Moreton Valence
MORETON VALENCE: Military aerodrome
Note: Both of these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
The 2005 picture shows clear evidence of the 16/34 runway. The 2019 picture also appears to show evidence of the taxyway that connected the southern end of runway 04/22 to the intersection of runways 10/28 and 16/34 on the eastern side of the airfield.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that the M5 motorway runs along the 04/22 runway, which certainly appears to be the case looking at a WW2 map of the airfield. An unusual example of recycling old WW2 runways but not unique. BURTONWOOD in LANCASHIRE is another example.
Military users: WW2: RAF Flying Training Command 25 Group
AFU (Advanced Flying Unit)
Test flying: Gloster Aircraft Company
Location: E of A38 & Moreton Valence village, 6nm SSE of Gloucester
Period of operation: 1939 to 1962
Runways: 04/22 1920x46 hard 16/34 914x46 hard
10/28 914x46 hard
NOTES: The extra 100 yards (91.4mtrs) on runway 04/22 is quite unusual for WW2 aerodromes. Was there a particular reason for this extension? One possible reason is because Gloster used this aerodrome for test flying the Gloster F9/40 which became the Meteor, the first jet fighter to enter service with the RAF, and this occurred before the end of WW2. However, unlike a couple of German jets, I am not aware of a Meteor becoming involved in combat - but does anybody know better?
DON ROBERTSON
In his most interesting autobiography The Urge To Fly Don Robertson devotes a chapter to his first acquaintance with jets, from which I will cherry pick. Bear in mind that Don was a Royal Navy pilot seconded to BOSCOMBE DOWN for test flying duties:
“March 15, 1944 was a red letter day for me; one to be remembered. Brunner and I were ordered to fly to the Gloster Aircraft Company’s aerodrome, which had a very long single runway, at Moreton Valance in the valley of the River Severn. All we knew was the the aeroplane we were to fly was top ‘A’ star secret and that the aircraft had problems of directional stability.” I suppose his comment about MORETON VALENCE having a “single” runway is quite interesting, as it seems pretty certain the other two runways were still in existence, but presumably not for use by jets.
I think the following comments are very revealing. “It was called the F9/40…..and later became known as the Gloster Meteor. At the time we knew nothing of the existence of gas turbines and were therefore astonished to find the aircraft was fitted with two jet engines as they were called. Unknown to us, an aeroplane, the single-seater Gloster E28/39 had flown secretly on 15 May 1941, fitted with the original Whittle W1 gas turbine engine of only 800 lbs thrust.” I believe this first flight was from CRANFIELD in BEDFORDSHIRE.
What really does surprise me is that even by March 1944 the existence of jet aircraft flying around England was still a secret, even to test pilots at BOSCOMBE DOWN! I’d have thought the ‘grapevine’ would have revealed something? Perhaps farmer Bob saying, “Moy brother Ted, over in Zummerzet, has been seeing hairyplanes frullocking around, with no propellings on ‘em.” (Note to Somerset farmers: Sorreeeeee! Being a Londoner…couldn’t resist it.) Quite seriously though, the secrecy ethic was obviously working rather well?
“The new aircraft, the F9/40 Meteor, was designed as a single seater fighter for the Royal Air Force and had two of the Whittle WIIb engines designed to give 1600 lbs of thrust each or double the thrust of the original W1. These had been de-rated to 1350 lbs each in the F9/40 to ensure good reliability.” This remember, envisaged as a front fighter. Today, an medium sized exec jet might be powered by a Pratt & Whitney 300 Series engine, producing between 4,700 and 7000 lbs thrust. The Eurofighter Typhoon engines produce 13,000 lbs dry thrust, 20,000 lbs with afterburner. The Rolls-Royce Trent 972/B, as fitted to an Airbus 380, produces 72,000 lbs of thrust.
It all sounds, and is, truly remarkable – but; (there is always a but of course), let’s consider how piston engines for aircraft progressed. For example the Blériot XI which first flew across the English Channel had an Anzani engine rated at 22-25hp. The Hawker Sea Fury had an engine rated at 2,480hp but the Douglas DC-7C airliner had four piston engines each rated at 3,400hp.
This is what I love about looking into history, discovering that the development of the piston engine, in terms of power output, was much, much more than double what jets have yet achieved. I’m not sure the maths are correct but 3400 divided by 25 gives a ratio of 1 : 360 for piston engines whereas the ratio for jets is, at best, 1 : 90. A whopping four times more regarding the outcome to date - in favour of piston engines. Yet another lesson I suppose, in just how useless, and surplus to requirements, basic statistics are?
TRI-CYCLE UNDERCARRIAGE
We must also remember that the tricycle undercarriage was a conception still in its infancy in the UK although the Americans had been designing aircraft with a tri-cycle undercarriage for some years. The first fully operation German jet fighter, the Messerschmitt Me-262, also had a tri-cycle undercarriage. Indeed, some of the early British jet fighters were atill being designed as 'tail-draggers'.
