Portland
PORTLAND BILL: Military seaplane later helicopter base (HMS OSPREY)
Note: See PORTLAND HARBOUR listed seperately below
Note: All pictures by the author unless specified. The second B&W picture was taken from the presentation board by the 'Gate Guardian' Lynx, and, as most of the helicopters were of the Westland Wessex breed, can I safely assume that this picture was taken in the 1970s, or quite possibly in the 1980s. The fourth picture is of the Westland Lynx HAS2 (XZ 250) which acts as a kind of 'Gate Guardian'.
Military users: WW1: There are records of RNAS Short 184 seaplanes being based here, up to and including the time when the RNAS was merged with the newly formed RAF. Indeed, there appears to be proof that at around this time US fliers were also involved flying RAF aircraft
WW2: Royal Navy seaplane base
Post 1945: 1975: RN/FAA (Westland Wessex helicopters)
1990: Royal Naval Air Station
702 Sqdn (Westland Lynx)
772 Sqdn (Westland Sea Kings)
815 & 829 Sqdns (Lynx)
Location: 3nm S of Weymouth town centre and on extreme N to NW end of the Isle of Portland
Period of operation: Military 1914? to 1997? Civil afterwards
Note: This map is reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runway: 1990: 04/22 229x50 hard
NOTES: When military activity ceased a Air-Sea Rescue helicopter on a civilian contract. In 2015 this was run by MCA, (Maritime and Coastguard Agency, based here using just part of the original facility. However, I believe the operation of the helicopter was sub-contracted, possibly to Bristow Helicopters in this case?
MODERN HISTORY
Soon after this major Royal Navy helicopter base closed, redevelopment for commercial activity, mostly associated with leisure activities related to sailing etc, quickly developed and the decision to hold the sailing side of the Olympics in 2012 provided a tremendous boost.
PORTLAND HARBOUR: Seaplane Station
Military users: RNAS/RAF
Location: Within the Royal Navy base referred to above as PORTLAND BILL
Period of operation: 1916 to 1919
Site area: 0.5 acre within the major Royal Navy base
NOTE: Sub-station to CALSHOT (HAMPSHIRE)
THE GERALD CLARK GALLERY
Here are a wonderful collection of images sent to me by Gerald Clark who lived in Weymouth until 2001 and who has taken a great deal of interest in military activity in this area. Neither he nor I are certain when the first picture was taken - presumbably early in WW1? Can anybody help on this one?
The second picture is of a Westland WS-51 Dragonfly conducting a dry-land air-sea rescue exercise at Granby, which is a suburb of Weymouth just to the south of the Portland naval base. Perhaps a demonstration staged to entertain the locals? I imagine this was in the 1950s?
The third picture shows the apron at HMS Osprey with three types. The Whirlwind, Wessex and Scout all built by Westland. Would I be correct in thinking that this picture was taken in the early 1960s?
The fourth picture is of a Short 184. This Type was in service with the RNAS from 1915 to 1920 it seems.
In the fifth picture I think the two flying boats to the left are RAF Supermarine Southamptons, which were operational from 1925. But to my eyes the aircraft to the right is too fuzzy to identify.
The sixth picture is captioned "British Naval Flying Boat", but reckon this is a RAF Supermarine Southampton. Can anybody kindly confirm this - or provide the correct identification of the type?
The seventh picture, what a beauty, is of a Fleet Air Arm Westland WS-51 Dragonfly demonstrating an air-sea rescue. Probably in the late 1950s?
Keith Swann
This comment was written on: 2020-09-09 09:43:28Hi, I believe the b/w photo titled "Portland in the 70's(?) " is actually of the air station in the 1960's. I joined Portland early '75 and the photo shows none of the installations that were there then. Also the railway branch line is clearly visible, I think it closed about 1965. Finally the I think the aircraft in the photo are Whirlwinds and not Wessex.
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