High Post
HIGH POST: Civil aerodrome later military airfield
Note: This picture (2019) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Operated by: 1930s: The Wiltshire School of Flying & Country Club
Note: These two pictures from postcards were kindly sent by Mike Charlton who has an amazing collection. See, www.aviationpostcard.co.uk
Military user: WW2: Used by Lysanders of 112 Sqdn RCAF from June to November 1940
Manufacturing: WW2: Vickers-Supermarine
Location: On the A345, SE of Durnford about 4nm N of Salisbury
Period of operation: Civil 1931 & 1938 certainly: Military to 1947
Runway: 1933: Max landing run 969 grass*
NOTES: Flying Circus venues:
Venue 19th April 1932 for Alan Cobham’s National Aviation Day Display tours
Venue 3rd May 1933 for Cobham’s No.2 Tour?
Venue 13th May 1933 for British Hospitals Air Pageant Tour of the UK
REDWING
In the early 1930s the Redwing Aircraft Company had many forward thinking ideas. One was to establish a flying school using the aircraft they built, and this was at GATWICK (LOWFIELD HEATH) in 1932. An idea taken up by Cessna and Piper perhaps some thirty or forty years later? In a similar vein they decided to establish ‘Redwing Service Stations’ at BLUE BARNS aerodrome near Colchester (ESSEX), CROYDON (SURREY) and here.
THE RUNWAY
*If correct a landing run (or runway) of 969 metres (1060 yards) was most unusually long for a flying club airfield in the 1930s and indeed longer than many ‘runways’ at many regional airports. Typically sites of this nature had landing runs of between 350 and 600 metres. Today it is common for many GA aerodromes to have a runway (or runways) between 500 and 800 metres long. The increase in runway length available since WW2 is of course mainly due to the large amount of surplus military airfields becoming available for civil use, although very few retain their original dimensions, and many only use one or two of the runways.
Another factor (very generally speaking) was largely due to the popularity of metal American aircraft being imported from the 1960s which often lack the overall landing and take-off performance, (also in speed, range and payload), of many earlier British designs of mainly wooden construction. The main two advantages of the American aircraft were that they were simpler to operate and could be kept outside; the latter especially after corrosion inhibiting coatings were applied to cope with the northern European climate. Needless to say, longer runways also increase the safety factor.
VICKERS-SUPERMARINE
Before the Second World War Vickers-Supermarine realised that their main factory at Woolston (Southampton) and the additional facilities at EASTLEIGH (now SOUTHAMPTON AIRPORT) would be very prone to attack by enemy bombers, so detailed contingency plans were made. Apart from the dispersed manufacturing facilities in Southampton, 'shadow' factories were established around the region, and, additional final assembly and flight-testing facilities established here, at WORTHY DOWN and CHILBOLTON. The shadow factory at CHATTIS HILL, just west of Stockbridge in Hampshire also had its own airstrip. As the war progressed KEEVIL near Trowbridge, and HENLY and ALDERMASTON aerodromes near Reading were added.
Mike Roussel in his excellent book Spitfire's Forgotten Designer tells us that after WW2 the Spiteful, Seafang, 'Dumbo' and Attacker (TS409) were being based and tested here. The Attacker actually first flew at the A&AEE at BOSCOMBE DOWN on the 27th July 1946, flown by the Vickers-Supermarine test pilot Jeffrey Quill. However, nobody in a position of influence and authority appears to have realised that you cannot sensibly use a tail-dragger jet on a grass airfield, and so the Attacker was brought here of all places. It took a while before anything was done and the Attacker was then moved to CHILBOLTON.
Martyn
This comment was written on: 2019-02-16 21:15:19The Highpost airfield is now the Chemring factory (formerly Pains Wessex fireworks) and is opposite the Highpost Golf Club. The hotel near the site (now Stones) used to be the officers' mess. The airfield was used for commissioning Spitfires during WW2 making any deliveries to Boscombe Down a rather short flight!
Paul Doyle
This comment was written on: 2020-03-02 16:42:07The High Post airfield used to test-fly Spitefuls, Seafangs, etc was on the south side of the road running E-W from the hotel past the (now) Chemrings facility. The extension to the grass surface to the SW was due to the Attacker needing a longer takeoff run (before it was realised that the jet exhaust set fire to the grass) and test flying was moved away.
Robin Taylor
This comment was written on: 2020-07-15 14:05:20Does anyone know if records exist of staff working at High Post on Spitfire production in 1942? I ask because I'm tracing my family history and know that my parents were married in Salisbury that year and my maternal grandfather is described as a "Rivetter" (sic). I know that in 1939 he was on the electoral register in Swaythling, part of Southampton, and was listed as being a "Riveters Mate Aircraft" and his home was within walking distance of the Cunliffe Owen works which was involved in Spitfire production. Any help you can offer will be welcomed! Many thanks.
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