RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
RAF Long Newnton is located north of the B4014 Malmesbury to Tetbury road. Turn right into the village. After passing through it turn right for Chedglow. After this junction look for the pillbox on your right and the dispersed accommodation on your left. On reaching the junction with the Roman road the airfield is about half a mile south along the Roman road. Best to park and walk.
Plan of the aerodrome.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
Runways x 2 Steel Matting (Sommerfeld Track).
Accommodation - Temporary
Hangars: -
1 x T1
10 x Blisters 69ft & 65ft type.
Officers x 83.
SNCO's x 100.
O.R's x 360.
WAAF
Officers x 3.
O.R's 140.
Parent airfield is Babdown Farm.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
27 June 2015
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
On the 27 of June I had a very lucky chance of flying from RAF Kemble in a light airplane and we passed over Long Newnton. Three large Solar farms have been placed over most of its surface. But for that it has kept its original shape and can be seen very clearly.
G-CEFZ about to take off from Kemble.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Pillbox defence.
Details
This part of RAF Long Newnton defences and the Green Stop Line.
Brick built hexagonal shape. Inside a brick blast wall.
Plan.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site Wiltshire
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Pillbox defence.
Details
Inside with about five embrasures all slightly different and they were not finished properly by the builders. Some still have the wooden shuttering in place. Several have a small well to catch bullet casings in after they have been fired.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Pillbox defence.
Details
Where the Bren sat.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Follow the Roman Road south.
Details
History : RAF Long Newnton started life in WW1 as a aerial gunnery range by the RAAF from Minchinhampton.
At the start of WW2 No.11 MU Chilmark used the farm for ammunition storage.
Plan.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
1945/46
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
A post war photo showing the landing ground used as storage for MU bomb storage. So many bombs and shells were left over and had to be dealt with and first stored on disused airfields and then sorted and disposed. Many went into the sea in deeps off the Atlantic coast. It does show the airfield and its buildings very well.
Photo reconnaissance Spitfire.
Camera fitting.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Airfield looking south.
Details
History : after the ammunition had been removed it became a Q site for RAF Kemble.
Expecting attacks by the German Luftwaffe on RAF airfields, the Air Ministry implemented a secret plan for decoy airfields at the onset of World War II, in 1939 designated "Q" sites were secret decoy airfield sites for night use. The decoy "Q" site consisted of adjustable intensity electric night landing lights to simulate from the air a runway flare path as well as other elaborate runway lighting schemes, obstruction lights were also installed to stop RAF aircraft mistakenly landing on the decoy dummy airfield. (Wikipedia)
Plan.
Landing lights Goose Neck flairs.
He111.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Link Trainer
Details
Link Trainer Hut [71] 4188/42.
History : Sept to Nov 1940 it becomes an RLG (Relief Landing Ground) for No.9 SFTS (Service Flying Training School) at RAF Hullavington.
Harvard's.
Plan.
Miles Master cockpit.
Hurricane.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Link Trainer Hut
Details
The Link trainer & Edmond's trainer building and housed up to three trainers, they were used as ground training for pilots in the basics of flying and hone their skills of already qualified pilots. Link Trainer Hut [71] 4188/42.
Ink Trainer.
Three bay Link trainer building.
Plan of the Link trainer space.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Link Trainer Hut
Details
Link Trainer Hut [71] 4188/42.
The easy way to recognize a Link trainer building is by the side extensions
and a boiler room between bay 2 & 3.
History : 1941 and RAF South Cerney started to use the airfield as an RLG for Airspeed Oxfords.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Link Trainer Hut
Details
Inside the hut that would have been segmented to make three rooms and the three Link trainers would have sat in the middle of the room with a desk for the instructor.
Link Trainer Hut [71] 4188/42.
Link trainer and instructors.
Link trainer and instructors.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Link Trainer Hut
Details
The three small extensions and the heating room.
Link Trainer Hut [71] 4188/42.
History: No.14 SFTS (Service Flying Training School) RAF Lyneham.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Link Trainer Hut
Details
Link Trainer Hut [71] 4188/42. Original doors.
Internal doors to the small extension.
The Edmond's trainer was an add-on to a standard Link trainer setup to teach fighter pilots deflection shooting.
It instructed fighter pilots in deflection shooting combined with aircraft recognition and range judging, using a standard Link trainer. This was fitted with a reflector sight (modified for the purpose) and a spotlight triggered by a firing a button on the control column. At the required distance from the Link, a 1:48 scale model aircraft was positioned 6.5 ft from the ground and mounted on a castor's trolley. A 'deflection' graph was also positioned 3 ft from the floor
On the floor in front of the 'aircraft' were painted a number of arcs of circles worked out from the pivot point from the Link. These were at intervals of 37.5 in (representing ranges from 150 yds to 600 yds at 50 yds increments).
