2019-09-06 21:19:05

The AAIB report on the Bristol Freighter crash says that there were no fatalities and just three passengers suffered minor injuries, Which, looking at the pics, seems incredible. Were these taken by Aussie Brown?

Dick Flute

This comment was written on: 2019-09-07 21:09:52

Hi Julian, The pictures of the Freighter were taken by myself. Best regards, Dick

Matthew Clements

This comment was written on: 2020-11-19 20:51:32

There were no fatalities in the Bristol Freighter crash, just 3 minor injuries to pax. I think the wing is still behind one of the hangars.

We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!

Now having 7,000 + listed!

Probably becoming the most extensive British flying sites guide online...?

Heading 1

Heading 2

Heading 3

Heading 4