Swansea airport
Note: Please see the seperate entry for FAIRWOOD COMMON
SWANSEA AIRPORT: Civil airfield and airport, military use in WW2
Aka FAIRWOOD COMMON: Used for civil purposes in the 1930s. In WW2 becoming a military aerodrome known as RAF FAIRWOOD COMMON. From 1949 known as FAIRWOOD COMMON AIRFIELD. From 1957 to the late 1980s (?) SWANSEA AIRPORT & later still SWANSEA AERODROME (Today in the ‘County’ of SWANSEA)
Note: This picture (2016) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Flying circus operations:
Operated by: 1930s: Alan Cobham’s National Aviation Day UK 1934 Display Tour, Cobham’s 1935 No.2 Tour with the address given as; Vennaway Lane, Fairwood Common with shows on the 28th August 1934 and the 26th September 1935
Military users: WW2: RAF Fighter Command 10 Group
79, 317 (Polish) & 615 Sqdns (Hawker Hurricanes)
264 & 456 (RAAF) Sqdns (DH Mosquitos)
302 (Polish) & 616 Sqdns (Vickers-Supermarine Spitfires)
307 (Polish) Sqdn (Bristol Beaufighters, later DH Mosquitos)
421 (RCAF) Sqdn (Vickers-Supermarine Spitfires)
600 Sqdn (Bristol Beaufighters)
11 & 18 APC [Armament Practise Camp] (Miles Masters & Martinets, plus Westland Lysanders)
Operated by:
1949 to 1955 (Possibly 1957?): Swansea & District Flying Club
1957 to 1969: Cambrian Airways on behalf of County Borough of Swansea
1980s: Swansea City Council 2000: Swansea Aviation Ltd
British airline users: Post 1945: Air Anglia, Air Wales, Autair, Cambrian Airways, Dan Air, Derby Airways, Morton Air Services, Skyways
Charter/air taxi: Airswift (Wales), Bardock Aviation
Flying Club/School: 1949 to 1955 (Possibly 1957?): Swansea & District Flying Club
2000s: Horizon Aviation
Gliding: From the 1970s?
Note: A listing in the 1981 British Soaring Yearbook states that the 636 Sqdn Air Cadet Gliding School was operating here
Helicopter ops: 1990s & 2000s: Heli-Air
Location: Just W of the A4118, S of the B4271, SW of Upper Killay, about 5nm WSW of Swansea city centre
Period of operation: 1930s to present day (Military from 1941 to 1949)
Note: These maps are reproduced with the kind permission of Pooleys Flight Equipment Ltd. Copyright Robert Pooley 2014.
Runways:
WW2: 05/23 1509x46 hard 11/29 1234x46 hard 15/33 1234x46 hard
1965: 05/23 1463x46 hard 11/29 946x46 hard 16/34 991x46 hard
2000: 04/22 1472x46 hard 10/28 1037x46 hard 15/33 1037x46 hard
NOTES: For military use this base was opened as RAF FAIRWOOD COMMON on the 15th June 1941. Still a fighter base in 1944 and this was a major site with 2074 RAF personnel plus 417 WAAFs. It is claimed that from 1941 to 1947 this airfield was used by at least sixty-six different squadrons and flights.
ALWAYS MOVING AROUND
In this ‘Guide’ I have often banged on about why so many RAF squadrons were endlessly moved around? Especially in WW2. Surely such disruption was deliberately counter-productive to both the squadrons operational efficiency and the overall war effort? Take for example 264 Squadron flying Mosquitos who spent a period here…and also at, (in no particular order which I have discovered so far); COLERNE (WILTSHIRE), FORD (SUSSEX), BRADWELL BAY and CASTLE CAMPS (ESSEX), COLTISHALL (NORFOLK), WEST MALLING (KENT), EXETER (DEVON), COLEBY GRANGE (LINCOLNSHIRE), PREDANNACK (CORNWALL), HUNSDON (HERTFORDSHIRE), HARTFORD BRIDGE (HAMPSHIRE) and CHURCH FENTON (YORKSHIRE).
Can anybody please explain any sort of perceived benefit for all these moves?
AFTER WW2
After the airfield was decommissioned from military use in 1949 the Swansea & District Flying Club operated the site until 1955 and possibly until 1957. During this time they organised air shows, air races and motor sports events. In 1957 the County Borough of Swansea handed the site over to Cambrian Airways who commenced services to JERSEY and GUERNSEY in the CHANNEL ISLANDS. It appears Morton Air Services also had regular services to GATWICK (SUSSEX) and these continued until 1969.