“Crosby Warren, (My note: He was the Gloster Senior Test Pilot), warned us that the take-off would be prolonged and the climb away, shallow. The aircraft had a tricycle undercarriage so it was possible to fly the aeroplane very easily off the smooth runway, having gained plenty of speed.” Today I suppose, we can only imagine, (just about?), what an incredible experience this must have been for Robertson and Brunner in those days.
SIGNIFICANT FLYING SITE
For my purposes in compiling a ‘Guide’ to British Flying Sites, MORETON VALENCE has to be listed as a very significant site. One where the development of jet fighters first occurred? The other being HATFIELD in HERTFORDSHIRE where de Havilland were developing the Vampire. The first flight of the Meteor was on the 5th March 1943, whereas the Vampire first flew on the 20th September that year.
Both entered service with the RAF and both were ‘death-traps’ with a fatality rate which even today the RAF try to ‘brush under the carpet’ and ignore. A fatality rate of over 90% per tour of duty has been given to me, by one pilot who served in a Vampire squadron at COLTISHALL, NORFOLK . “Most of them died before getting beyond a couple of miles or so on take-off.” To be fair the Meteor didn’t suffer anywhere near this amount of fatalities.
On a more positive note Robert Jackson in his book Britain’s Greatest Aircraft has a chapter on the Meteor, and I do think he is correct in according the aeroplane ‘legendary status’. Oddly enough, in the chapter on the Vickers Viscount, he shows a picture of a Meteor, captioned: “Gloster Meteor EE237, the world’s first propeller-turbine aircraft, was powered by Rolls-Royce Trents driving five-blade Rotol propellers and had additional fins on the tailplane.” I may well be mistaken but cannot recall hearing of this singular version of the Meteor before.
Presumably it was assembled and first flown here? Also the mention of additional fins is a tad misleading if you haven’t seen the picture as they were very small and, I imagine, were added to increase rudder authority, using the propeller backwash in the event of an engine failure?
Note: This great picture was very kindly sent by Mr Paul Harris in May 2020.
It appears that the first example in this line-up, XA552, was retained by the Ministry of Supply to become a test-bed for the de Havilland Gyron Junior jet engine. Production was shifted to Bristol Siddeley at FILTON, and powered the Blackburn Buccaneer S.1.
A BIT MORE INFORMATION
In August 2021 I was kindly contacted by Mr Stephen Bubb. He tells us that the M.5 motorway does indeed run along the old 04/22 runway, but it had to be dug up and new foundations laid as the original runway simple wasn't sturdy enough. He spent his childhood at Parkend Farm which backed onto the airfield, and used to play around the old buildings.
He also tells us that the control tower can be seen in the 2005 picture above, and was converted into a house in the 1970s. He also suspects that the shorter runways were too short for use by jets, and I agree. He also makes another point I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere, and that is that the main runway at BROCKWORTH is pretty much in line with 04/22 at MORETON VALENCE making it ideal as an 'escape route' if engine problems occurred on or shortly after taking off. And engine problems frequently occurred with the early jets.
"The microlight strip, (My note - see below), appears to be across our old fields at Parkend Farm, trees have been removed to create a clear strip running from the south west corner heading north east. I remember seeing it more clearly in earlier Google aerial pictures."
He also tells us that; "The airfield was used for smuggling during the 1970s, we used to hear planes landing at night and there were certainly local issues with drugs." And finally, "One of my school friends found some unexploded shells on the site in about 1973, he took one to school which caused a few issues when it was recognised by one of the teachers." I bet it did!
MORETON VALENCE: Microlight strip
Location: 1nm S of Junction 12, M5 motorway
Period of operation: From 2000s only?
NOTES: Info source AAIB report EW/C2004/07/08. It seems to me that this strip may well be on the old WW2 airfield?
theo barten
This comment was written on: 2018-08-20 13:50:58We, the Dutch publishing firm Narwal, publish books on WW2 Control Towers in the UK ( www.controltowers.eu ). We now have a series of 3 with 176 Towers inside. There is one at former RAF Moreton Valence. Could you point us out where to find the Control Tower (now offices)? We would welcome your advice. Thanks in advance .
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Theo, I only think this correct. If you look at Google Earth you will Castle Lane on the west side of the A38. Almost opposite (and just a tad south) is a private road leading into an industrial estate (towards the M5 motorway). At the end the road turns left (roughly north)for a few hundred metres. I think you will find the control tower sandwiched between buildings on the left hand side at the end of this road. Best regards, Dick
David j MacKillican
This comment was written on: 2020-01-02 15:55:24To Dick Flute, very useful, I was trying to wokr out where it exactly was, now you have given a pointer Thank you.
Paul Harris
This comment was written on: 2020-03-29 18:41:05I've just read your piece on Morton Valence airfield. An interesting story. Another fact that has always amazed me is that the first flight of every Gloster Javelin built by Gloster's was from their small airfield at Brockworth direct to Morton Valence with apparently no way back as the Javelin couldn't land back at Brockworth.
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