Kirknewton
KIRKNEWTON: Military aerodrome later gliding site
Note: All four of these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: WW2: RAF Fighter Command 13 Group
309 (Polish) Sqdn (North American P-51 Mustangs)
RAF Maintenance Command 42 Group Storage Unit
Post 1945: Army and 661 VGS
Operated by: 2001: Central Scotland Aero Club
Location: N of A70, 8nm SW of Edinburgh
Period of operation: Military: 1941 to 1952
Later civil (?) gliding. In the 1981 British Soaring Yearbook, 661 Sqdn Air Cadet Gliding School was based here
As the Google Earth pictures show, gliding still seems to be the main activity here
In 2001 civil powered flying
Runways: WW2: 18/36 1006x46 hard 06/24 1006x46 hard
12/30 (?) 864x46 hard
2001: 06/24 1000x23 hard
NOTES: In both 1975 and 1985 it is reported that gliding was taking place and it seems it still does. In the mid 1970s it appears the Reims Cessna F.150H G-AVVY (now G-UFLY) was registered to Mr J Turnbull and based here from 27.08.75 until 19.07.79. In July 2022 I was kindly contacted by Mr Iain Erskine who completed a gliding course here with the ATC (Air Training Corps). He tells us that he had the privilege of flying in G-AVVY, being allowed to fly the aeroplane almost down to the landing, and well remembers Mr Turnball's daughter and dog playing in the back. My note: The Cessna 150 is of course usually a two-seater!
Mr Graham Frost very kindly sent these two pictures obtained from Google Earth ©. The Chipmunk picture is from 2009 and the Cessna picture 2023.
He tells us that when he paid a visit here in 1969 there were lots of RAF gliders.
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