RAF Poulton
RAF POULTON: Military aerodrome later private airfield
Note: All four of these pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
Does the 2003 detail show a hangar? If so it was only there for a few years.
Military users: RAF Flying Training Command 12 Group
1515 BAT [Beam Approach Training] (Airspeed Oxfords)
41 OTU [Operational Training Unit] (Hawker Hurricanes?)
58 OTU (Vickers-Supermarine Spitfires)
12 (P) AFU [(Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit] (Airspeed Oxfords)
3 TEU [Tactical Exercise Unit] (Hawker Hurricanes)
Operated by: 1980s?: Eaton Hall Estate?
Location: N of Poulton & W of Aldford & B5130, 4nm S of Chester
Period of operation: Military: 1943 to 1945 Civil: 1970s and 1980s only?
Runways: 02/20 1829x46 hard 06/24 1280x46 hard
14/32 1280x46 hard
Note: Even into the 2000s there seems to be a narrow cleared area in the middle section of runway 02/20 which appears highly suitable for operation by light aircraft. Can anybody kindly offer advice?
NOTES: Elsewhere in this 'Guide' I have been asking questions about the reasons for operational bomber stations having non-standard runway lengths but here we have, (I think this is pretty unusual), a training aerodrome using fairly light aircraft and I include Airspeed Oxfords of course, with the ‘full-set’ of standard hard runways suitable for heavy bomber use and yet it was only operational for barely three years!
THE AIRSPEED AS.10 OXFORD
It might be noticed that in this 'Guide', anywhere doing basic training in WW2 on a twin-engine type were invariably using Oxfords. It really was the 'bog-standard' type and, (some may disagree), 8,586 were built serving as an RAF trainer not just in the UK, but also in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA.
When I was flying with the Lion Flying Group at ELSTREE (HERTFORDSHIRE) the great character and highly experienced pilot Bill Bailey was involved, sadly now deceased. In fact he checked me out. On the way back into ELSTREE he said that I should stall the aircraft, and would I mind. Having done so, it showing no sign to drop a wing - down we went. "Are you intending to recover" he asked. "Well", I said, "I think it best to recover at circuit height?" "Good idea" he said, or something similar. Nothing phased Bill.
Always a joy, especially if you could get him to reminisce.
He told me that he was flying Oxfords in Canada when he was over there training in WW2, and - "What an utter heap of s**t they were" - or words to that effect. To the point that if on an examination flight, if nothing failed on the aircraft - especially an engine - they felt like complaining!
SPOTTERS NOTES
In 1976/7 three GA types were based here: Piper PA-15 Vagabond G-AWOF and the Jodel D.117A G-AYKJ. Plus, the Piper PA-23-160 Apache, G-ARBN (ex EI-AKI), registered to a nearby address from 24.05.76 until 02.09.77.
Robert Heywood
This comment was written on: 2021-04-08 22:46:26RAF Poulton is situated on the Duke of Westminsters Estate. It is private airstrip and the fatherof the present Duke of Westminster use to fly his light plane regularly from there. As far as I asm aware the only access is to the head oif the main runway, but be aware, the Duke has is own Uniformed Security staff who patrol the whole area, and WILL pull you up and check you out and tell you to get off the Duke's estate, .
We'd love to hear from you, so please scroll down to leave a comment!
Leave a comment ...
Copyright (c) UK Airfield Guide
