RAF Hullavington explained

RAF Hullavington
Nearest Town:Hullavington, Wiltshire
Country:England
Type:Royal Air Force flying station
Coordinates:51.525°N -2.1333°W
Pushpin Map:Wiltshire
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Wiltshire
Pushpin Label:RAF Hullavington
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Ownership:Ministry of Defence
Operator:Royal Air Force
Used:1937–
Fate:
  • Technical site transferred to the British Army and became Buckley Barracks.
  • Airfield part of the site continued to be used for RAF gliding operations and was known as Hullavington Airfield until 2016 when it was sold to technology company Dyson.
Condition:Closed
Icao:EGDV
Wmo:03637
Elevation:104m (341feet)
R1-Number:06/14
R1-Length:1070m (3,510feet)
R1-Surface:Asphalt
R2-Number:06/15
R2-Length:1250m (4,100feet)
R2-Surface:Asphalt

Royal Air Force Hullavington, or more simply RAF Hullavington, was a Royal Air Force station located at Hullavington, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. The station opened in June 1937 and was primarily used for training. It closed on 31 March 1992 when it was transferred to the British Army and renamed Buckley Barracks. The airfield part of the site, known as Hullavington Airfield, continued to be used for RAF gliding operations until 2016 when it was sold to technology company Dyson.

History

The site spans three parishes: the hangars and grassland in the north and west lie in Hullavington parish, while other hangars, most of the runways and the northern part of the barracks are in St Paul Malmesbury Without. The rest of the barracks are in Stanton St Quintin parish and are near the small village of Lower Stanton St Quintin and the A429 Chippenham-Malmesbury road.[1]

The airfield was opened on 14 June 1937 with No 9 Flying Training School arriving from RAF Thornaby on 10 July. Leonard Cheshire V.C. trained here in 1939.[2] With the beginning of the Second World War, top officers from allied nations came to Hullavington to share ideas and methods. Ten Blenheims from No 114 Squadron arrived at the base on 1 September 1939, and were later joined by seven from No 139 Squadron. This was a safety move as a sustained attack was expected at the East Anglian bomber bases on the announcement of war. As this didn't happen, all the Blenheims departed Hullavington by 16 September 1939. An effective Met. Office was also stationed at Hullavington, and an aircraft left every day at dawn to gather weather data at various altitudes.[3]

In 1970, RAF Hullavington hosted the World Aerobatic Championships.[4]

In 1992, the entire airfield was designated a conservation area.[5] English Heritage (now Historic England) later stated that "It embodies, to a unique degree, the improved architectural quality associated with the post-1934 expansion of the RAF. Most of the original buildings have survived and form a particularly coherent and well-ordered ensemble."[6] Grade II listed buildings include the officers' mess and the church.

In 1993, a Senior Aircraftman was convicted of arson and sent to jail for 5 years[7] and his accomplice received a fine of £1000. The hangar was the location of all the parachutes for the armed services, and the damage and loss of stock affected morale at the base.[8]

Units posted to the station

The station has performed many roles, summarised with dates below.

Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force Regiment

Air Transport Auxiliary

Defence Codification Data Centre

The Defence Codification Data Centre (DCDC) lodged in a purpose-built computer suite at RAF Hullavington from its establishment in 1966 until its dispersal to Glasgow in 1986, where it merged with its parent body, the Defence Codification Authority.

Closure and post RAF use

RAF Hullavington formally closed on 31 March 1993.[14]

Buckley Barracks

See main article: Buckley Barracks. The technical site part of the station was transferred to the British Army and became known as Hullavington Barracks. In 2003, it was renamed Buckley Barracks after the Victoria Cross winner John Buckley.[15] The barracks are home to 9 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps.[16]

Hullavington Airfield

The airfield part of the site was retained by the RAF and was known as Hullavington Airfield. In 1992 and 1993 two Volunteer Gliding Schools (VGS) moved in, operating the Viking, a modified version of the civilian Grob 103.[17] [18] During 2013, No. 621 VGS and No. 625 VGS merged to form No. 621 VGS. As of 1 September 2016, it was announced by 621 VGS Historical Flight that there would be no further flying from Hullavington.[19]

