Long Marston
LONG MARSTON: Military aerodrome acting as a satellite to RAF HONEYBOURNE
(In WW2 situated in GLOUCESTERSHIRE, later in WARWICKSHIRE)
Note: All eight of these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Note: The microlights in the fourth picture appeared to be operating from a seperate area on the east side of the airfield.
Note: Pictures by the author. The last three pictures were taken in August 2015 and the second picture, of the signs at the entrance seem to indicate a lively enterprise. However, the next thing you see is a very sad affair. The remains of the Percival P.57 Sea Prince T.1 (WM735/G-ARCA) acting as a kind of 'Gate Guardian'. Elsewhere were other classic aircraft rotting away, and part of the defunct Jet Preservation Society collection. The third picture is of the junction of the two runways in the SW corner of the old WW2 airfield.
Military users: RAF Bomber Command 91 Group
24 OTU (Operational Training Unit), flying Armstrong-Whitworth Whitleys, Avro Ansons and Vickers Wellingtons.
No.1681 Flight were also based here with Hawker Hurricanes and Curtiss P.40 Tomahawks to provide ab-initio bomber crews with simulated attacks to practice with.
Gliding: 1981 Stratford-on-Avon Gliding Club
Museum: For many years there was a museum here. The effort required to make such an enterprise has to be admired and applauded, but sadly, apart from the Avro Shackleton perhaps, the exhibits seem to be roughly the same selection of types as can be seen at so many other minor museums around the U.K. Of interest to local people without any doubt, but hardly worth a visit by those living a hundred or two miles away. And I suppose, the main reason why so many of these museums fail to last the course.
Location: W of A46, 3nm SSW of Stratford-on-Avon
Period of operation: Military 1941 to 1954. Later civil aerodrome
Runways: WW2: 05/23 1372x46 hard 12/30 1006x46 hard
17/35 1006x46 hard
1999: 04/22 780 hard 16/34 460(?) hard 18/36 610 grass
NOTES: Any information regarding later civil flying activities will be most welcome.
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