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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

RFC stations in the UK


GWRCo

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Hi all,

anyone have info on the Scale Hall site in Lancaster/Morecambe?

From what I gather it was a refuelling point and there was an Air Circus there at some point. There is a lot of debate as to where the site was. I now live in the Scale Hall area and the houses are c.1930's and run parallel with Morecambe Road, a possible site due to the fact that this area would of been fields?

I remember some old huts, roughly 4 situated next to Oxcliffe Road and were used by the GPO, but could of possibly been used by the old airfield? Many are siting the airfield in this area between Morecambe Road and the former Railway, but this area has a small stream running through the new estate.

Any info would be much appreciated.

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The initially private flying school based at Garden City in Deeside (N Wales) appears to be missing it subsequently became Shotwick and then was renamed RAF Sealand which finally closed in 2006.

Broughtonbill

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Cross and Cockade International started this year a long-running feature in every issue of listings of all UK RFC/RNAS/RAF airfields in WW1, well illustrated with maps and photos, as a 'pull out' feature. Well worth the membership fee

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  • 2 years later...

I see that one of the lists of airfields links Beddington and Croydon. Croydon Aerodrome was almost entirely in Beddington (a neighbouring Urban District to the County Borough of Croydon) but I used to have long chats with a chap who in his 90s reminisced about his work on the airfields there. He was employed as early as 1911 as a runway sweep (clearing up the bits that dropped off of aircraft as they took of and landed!). He was based on what became Croydon Aerodrome and he too spoke of both Beddington and Croydon but always about the same place.

There were no other airfields in the immediate vicinity, the next nearest being Kenley to the south and Biggin Hill to the east.

John O

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I see that on one of the lists there is a mention of Waddon (Croydon) also. This too is referring to the site of the Croydon Aerodrome which became RFC in WWI and RAF Croydon in WWII. Waddon just happens to be that bit of the old County Borough that directly borders Beddington. There was no other airfield in Waddon.

I see that Calshot is mentioned in the lists, but not indicated as RNAS. Calshot, later the site of the running of the Schneider Trophy races dominated by the local Supermarine factory, was a base for various aircraft with floats, seaplanes. The original barracks and hangers are still in situ adjacent to Calshot Castle on Calshot Spit on the western entrance to Southampton Water - definitely RNAS.

John O

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During WWI there were 2 sites at Croydon. The land to the west of Plough Lane was the RFC station, housing a succession of training units. That to the east was the site of the National Aircraft Factory, with its own aerodrome. The two sites were amalgamated post-war.

With reference to earlier posts - the Dutton Flying School's site at Chester/Queensferry became the RAF's South Shotwick aerodrome - it's noted as such in the CCI Gazetteer. Scale Hall was a re-fuelling station for machines in transit up the west coast. It was subsumed into the WWII RNAS Anthorne but had no permanent buildings that would have survived WWI. It comprised an amalgamation of pre-WWI fields, to create an approximately square landing ground on the foreshore to the NW of Solway House itself

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  • 6 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Stow Maries is worth a visit. Still lots of work to do there but it is a working grass strip airfield with many of the original buildings and a museum. The plan is to restore it to its original state.

http://www.stowmaries.com/

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well posted. I was going to share the link. A marvellous project and deserves all the support it can get.

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  • 1 year later...
Guest Slow as a DH9

Chaps, is there a list of RFC stations with numbers as well as names? Researching my Great Uncle's service I know he was ultimately posted to Duxford TDS but there are earlier mentions of number "43" and "32" stations. Allegedly he was in Southern Ireland in 1917 so could they be there? Grateful for any help.

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