Market Harborough flying sites
MARKET HARBOROUGH see also COTE HILL & HUSBANDS BOSWORTH
MARKET HARBOROUGH: Temporary flying ground
Period of operation: Probably only one day in November 1912
NOTES: Display of flying by Gustav Hamel in a Blériot monoplane. If anybody can kindly offer advice regarding a more exact location for this venue, this will be much appreciated.
MARKET HARBOROUGH: Military aerodrome
Note: Both these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
As can be seen, even in 2001, the extent of the WW2 airfield and its runways can still be discerned. By 2018 much of this evidence has gone.
Note: Picture by the author:
Military users: WW2: RAF Bomber Command 92 Group
14 OTU [Operational Training Unit] (Vickers Wellingtons)
1683 BDTF
Location: W of A508, SE of Foxton & NW of Lubenham villages, 2nm NW of Market Harborough
Period of operation: 1943 to 1947
Runways: 18/36 1280x46 hard 14/32 1737x46 hard
11/29 1280x46 hard
NOTES: After 1945 there is no record of any further flying activity although aircraft were transported here, (Horsa gliders, Queen Martinets and Monitor target tugs), for dismantling and storage.
In 2003 nearly all signs of the original aerodrome had disappeared but Gartree prison (built on the airfield site) was opened in 1966 which gave rise to an interesting aviation incident. On the 10th December 1987 a Bell 206L Long Ranger was hi-jacked at gunpoint and the pilot ordered to land within the prison grounds. Two convicts boarded the helicopter which then landed near Market Harborough and the convicts escaped!
Alan H. Payne
This comment was written on: 2017-11-02 19:31:26I am very interested in the wartime airfields of Leicestershire. Your items are of special interest to me. In particular I am researching air crashes of aircraft stationed at Market Harborough - can you assist please ?
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Alan, As a general rule I don't get involved with air crashes, so cannot help here. If you haven't already done so, I would recommend the 'Action Stations' series of books. The Airfield Research Group can probably help too, as might the RAF Museum at Hendon in north London. If not they can probably point you in the right directions. Best regards, Dick
Roger Phillips
This comment was written on: 2017-12-08 11:20:43See if you can get a copy of Aviation in Leicestershire and Rutland (Roy Bonser), they're all listed. I've also got extracts from the Operations Record Book for MH which goes into some detail about various incidents and was part of a group that created a memorial for Lancaster LE-Z ND949 (630Sq) that crashed in Foxton village (1m from RAF MH) in April '45 so have lots of info on that. Not sure how I get it to you though.
Reply from Dick Flute:
Hi Roger, Many thanks for getting in touch - I shall keep this posted. Don't worry too much about the records as this is just a 'Guide' and I cannot go into a lot of detail. Best regards, Dick
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