Combwell Priory Farm
COMBWELL PRIORY FARM: Private airstrip?
Location: Just NE of the A21, about 1.25nm NW to NNW of Flimwell village
Period of operation: Probably early 1970s?
NOTES: Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', has posed this question, and I have no ideas at all. Graham had noticed that Mr William J D Roberts had two aircraft registered to this address in the first part of the 1970s. The first being the de Havilland DH94 Moth Minor, G-AFOZ, registered from 09.03.72 until 09.06.75.
Also, and of much greater interest I expect, the Vickers-Supermarine VS.509 Spitfire IXT, G-AVAV. This was an ex-Isreali Air Force example, IAC159, which it appears was first registered as civilian in West Germany as D-FMKN before Mr Roberts acquired it. Later in 1975 it went to the USA as N8R. Mr Roberts had it registered to this address from 16.07.70 until 16.05.75.
So, even if not based here, could a strip have been laid out for visits? The answer is yes, and the picture above illustrates that a roughly north-south grass strip of around 550 metres was quite feasible, and of course, after fifty years, with nothing remaining to offer a clue. But you may well ask, as I did, is this long enough for a Spitfire to use? A delve on the inter-web revealed that with a competent pilot this version of the Spitfire can be landed in 310 yards - which is about 285 metres.
Needless to say, if anybody can kindly provide advice and information, this will be gladly appreciated.
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