Hursley Park
HURSLEY PARK: Military airstrip ? – Vickers-Supermarine ‘development offices’ (aka HURSLEY HOUSE)
Note: This picture was obtained from Google Earth ©
Military user: US Army
Note: Is it possible that RAF communication types also visited in WW2? I would think this is entirely possible as travel by road over any distance in the lead-up to D-Day, especially in the southern Counties, could be a very long and tedious affair.
Mind you, this situation didn't much improve in the 1950s and 60s, especially during peak holiday times.
Location: Near Hursley village on the A3090, roughly 4.5nm SW of Winchester city centre
Period of operation: 1943/44 only – as an airstrip?
NOTES: When Vickers-Supermarine had their offices at Woolston bombed in early WW2 they moved to HURSLEY PARK. The history then appears a little confused? For example, in one autobiography a RN pilot who trained and flew from both nearby EASTLEIGH and WORTHY DOWN describes this site as being a ‘shadow factory’ for Spitfire production.
We must of course remember that in those days secrecy was of utmost importance so perhaps the inevitable ‘leakage’ blurred the picture? It now appears that Spitfire development work certainly took place here, but presumably only on the drawing board?
It also appears that design development on the first Supermarine jets, such as the Attacker, also took place here.
AN EXPLANATION
In February 2022 I was kindly contacted by Mr David Key, who has researched this site. He explains that prototype aircraft were assembled here, tethered, and their engines run up. They were then disassembled and taken to airfields for flight testing. This could well explain why rumours persist that aircraft flew from here?
However, if light liaison aircraft may have visited in the run up to D-Day, it seems reasonable to suppose that hardly any notice would have been taken, especially considering the secrecy being imposed. I wonder if any proof will ever be found?
ANOTHER NEW FIND
It has recently been discovered that Vickers Armstrong had the Auster 3, G-AHLK (ex NJ889), registered to this address from 01.05.46 until 12.03.58. Presumably used as the company runabout?
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