Rushett Farm
RUSHETT FARM: Private airfield
Operated by: Mr B Woodhall
Location: E of A243, S of B280, 2nm W of Epsom, 4nm NNE of Leatherhead
Period of operation: Early 1970s to -
Runways: 2001: 02/20 350x15 grass
2007: 02/20 450x30 grass
NOTES: A very unusual private strip, just outside the London (Heathrow) CTR. Although today a base for several aircraft plus a aircraft repair/restoration business in 1976/7 it appears that only the Helio H.295 Courier G-BAGT was based here.
AN INTERESTING AIRCRAFT MOVE
In August 2003 I delivered a badly damaged Piper L-21 Super Cub from Seppe aerodrome in The Netherlands to RUSHETT FARM. This really was a freak accident - of the kind that happens remarkably often in aviation over the years. This L-21 Super Cub had been immaculately restored in Dutch military colours as R-156 (probably G-ROVE?) and its first major flight was to Seppe. A Piper Pawnee was in a hangar and for some reason the engine starting system was still live when somebody moved the propeller to pull it out of the hangar. The engine started instantly and nothing could be done to restrain the Pawnee, which, with a mind of its own set course for the Super Cub chewing its way through a wing before coming to a stop.
After delivering the Super Cub, and looking around, I spotted a Helio Courier in the hangar - possibly/probably the same as the one based here in the 1970s? A remarkable and fascinating type - pretty rare in the UK.
ANOTHER MEMORY
In 2007 base for two Bowers Flybaby’s modified to look like Junkers CL.1s.
In September 2007 I recovered one of them from a farm in Kent, SE of LASHENDEN aerodrome when it had a forced landing having dropped a valve in the engine after performing at an Air Show at Eastbourne. The highly experienced pilot made a 'textbook' forced landing with no damage whatsover - but the danger of it being eaten by livestock, the fabric elements anyway, were very real. Fortunately there had been a spell of very dry weather, so driving my truck across three fields to recover the aeroplane presented no problems at all.
Iain Slater
This comment was written on: 2020-08-16 19:25:12Always been curious about this airfield. I often fished at the Stew Pond which is nearby. There is a road named after a Woodhall in the housing estate which includes the King's Centre (off Mansfield Rd). Think that means a family member was lost in WW1 or 2.
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