Wrafton Gate
WRAFTON GATE: Civil aerodrome
NOTE: See the listing for CHIVENOR for the bigger picture of this location.
The local view was obtained from Google Earth ©. The local area and area views are from my Google Earth © derived database.
Operated by: Devonair, probably in conjunction with North Devon Flying Club?
Location: Just E of RAF CHIVENOR, about 1.5nm SE of Braunton town centre and roughly 3.5nm WNW of Barnstaple town centre
Period of operation: Not known exactly? Perhaps c.1950 until c.1965?
NOTES: We have Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', to thank for pointing this location - not at all well known today. It was situated on the eastern end of RAF CHIVENOR.
These four items were kindly provided by Mr Mike Holder, another great friend of this 'Guide'. Clearly Devonair were using taxyways as runways.
DEVONAIR
Graham has provided this poster illustration and has also researched the aircraft known to have been based here and, I think, it makes for an interesting list in the order of their registrations, not the dates they appeared at this location:
G-AJEA: Auster J/1 Autocrat
Notes: It appears that it was registered to Mr John E L Fribble? (Surname undecipherable in the UK Register), from 15.09.50 until 26.02.52 with the address at Wrafton Gate, Chivenor aerodrome nr. Braunton. Then another private owner with a local address, Mr Walter J Broad, from 13.11.52 until 12.01.53. Then, finally, to Devonair from 15.01.53 until 21.11.55. It crashed into the sea off Hartland Point on the 20th August 1955 but it usually takes quite a time until the paperwork gets done.
G-AJXC: Taylorcraft Auster 5 Alpha (ex TJ343). Devonair - 31.07.53 until 15.11.65
G-AKAT: Miles M.14A Hawk Trainer 3 (ex T9738 and F-AZOR)
Notes: This was registered to a private owner with a local address from 06.07.56 until 11.03.57. Then to Devonair from 16.04.57 until 14.05.62
G-AKNY: de Havilland DH89A Dragon Rapide 6 (ex R5933)
Notes: Perhaps you and I would expect that this aircraft would have been registered to Devonair for pleasure flights and charters etc. But it wasn't, it was registered to the North Devon Flying Club instead, from 25.03.52 until 28.07.53. I strongly suspect, that Devonair and the North Devon Flying Club had a very close relationship. Perhaps both being operated by the same people?
G-ANLB: de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth (ex T7453)
Notes: Surely an aircraft ideal for a flying club, but, no. Registered to Devonair from 30.03.61 until being declared PWFU (Permanently Withdrawn From Use), 30.07.64
G-AOEL: de Havilland DH82A Tiger Moth (ex N9510)
Notes: As above, registered to Devonair from 30.03.61 until 12.10.62. I suppose Devonair may well have been offering air experience flights including aerobatics?
G-AOSX: de Havilland Canada DHC.1 Chipmunk Mk.22 (ex WG462)
Notes: Once again as above, registered to Devonair from 28.02.61 until 24.08.63
SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY?
The Miles M57 Aerovan 4, G-AJOG was sold to Belgium as OO-ERY in November 1951. But, ended up here being burnt up in 1963. A team was sent down to strip the aircraft of everything worth saving - but not the airframe. Seems it was owned by Devonair who had intended to use it.
But, I have found it was never re-registered in the U.K. Not that we can totally rely on official records of course.
However, my late very good friend Austin (Aussie) J Brown, then retired from airline flying and running the Aviation Picture Library plus being Chief Photographer for Flyer magazine, once delighted in telling me the story of a pilot, (knowing Aussie probably somebody he had met), given the task of flying a bull in a Miles Aerovan across to Lundy Island. The pilot's really big problem being, which way round was best to load it...?!?
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