Hullavington
HULLAVINGTON: Military aerodrome
Note: The maps have been kindly provided by Mike Holder. The gliding detail (1999) and picture (2018) were obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: WW2: RAF Flying Training Command 23 Group
9 FTS
ECFS (Empire Central Flying School)
Post 1945: RAF Handling Squadron - Empire Central Flying School
No.1 Air Navigation School (Vickers Varsity)
Note: This picture was very kindly provided by Mike Holder, (seated far right), a great friend of this 'Guide'. It was taken in April 1965 and the aircraft behind, is of course a Vickers 668 Varsity T.1. Operated from 1951 to 1976, 163 were built, all for the RAF bar one - which went to the Swedish Air Force.
Gliding: Army 621 and 625 VGS
1981: Bannerdown Gliding Club (RAFGSA)
1975: Listed as being a RAF Balloon Development Unit
Location: SE of Hullavington village, W of A429, 5nm N of Chippenham
Period of operation: Military 1937 to 1986 Limited GA use later plus RAF Gliding?
Runways: WW2: 05/23 1350x46 hard 14/32 1033x46 hard
Notes: In 1970 the 6th World Aerobatic Championships contest was held here. I went to it one day and remember it well, driving across from London on a weekday taking my art teacher from school days along.
It was almost surreal, so few people were spectating, and yet the finest aerobatic flying in the world was taking place right there, above our heads. At one point a competitor taxied in very close to where we were standing and a chap got out wearing casual trousers and an open neck shirt.
I still recall my art teacher, Tony Dyson saying something like, “Good heavens, he looks just like a normal bloke”. He did too. You wouldn’t have looked twice if passing him in the High Street. But it posed a question I’d never asked - what did I suppose these super-heroes of mine should look like anyway? Probably in those days some sort of square-jawed Dan Dare figure I suppose?
Normally I only saw aircraft performing aerobatics at air shows and never really considered the nature of the person at the controls. I now wonder if that tiny incident might have sparked off the germ of an idea that perhaps, one day, I might learn to fly too? It took another fifteen years before that dream was realised.
WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW
Although having heard of this, it wasn't until reading the fabulous book Airborne by Neil Williams in 2018, (published in 1977), that the full account was revealed.
When practicing for the competition in the Zlinn Akrobat G-AVAR, the left wing, after he heard a big 'bang' and was slung across the cockpit, the left wing started to fold upwards. He decided to invert the aircraft in the hope that this might put the wing back into position - which it did. Not for the reason he thought had happened - but it worked
He then flew back to HULLAVINGTON flying inverted before performing a kind of very low level barrel roll to crash onto the aerodrome upright.
He emerged from the wreckage just bruised.
LIVING ON
It does appear that after being officially closed HULLAVINGTON was or even is being used occasionally for special events. For example, at the end of May 2005 the Great Vintage Fly-In Weekend was held here.
In 2005 at least the Aerotechnik EV-97 Eurostar G-CCKK was based here and in 2010 it appears the DH.87B Hornet Moth G-ADND was based here.
B Stevens
This comment was written on: 2020-03-10 18:13:09I was stationed at RAF Hullavington from 1962 to 1965 with 2ANS. I am trying to obtain a map and or pictures of the Airfield at that time. Can you help?
Dick Flute
This comment was written on: 2020-03-10 21:51:01Dear Mr Stevens. I cannot help but I shall keep this posted in case others can offer advice. Best regards, Dick
Michael Holder
This comment was written on: 2020-05-08 17:28:09Hullavington also had Valetta T3 which was the conversion of navs to practice their Astro navigation. Several astrodomes were fitted for "formation" sexton shots. One of them had a fitting for the peri-sextant but no step to stand on like the astrodomes. I remember on 19 Oct 1965 I was using it on Valetta "T" ; we had to stand on a pile of parachutes which were unstable. Halfway through the one minute shot I lost my balance and fell off. Unfortunately I grabbed the nearest handle - black and yellow - and pulled the whole mounting into the fuselage with its accompanying 150kt blast which blew everything - maps included - all over the place. The Instructor just sat there laughing and watched me try and push the mounting back into its place. I was not popular with my fellow students.
Rick
This comment was written on: 2020-09-25 10:54:59I attended those 6th World Aerobatic Championships because I was stationed nearby at RAF Brize Norton,Oxon, and I vaguely can recall staying at a B&B over a weekend to see the Championships and am not 100% sure if I did hear an announcement that the Soviet pilot Igor Egorov had won the Championship. Great coming across this site and reading comments. Do remember taking photographs on my old Pentax Spotmatic, but where I have lost them before finishing my RAF career, no idea.
Pedro
This comment was written on: 2021-02-19 19:52:36I was there aged 10 in 1970 and there was a Lancaster in one of the hangers.
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