Defford
DEFFORD see also CROFT FARM
DEFFORD: Military aerodrome (1948 Books of HMS DAEDALUS)
Note: This picture (2018) was obtained from Google Earth ©
Military users: WW2: RAF Fighter Command 10 Group
Telecommunications Flying Unit
Flying club: Defford Aero Club
In the 1957 The Aeroplane directory, Defford Aero Club (Worcestershire) Ltd, were listed as operating two DH89A Tiger Moths.
1959 ‘snapshot’. Defford Aero Club
Location: SW of Besford, NW of Defford, 3nm WNW of Pershore, 7nm SSE of Worcester
Period of operation: 1941 to 1957 Later Royal Radar Establishment
Runways: WW2: 03/21 1829x46 hard 10/28 1280x46 hard
16/34 1234x46 hard
NOTES:
In his autobiography The Urge To Fly Don Robertson describes making a forced landing at DEFFORD when the engine in his modified Hawker Typhoon which he was flight testing from BOSCOMBE DOWN developed a serious oil leak causing the engine to seize. It should perhaps be explained that at BOSCOMBE DOWN regulations and ‘bull’ were not strictly enforced and Don was a Royal Navy pilot on secondment.
Also, when an engine fails a pilot has no choice but to land, and he’d spotted a runway through gaps in the clouds. Plus, he managed to get the aircraft down in one piece, a fine piece of flying, especially as when he got closer he spotted a steam-roller on the runway and landed on the grass.
“As I lay on my back on the ground exhausted by my efforts to save the aircraft, I had a few brief moments of utter peace. This was shattered by the noise of a fire engine bell and the approach of other vehicles. It appeared that the aerodrome was Defford, a top secret radio and radar experimental establishment which required prior permission to land. It was under repair and notice had been circulated to all RAF stations, etc."
"I thought the Commanding Officer was going to ‘burst a boiler’ especially as I was not wearing RAF uniform. In fact I had on naval trousers, a white submariners sweater, RAF flying boots and over the lot an old brown overall which I used for working on my car in the days before the war; in addition I was looking scruffy as I was covered in oil from head to foot. Although I explained Newton’s law on the force of gravity, the Rules and Regulations still had priority!
In any event, I was not in the mood to argue and although I was not actually arrested, I was persuaded to wait quietly in the Watch Tower until my story was confirmed. I was not invited to the officers’ mess and not even offered a cup of tea. An hour later Brunner arrived in our communications hack, a Miles Mentor, to pick me up.”
Isn’t this an incredible story? It really does make me wonder, with such utter fools like this Commanding Officer, just how we British managed to take even a part in the winning that war. Let’s examine the facts, a test pilot from the Top Secret flight testing establishment manages to save the latest example of one of our latest fighter/bomber aircraft under extreme duress. And is treated like a juvenile delinquent….
A FEW FACTS
In late 1944 2064 RAF personnel served here together with 463 WAAFs.
According to a register published in 1977 it appears the D.H.89A Dragon Rapide G-ALAX was based here, listed as belonging to the Durney Aeronautical Collection. This does seem to indicate limited GA activity at DEFFORD up to the late 1970s?
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