It seems that from 1970 gliding activities took place although the ‘airport’ was still used for ad hoc charter flights until the late 1980s. In 2014 I was interested to learn from a friend that she had been taught to drive on the airfield during this period whilst at university in Swansea as it was deserted and very run down. Or so she thought! I expect the then airfield owner/operator quite probably welcomed such activity as it helped with security, deterring others with criminal intent perhaps? Possibly the same applied to nocturnal visitors in search of a peaceful place to indulge in some hanky-panky? Can anybody expand on this? For example I received some of my earliest driving lessons on the disused airfield of HOLMSLEY SOUTH (HAMPSHIRE) inthe New Forest. No opportunities arose for hanky-panky unfortunately, not a girl to be seen.
THE 1970s
In 1975 listed as being used by club and private aircraft, a situation which I believe has, (by and large), been maintained since? Speaking very frankly I do believe it is a disgrace that we do not exploit our many quite capable aerodrome/airport sites such as SWANSEA for use as regional airports in much the same way as many if not most of the European nations do. In the early 21st century, the “age of the computer”, surely the increased use of regional airports makes much more sense?
One company, Air Wales, was trying hard to promote this, but commercial operations ceased in October 2004. To be commercially viable 1000 passengers per week were needed, but only around 200 turned up to buy tickets. It is well worth reading the history.
Note: Pictures by the author.
PERSONAL MEMORIES
I have only flown into this airfield twice, the first time on the 24th of August 1996 to refuel en route to the Brittas Bay Fly-in in the Cessna 172 G-BGIU. We hadn't planned to return here on the 27th August 1996 after a tour of the Republic of Ireland but did so due to unexpected problems.
Without any doubt we had a few gallons of fuel siphoned off when parked at Connemara overnight and had to declare a 'PAN' for an unexpected landing at Cork airport, because, long before expected both our fuel gauges were showing empty. It must be pointed out that fuel gauges in most American light aircraft, (it might be different today?), are notoriously unreliable, but you get used to dealing with them as being only a rough guide. However, it is most unusual to have both go 'wonky' together - hence our concern.
More experienced pilots might wonder why we didn't dip the tanks before departing. Actually we did, the problem being that the readings on the dip-stick appeared 'roughly' correct and, having never encountered having fuel siphoned off before, we certainly were not looking too closely - just a 'ball-park' reading sufficing. We definitely learnt a lesson!
I have to say that, bless them, Cork ATC handled the situation extremely well and gave us immediate priority - which was just as well. We had landed at Cork with just one gallon left in each tank! We elected to land at SWANSEA on the way home to TOP FARM to verify that our fuel burn rate had returned to normal - which it had of course, just as expected.
NEW NEWS
In January 2023 it was announced that in March, for the first time in nearly twenty years, a scheduled airline will commence. This time to EXETER. But, it appears, the project failed to materialise.
A VISIT IN EARLY JULY 2023
The first thing that struck me, on this visit, it that nearly everything about the place had the feel of being in decline - indeed - perhaps on its last legs? The only bright spot seemed to be Skydive Swansea. Why it is still called SWANSEA airport being an obvious nonsense.
Note: The derelict 'Gate Guardian' is an Aero L-29 Delfin, built in Czechoslovakia, but sporting an incorrect registration for a Yak 52.
Note: It would be hard to envisage an 'airport' situated in a more unlikely location. There are no transport facilities available by train, and the bus service is a joke. It is quite a convoluted route to access by car too. No signposting either.
ONE EXTRA PICTURE
It is an acquired taste of course, much appreciated by the 'anorak brigade', which I am hoping to be accepted within. But, finding evidence of parts of airfields still discernable, does provide an element of enjoyment. Especially when unexpected. In this case across the 'main' road from the aerodrome.
Roger Winser
This comment was written on: 2019-10-29 22:56:48Flying Circus Operations. British Hospitals Air Pageant at Parc le Breos Farm, near Penmaen, Gower on 5th/6th June 1933. The location of Cobham's 1934 and 1935 visits was a field behind Pennard Church, Vennaway Lane, Pennard, Gower. The same field in Pennard was used by 70 Gliding School ATC between 1942 to 1944. Swansea Flying Club operated Fairwood Common Aerodrome in May 1949, renamed Swansea and District Flying Club in 1950 (to May 1957). Swansea Airport officially opened on 1st June 1957 and more recently operated by Jaxx Landings 2000/2001 and by Swansea Airport Ltd from 2002 to present day. Runway 15/33 has been taken out of service, the remaining two runways are now shorter whilst 10/28 has been reduced in width to 60 feet. Period of operation 15th June 1941 (as RAF Fairwood Common) to present
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
