Westonzoyland
WESTONZOYLAND: Military aerodrome later private airfield
Notes: These pictures were taken by the author in June 2015.
Note: These four pictures were all obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users:
Inter-war years: Seasonal drogue towing (see Notes)
WW2: RAF Fighter Command 70 Group
AA Co-operation Unit
16 Sqdn (Westland Lysanders and later North American Mustangs)
286 & 587 Sqdns (Hurricanes/Oxfords/Martinets & Vengeance TTs)
151 Sqdn (Mosquitos)….this squadron being disbanded here?
USAAF 50th Troop Carrier Wing 442nd Troop Carrier Group
303rd, 304th, 305th & 306th Troop Carrier Squadrons (Douglas C-47s)
No.2 Cylinder Block Servicing Unit
Post WW2:
DH Vampires & Gloster Meteors (Training - but by which establishment?)
76 Sqdn (English Electric Canberras)
Civil: Operated by: 1984 to 1990? Mr R Lockyer
Location: SE of Weston Zoyland, 4nm ESE of Bridgwater
Period of operation: Military: 1926 to 1969
Civil: Certainly from 1984 it seems - to -
Runways: WW2: 10/28 1760x46 hard 04/22 1086x46 hard
16/34 1250x46 hard
1990: 10/28 875x46 hard
2015: 16/34 400 hard 15/33 550 grass
Note: A look at Google Earth appears to give a clear indication that at one time two other grass runways existed within the 'A' frame area of the old hard runways. If correct these were:
08/26 485 grass 03/21 470 grass
NOTES: According to the entry on Wikipedia: "Weston Zoyland airfield originated in the mid-1920s as a landing ground, being in use by 1926 for drogue tugs using the anti-aircraft gunnery range off Watchet in the Bristol Channel. At first it was no more than an extended cow pasture, subject only to seasonal use until the Second World War loomed, when the site was occupied on a permanent basis. During the pre-war years, buildings were erected piecemeal as required and the landing ground enlarged but, with the fall of France, Weston Zoyland was longer a backwater airfield."
Here again, as occurred at several other WW2 airfields, a pretty major road, the A372, was severed for this aerodrome, traffic being diverted via a minor road. This occurred in ".....early 1943 when work began on laying concrete runways and the perimeter track to Class A airfield standard...."
A BRIEF VISIT
Just to illustrate the frustrations of preparing this Guide I’ll quote a paragraph from an author very well informed and having the best intentions of getting his story correct. In this case it concerns 169 Squadron who, it seems, spent just a few days here. I wonder why? Basically it is reported that: “169 Squadron was formed on June 15, 1942 at Twinwood Farm, Bedfordshire, as a tactical reconnaissance unit of Army Co-operation Command. It received its first aircraft, North American P.51 Mustangs, from 613 Squadron. Twelve days after being formed, it moved to Doncaster, Yorkshire, to start its operational training.
The squadron then went to Weston Zoyland, Somerset, for a few days in October, returning to Doncaster again until November 15 when it moved to Clifton.” (I appear to have no record of a CLIFTON airfield in WW2 or at any other period? Does anybody have any ideas?). After being re-equipped with Mosquitoes, (sic), it spent the rest of the war as an intruder force, clearing the way for British night bombers in the offensive over Europe. It was disbanded at Great Massington on August 10, 1945.” This last event, it appears, actually took place at GREAT MASSINGHAM in NORFOLK.
A typical example of the mixture of fact, and a few mistakes, that nearly all accounts of aviation history seem to involve. Trying to pick the ‘truth’ bones from the stew is an exacting task at best, and probably an impossible ideal? I shudder to think how many mistakes I have made.
CIVIL ACTIVITIES
It is reported that civil private aircraft were using this airfield as far back as 1948, the ‘Flying Vet’ Maurice Kirk being given his first flight in his fathers BA Swallow when just four years old. Incidentally Maurice claims it was his father who was originally nicknamed ‘The Flying Vet’ because he did many of his rounds using the Swallow. Presumably it was based here?
The venue on the 31st August 2001 for a Microlight Fly-In.
An AAIB report in 2007 shows that part of runway 16/34 at least was still being used by microlights. Another AAIB report in 2013 shows that runway 04/22 (or part of it), was being used, also by microlights.
In 2010 it appears the Vans RV.8A G-RVCH was based here, the only example of this type in the UK.
The AAIB report EW/G2010/10/22 appears to indicate that the Jabiru UL-450, G-BZGT was being operated from a private airstrip near to WESTON ZOYLAND which had (has?) a 09/27 grass runway. Does anybody know of this strip? Incidentally, nobody knows the exact number of private airstrips that have existed (or exist today) in the UK. There is no official register. It would appear that in the last few decades at least 550 private airstrips are operating, on average, in the UK.
A look at Google Earth shows that the fields in this area are all very small, so a strip should show up very clearly. There is only a faint sign of a possible grass runway in the field south of the eastern end of the hard runway 10/28.
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