RAF Calveley

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RichCooper

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What remains here is pretty much either flooded or full of farm clutter :) nice walk around though but farmer permission is needed as the bloke is pretty touchy about people wandering around.

In December 1940, it was decided to build an airfield near the village of Wardle, Cheshire, north-west of Nantwich, as one of a number of airfields intended to boost the fighter defence of Merseyside.
The airfield was built by Peter Lind Ltd in 1941–1942, and had three concrete runways of between 1,100 yards (1,000 m) and 1,400 yards (1,300 m).[5]
By the time the airfield was complete, the need for fighter defences for the North-West of England had declined, so it was decided to use it for training, with the station opening as a Relief Landing Ground
for No. 5 Service Training Flying School (SFTS) based at RAF Ternhill in Shropshire on 14 March 1942.[6] 5 STFS was renamed No. 5 (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit ((P)AFU) on 13 April 1942, continuing operations
both from Ternhill and its satellites, including Calverley, which was the only one of Ternhill's satellites to have hard runways

27547422801_095d89b8b7_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (1) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27342994350_738e530e80_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (2) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27586820276_33fcebd469_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (3) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27343044140_9e200a428f_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (8) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27010222104_2ac33d5dfc_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (9) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27620525835_8b37a35a86_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (11) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27010234674_d725aaf198_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (15) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27620537815_9064c1c245_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (16) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27586862046_a301a746eb_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (18) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27010244694_97712c9968_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (19) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27520994852_af4683a6df_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (21) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27011304903_278f31ef63_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (27) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27343092890_0461399a2f_c.jpgRAF CALVELEY (29) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27550298771_55c2c7ece0_c.jpgE06808 (6) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27014337893_5148baeec3_c.jpgE06808 (7) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27623231915_c87fb19154_c.jpgE06808 (16) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27527737812_63c0479692_c.jpgE02029 (2) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27553967781_34803ac10a_c.jpgE02029 (6) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27623380335_2d90458108_c.jpgE11222 by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27014547553_0fc6c09b4b_c.jpgE27843 (3) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27524374282_31d4a0b431_c.jpgE32715 (5) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27013698804_f76e8ab560_c.jpgE32716 (3) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27014808843_76cd8841da_c.jpgE32716 (1) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr

27594271136_cdf93a7450_c.jpgE10332 (2) by Rich Cooper 2012, on Flickr
 
I agree with flyboys90, I also like the last shot. I just looked at a thread on another forum that there was two harriers had a mid-air crash over this airfield. Unfortunately both Flight Lieutenants died. The buildings have lasted well, shame that the farmer is abusing them by filling them up with farm related debris.
 
The buildings have lasted well, shame that the farmer is abusing them by filling them up with farm related debris.

Much of the land acquired by the MOD in the North West was done so on the proviso that the land, plus any structures built there-on, would be returned to the landowners at war's end, there being no cash compensation/rental payments made. The original landowner did his bit, the MOD got their airfield and now the present landowner is making good use of the structures - I see nothing wrong in that. In my lifetime I have seen many unused WW2 period buildings slowly decay and then be demolished, so the fact that use was/is being made of them is probably one of the main reasons we can still wander around this site now.

Very nice set here Rich, apart from the vegetation it looks much as it did in the late 60's - apart from the encroaching 'modern world'.
 
Note the WWII square mesh tracking used as fences near the latrine block, tower and the side of the 25 yard range.

The Romney huts at Calveley always looked like the next thing to fall down. Not walked over there for a couple of years.....have they gone Rich?

The landowner was paid for the removal of the buildings...but like most farmers pocketed the money and used the buildings.
Amazing how well these temporary structures last, even without maintenance.
 
Note the WWII square mesh tracking used as fences near the latrine block, tower and the side of the 25 yard range.

The Romney huts at Calveley always looked like the next thing to fall down. Not walked over there for a couple of years.....have they gone Rich?

The landowner was paid for the removal of the buildings...but like most farmers pocketed the money and used the buildings.
Amazing how well these temporary structures last, even without maintenance.

Didnt see em so they must have
 
Hi Rich,

I have just started a facebook community page for RAF Calveley and was just wondering if you could give it a heads-up to anyone you may think would be interested in contributing, stories & pictures etc.I spent quite a few childhood years playing on this disused paradise and I just feel it, like many others, deserves a memorial of some sort.

The link is: https://www.facebook.com/RAF.Calveley

Huge thanks!

Dan
 
Hi Rich,

I have just started a facebook community page for RAF Calveley and was just wondering if you could give it a heads-up to anyone you may think would be interested in contributing, stories & pictures etc.I spent quite a few childhood years playing on this disused paradise and I just feel it, like many others, deserves a memorial of some sort.

The link is: https://www.facebook.com/RAF.Calveley

Huge thanks!

Dan

Will do mate
 
.... it, like many others, deserves a memorial of some sort.

There is a memorial in Wettenhall church to the two harrier pilots (FL James Downey and FL John Roberts) who died during a mock attack on Calveley airfield in 1976.
It was the main topic of conversation in school the following day and several of the local papers had articles and photos later in the week.
 

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