The trainee flew the Link to ‘attack’ the model which then moved to simulate an aircraft under attack. When the pilot considered he was in range, he pressed his trigger in short bursts and the beam of light from the spotlight registered on the graph, the instructor immediately read off the range from the arcs on the floor and the errors shown on the graph. The instructor was in communication with the pilot, giving advice and correcting his aim throughout the simulation.
Source: AIR20 /6058 Synthetic Training Devices, AIR2 /8785 Synthetic Training Committee (STC) reports and RAF Commands.
Thank you to P Bellamy via a request on AIX and RAF Commands.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Link Trainer Hut
Details
Boiler house.
Link Trainer Hut [71] 4188/42.
Keeping the boiler topped up.
Bags of coal.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
The first gap in the hedge to allow aircraft get from the airfield to the T1 hangar. An air photo dated 1942 shows four Blister hangars built off the airfield but none on the airfield and also the T1 hangar had not been built with several of the off site buildings. Green lines were painted onto the airfield to look like hedges as camouflage.
T1 door.
Front face of a T1 hangar.
Gap in the hedge.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site Wiltshire
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
The Roman Road.
Details
History : the last flying unit to use Long Newnton was No.15 (P) AFU ([Pilot] Advanced Flying Unit) RAF Andover.
Romans marching.
here
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Parachute Store
Details
Temporary half brick construction and a cement asbestos roof.
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
Inside a parachute store.
Plan.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Parachute Store
Details
History: 15Fts was the first to use the airfield coming over from Kiddlington, Oxford with Harvard's.
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
.jpg)
15 FTS's Harvard.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Parachute Store
Details
The roof had hooks in the roof and parachutes could be hauled up to dry them and also to let the strings hang down to be untangled.
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
Parachutes hanging from the roof and WAAF's packing chutes on the table.
Harvard.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Parachute Store
Details
On the side wall are the original chalk boards where parachute state would be written up.
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
WAAF's repairing parachutes.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Parachute Store
Details
Chalk board.
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
Parachute packing.
Parachute packing.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
.jpg)
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Parachute Store
Details
Chalk board.
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
Parachute bag.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Parachute Store
Details
Chalk board.
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Parachute Store
Details
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42
.Looking out.
Packing.
Pilots chute.
Parachute storage.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Parachute Store
Details
Parachute Store [73] 10825/42.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Lubricant & Inflammables Store
Details
Lubricant & Inflammables Store TB (6) 664/41.
Others and probably I have stated this as the Guard House, but I think that is further down now completely removed.
Plan.
1 - off plan Picket Post.
2 - Guard Post.
3 - Locker & Drying Room.
4 - Latrine.
5 - M&E Plinth.
7 - Sub Station.
8 - AMWD Stores. Also two air-raid blast shelters (green).
Oxford training.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Air-Raid Blast Shelter
Details
Air-Raid Blast Shelter for 50men 2360/41.
Under attack you could get inside by one of two entrances or just run up the grass covered walls and jump in. In time of attack they could also be used as a brick lined trench.
Plan.
Plan of a blast shelter 50men 2360/41.
Blast shelter entrance 50men 2360/41.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
Perimeter track.
Plan.
The south side with two (green) Extra Over Blister hangars (69ft) and the Bulk Petrol Instillation 24,000gal. (46) 6535/41.
Hurricane being refuelled from a bowser trailer.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
Perimeter Track.
Blister hangar.
Blister hangar.
Frame of a Blister hangar.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
The owners farm house and the Control tower on the right. Call into the farm for permission to enter.
Plan.
The odd Wellington would have used the airfield in training.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Perimeter track
Details
Perimeter track probably its original width of 50ft.
Plan.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
MT Shed 2bay
Details
MT Shed 2bay (No Repair Bay) TB (64) 12775/41.
Plan.
Staff car.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
MT Shed 2bay
Details
MT Shed 2bay (No Repair Bay) TB (64) 12775/41.
The doors were originally made of wood.
MT shed at RAF Ringstead with wooden doors
Petrol pump.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Not sure??
Details
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Airfield
Details
Control Tower, Operations, Floodlight, Fire Tender & Ambulance shed.
Plan.
13726/41 Control Tower.
Chance light (floodlight).
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Control Tower
Instructional Operations Room
Details
Instructional Operations Room (68) TB 13432/42.
Control Tower (Watch Office) PB (67) 13726/41 : 15370/41
Doubling up the operations room could also be used as an instructional room.
RAF teaching.