In 2016, the UK Government announced that the airfield was one of twelve that would be sold as part of the strategy for the Ministry of Defence estate.[20] [21] The site was sold to the technology company Dyson, which has headquarters nearby at Malmesbury. In March 2017, Dyson submitted plans to convert two 1940s hangars into a research and development centre.[22] [23] By August 2018, four hundred staff were engaged on automotive development at the site and the company planned to create a ten-mile car test track;[24] however, in October 2019 the project was abandoned.[25] The company intended to use the Hullavington site to manufacture medical ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic[26] but the UK government cancelled their order in April 2020.[27]

Hangar 88 is currently used by M4 Karting.[28]

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Election Maps. Ordnance Survey. 4 March 2020.
  2. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-lord-cheshire-vc-1537228.html "Obituary: Lord Cheshire VC", 1 August 1992, The Independent
  3. 'Personal Memories of Two World Wars', Raymond Welcomme (January 1987)
  4. Web site: 1970. German Aerobatics. 6 August 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140808054824/http://www.german-aerobatics.com/%28S%28mcz5ekjcf2iugg55j5y3hs55%29%29/GAResultList.aspx?GUID=200da5fa-ff6b-4dd1-bbad-c3236de9ab8f. 8 August 2014. dmy-all.
  5. Web site: Conservation Area description: Hullavington Airbase. October 2005. Wiltshire Council. 25 April 2017.
  6. Web site: Historic Military Aviation Sites: Conservation Guidance. 2003. Historic England. 25 April 2017.
  7. News: Airman jailed for pounds 19m fire [sic]]. 2 June 2016. The Independent. 7 January 1993.
  8. News: Corporal 'laughed as hangar burned'. 2 June 2016. The Independent. 7 January 1993.
  9. Web site: RAF Hullavington airfield . Control Towers. 6 August 2014.
  10. Web site: Hullavington . Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. 6 August 2014.
  11. Web site: 625 Volunteer Gliding Squadron at Hullavington Airfield « 625 VGS 625 VGS. www.625vgs.org.uk. 2016-09-01.
  12. Web site: On a wing and a prayer. Wiltshire Life. 6 August 2014.
  13. Web site: 15 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment. RAF Regiment. Royal Air Force. 2 June 2016.
  14. Book: March, Peter R.. Brace by Wire to Fly-By-Wire – 80 Years of the Royal Air Force 1918–1998. Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund Enterprises. 1998. 1-899808-06-X. RAF Fairford. 160.
  15. Web site: Barracks to salute hero. This is Wiltshire. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129042259/http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/archive/2003/05/08/7318117.Barracks_to_salute_hero/. 29 November 2014. dead. 6 August 2014. dmy-all.
  16. Web site: Home. 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. 6 August 2014.
  17. Web site: The History of Hullavington Airfield. 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. 6 August 2014.
  18. Web site: Aircraft at 621VGS. 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. 6 August 2014.
  19. Web site: 621 VGS Historic Flight - Timeline Facebook. www.facebook.com. 2016-09-01.
  20. Web site: Defence Minister Mark Lancaster announces release of MOD sites for development. MoD. 18 January 2016.
  21. Web site: A Better Defence Estate. November 2016. Ministry of Defence. 24. 9 November 2016.
  22. Web site: Dyson buys Hullavington airfield for new tech centre. 28 February 2017. BBC News: Wiltshire.
  23. Web site: Planning application 17/02344/FUL. 13 March 2017. Wiltshire Council. en. 25 April 2017.
  24. News: Dyson gears up for electric car testing. Johnston. Chris. 30 August 2018. BBC News. 22 September 2018. en-GB.
  25. Web site: Dyson car revealed in full as time called on electric SUV project. James. Brody. 3 Jun 2020. Auto Express. 26 June 2021.
  26. Web site: Dyson Hullavington update. 26 June 2021.
  27. Web site: Wong. Henry. 27 April 2020. The government cancels order for 10,000 Dyson ventilators. 26 June 2021. Design week.
  28. Web site: Food outlet at Hullavington's Hangar 88 refused planning permission. Singleton. Sarah. 26 January 2019. The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald. 11 March 2019.

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