Visited Fairwood aerodrome (swansea airport) looking for WW2 remains with my son Stelthy Sam, I have visited it before but couldn't find what I was looking for, theres a fair few building dotted about, some are hard to find though. Wayne
During the Second World War, local defences required an aerodrome that could be used as an R.A.F. fighter station. The construction of the basic runway, which took the better part of a year, involved extensive levelling and filling of the boggy land at Fairwood Common, using copious industrial refuse. Unfortunately, two Bronze Age barrows were destroyed in the process, though a cinerary urn was retrieved from one of the barrows, known as 'Bishopston Burch' (SS 5718 9098), and is currently owned by Swansea Museum.
The airbase finally opened on June 15th 1941. On October 25th 1941 Fairwood Common became a Sector Station. The first wartime success for 125 Sqn at Fairwood came on June 27th 1942, when a Beaufighter IIf shot down a Junkers Ju 88 off the Pembrokeshire coast. Then again in April 1942 the 125 Sqn successfully battled against the German 'Baedeker' night raids upon Bath, bringing down an enemy aircraft and damaging another.
There were a number of accidental plane crashes during the war. On 11th January 1943 a Beaufighter VIf piloted by Sgt J. G. Crummey, with Sgt Hurst as his observer, stalled and crashed into Clyne Valley while on a daytime air test before the forthcoming night's operations. The aircraft disintegrated and burst into flame on impact, killing both crew members.
Again on March 29th 1944, a 15th Air Force B-24D Liberator based in Italy was on a hush-hush mission to St Mawgan in Cornwall to pick up some radar equipment when it was diverted to Fairwood Common because of bad weather. Low on fuel, the pilot repeatedly tried to land but had to abort each time. On its third approach to the runway, the bomber ran out of fuel and all four engines lost power. Four of the crew hastily baled out, before the plane crashed to the ground. The pilot recovered from the injuries he sustained in the crash, but the crew chief, who was not normally part of the flying crew, refused to jump and was sadly fatally injured.
Another tragic accident in May 1944 saw a Beaufighter of 68 Sqn shot down by a fellow Beaufighter during a mock dogfight above the aerodrome. The aircraft crashed into a field just off Fairwood Common killing two crew members.
In August 1944, a Wellington Bomber crashed upon landing with an engine on fire, finally coming to rest amongst the woods. The crew luckily survived and were mostly unharmed from their adventure. They were, however, slightly aghast when they were needed to help push the broken-down fire engine, that had been sent to their aid!
On the night of February 16th/17th 1943 Swansea endured a particularly heavy raid, which thankfully proved to be the last air-raid of Swansea during the war. During the raid, enemy aircraft dropped three or four bombs on the Station causing the deaths of three WAAFs. However, the 125 Sqn's Beaufighters were successful during their night-time mission, chasing the Luftwaffe back over the Bristol Channel and the West Country shooting down 3 Dornier Do 217s and possibly another two aircraft.
456 Sqn stayed at Fairwood Common from 1st March to late in June, 1944 and during this period brought down six German aircraft. Then the Station became a centre for training and retraining Squadrons from July 1944. Whiteford Burrows was used as a firing range area where the British aircraft (Spitfires and Typhoons) of 2nd TAF would practice firing ammunition and warheads against oildrums and plywood targets placed in the sands here.
After the war, on 1 November 1946, Fairwood Common was reduced to a care and maintenance basis
Laying in the graveyard of St Hilary of Poiters' Church in Killay are the memorials of 22 RAF personnel. These include many nationalities, such as Czechs, South Africans and Canadians, who were killed whilst based at RAF Fairwood Common during the war years.
Inside a shelter
Bats
During the Second World War, local defences required an aerodrome that could be used as an R.A.F. fighter station. The construction of the basic runway, which took the better part of a year, involved extensive levelling and filling of the boggy land at Fairwood Common, using copious industrial refuse. Unfortunately, two Bronze Age barrows were destroyed in the process, though a cinerary urn was retrieved from one of the barrows, known as 'Bishopston Burch' (SS 5718 9098), and is currently owned by Swansea Museum.
The airbase finally opened on June 15th 1941. On October 25th 1941 Fairwood Common became a Sector Station. The first wartime success for 125 Sqn at Fairwood came on June 27th 1942, when a Beaufighter IIf shot down a Junkers Ju 88 off the Pembrokeshire coast. Then again in April 1942 the 125 Sqn successfully battled against the German 'Baedeker' night raids upon Bath, bringing down an enemy aircraft and damaging another.
There were a number of accidental plane crashes during the war. On 11th January 1943 a Beaufighter VIf piloted by Sgt J. G. Crummey, with Sgt Hurst as his observer, stalled and crashed into Clyne Valley while on a daytime air test before the forthcoming night's operations. The aircraft disintegrated and burst into flame on impact, killing both crew members.
Again on March 29th 1944, a 15th Air Force B-24D Liberator based in Italy was on a hush-hush mission to St Mawgan in Cornwall to pick up some radar equipment when it was diverted to Fairwood Common because of bad weather. Low on fuel, the pilot repeatedly tried to land but had to abort each time. On its third approach to the runway, the bomber ran out of fuel and all four engines lost power. Four of the crew hastily baled out, before the plane crashed to the ground. The pilot recovered from the injuries he sustained in the crash, but the crew chief, who was not normally part of the flying crew, refused to jump and was sadly fatally injured.
Another tragic accident in May 1944 saw a Beaufighter of 68 Sqn shot down by a fellow Beaufighter during a mock dogfight above the aerodrome. The aircraft crashed into a field just off Fairwood Common killing two crew members.
In August 1944, a Wellington Bomber crashed upon landing with an engine on fire, finally coming to rest amongst the woods. The crew luckily survived and were mostly unharmed from their adventure. They were, however, slightly aghast when they were needed to help push the broken-down fire engine, that had been sent to their aid!
On the night of February 16th/17th 1943 Swansea endured a particularly heavy raid, which thankfully proved to be the last air-raid of Swansea during the war. During the raid, enemy aircraft dropped three or four bombs on the Station causing the deaths of three WAAFs. However, the 125 Sqn's Beaufighters were successful during their night-time mission, chasing the Luftwaffe back over the Bristol Channel and the West Country shooting down 3 Dornier Do 217s and possibly another two aircraft.
456 Sqn stayed at Fairwood Common from 1st March to late in June, 1944 and during this period brought down six German aircraft. Then the Station became a centre for training and retraining Squadrons from July 1944. Whiteford Burrows was used as a firing range area where the British aircraft (Spitfires and Typhoons) of 2nd TAF would practice firing ammunition and warheads against oildrums and plywood targets placed in the sands here.
After the war, on 1 November 1946, Fairwood Common was reduced to a care and maintenance basis
Laying in the graveyard of St Hilary of Poiters' Church in Killay are the memorials of 22 RAF personnel. These include many nationalities, such as Czechs, South Africans and Canadians, who were killed whilst based at RAF Fairwood Common during the war years.
Inside a shelter
Bats
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