Operations.
Operations.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Instructional Operations Room
Details
Instructional Operations Room (68) TB 13432/42.
This hut would have been used a lot at the height of it use for planning flying for the next day and instructional courses.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
20 March 2005
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Instructional Operations Room
Details
Instructional Operations Room (68) TB 13432/42.
The paintwork could be original. Either blue/cream or two shades of green.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Control Tower
Details
13726/41 is the main building number and 15370/41 could be the drawing number for the small front windows.
Radio room.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Control Tower
Details
On the top floor at the front was the Watch Office and probably only two rooms at the back, one would probably be the Signals Office and the other the Duty Pilots rest room.
On the bottom a Control Room, Met Office and the PBX room. PBX (private branch exchange) the station telephone system.
First floor plan.
Ground floor plan.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Control Tower .
Details
Watch office at the top and Control room below. (Watch Office) PB (67) 13726/41 : 15370/41.
Zeals 13726/41 Control Room..
Zeals 13726/41 Control Room.
Zeals 13726/41 Control Room.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Remains of the signal square.
Details
42ft x 42ft a square where signs could be placed to inform pilots wind direction, runway to use and all sorts of other information.
Signal square.
Working on the signal square.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
Wind sock post.
Windsock giving the direction of the wind.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Control Tower.
Details
Control Tower (Watch Office) PB (67) 13726/41 : 15370/41
How it may have looked.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Control Tower
Instructional Operations Room
Details
Control Tower (Watch Office) PB (67) 13726/41 : 15370/41.
Instructional Operations Room (68) TB 13432/42.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Instructional Operations Room
Details
Instructional Operations Room (68) TB 13432/42.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Control Tower & Fire Tender shed
Details
Control Tower (Watch Office) PB (67) 13726/41 : 15370/41.
Fire Tender & Ambulance shed (70) 5352/42.
Morris ambulance.
RAF crash rescue tender co2 and foam unit Crossly.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Control Tower, Fire Tender shed & Instructional Operations Room
Details
Control Tower (Watch Office) PB (67) 13726/41 : 15370/41.
Fire Tender shed (70) 5352/42.
Instructional Operations Room (68) TB 13432/42.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed
Details
Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed (69) 12411/41.
Chance Light.
Chance Light.
Chance light (flood light) at work lighting up the direction of the runway to land.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed
Details
Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed (69) 12411/41.
This is a drive through shed with doors either end.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Turret instructional Building
Details
Turret instructional Building (98) TB no number 10833/42.
This un numbered building looks as though its a later Turret Instructional Buildings were based on this design. TB 10833/42 looks very like this one.
Plan.
Lancaster rear turret.
Estimating ranges.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
D/R Instructor
Details
This is an anomaly as all these plans throw up .
(102) is a D/R Instructor, R/T trainer & Morse Lecture Room but the plan states its in Seco. Well its in temporary brick for a start???
An R1155 instillation scheme.
Morse code training key.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Main Store
Details
Main Store is where literally all items passed through that came onto the airfield from aircraft engines to paper clips for the office. (Oh! and toilet rolls).
(74) R 11279/42. 'R' = Romney Hut.
Plan.
Store man.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Main Workshop
Details
Exactly the same type of building but this time a lot of the small repairs would be carried out here.
(75) R 11279/42. 'R' = Romney Hut.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Romney Hut.
Details
Showing the framework of a Romney hut.
Frame inside.
Inside view.
74 & 75 with road ways entering either end.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
The gap in the hedge.
Details
The gap here in the hedge where aircraft could transit from the airfield, across the Roman road and onto the hard standing outside the T1 hangar.
Plan with the roadway through the hedge and circling around the hangar.
Tiger Moth trainers inside a hangar.
Oxford cockpit.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
T1 hangar.
Details
Aircraft Shed (T1) 9659/42.
Plan.
T1 hangar.
The T1's 3/4 door. A smaller (lower) than the T2 hangar. This one was mostly used on training stations and replaced the Bellman hangars which was a pre war design.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Now heading out towards the Communal sites.
Details
The concrete road gives it away.
Plan.
Communal site.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Continuing on.
Details
All day and probably all night there would have been a stream of bicycles, airmen and WAAF's and the odd officer in a car.
Plan.
WAAF's on Bikes.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Sewage Site.
Details
A very important place. Set halfway between the airfield and the communal sites.
Sewage site plan.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Details
Sewage Site.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
21 June 2009
Information
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Communal site.
Details
To be continued. I will continue to add communal site after this.
Plan.
Communal site.
RAF Long Newnton, Airfield Site
Information
Long Newnton Church.
Details
Long Newnton MENU
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