Peplow
PEPLOW: Military aerodrome later private airfield (Also known as CHILDS ERCALL)
Note: These pictures are from my Google Earth © derived database.
Military users: RAF Flying Training Command 23 Group
5 SFTS
83 OTU (Vickers Wellingtons)
23 HGCU (Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle tugs. The gliders being American WACO CG-4 Hadrians and British Airspeed Horsas)
Operated by: 2001: Mr D R Williams
Location: 1.5nm E of A442, NE of Eaton-upon-Tern, 5nm S of Market Drayton
Period of operation: Military: 1941 to 1949 Civil: 1970s to 2004 only?
Runways: WW2: 18/36 1280x46 hard 04/22 1829x46 hard
12/30 1280x46 hard
2001: 06/24 600x15 hard 03/21 800x15 hard/grass
(Note: This latter runway does not coincide with the WW2 04/22 runway and is situated some distance to the east of it)
NOTES: As a Flying Training station PEPLOW was at the end of 1944 quite a sizeable base with 1691 RAF and 354 WAAFs stationed here. Shropshire was of course a major military training area and it makes sombre reading to discover that over 2300 serious flying incidents and accidents occurred in this county alone!
GA ACTIVITY
In 1977 it seems interesting (to me at least), that the only aircraft based here was the rather rare Saab 91D Safir G-BCFW. According to a 1977 register four more were registered in the UK. G-BCFS and G-BCFT were listed as belonging to Westcountry Aircraft Sales Ltd, and G-BCFV and G-BCFW to A J Walter (Aviation) Ltd. Possibly all being ex KLM ab-intio trainers?
The only reason I mention this was because I was treated to a flight in a Saab Safir, totally rebuilt, owned and flown by Alan House - G-HRLK from BRIMPTON (BERKSHIRE). I was most impressed as this aircraft went around the sky as if on rails but seems to remain a rather unappreciated type in the UK.
brian marshall
This comment was written on: 2017-03-31 10:38:34in 1948 we moved from swansea to occupy the abandoned RAF camp huts. This was a thriving community created by necessity. I believe that all incomers did quite well in later life. The change from the poverty and black environment of Bonymaen to the lush green and the River was mind blowing.
Reply from Dick Flute:
Dear Brian, Many thanks for sharing this memory. I believe this was quite a common experience, especially during WW2 when so many people enlisted from the cities, especially from the industrial areas. Best regards, Dick
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