Predannack Airfield - Aug 20

Derelict Places

Help Support Derelict Places:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BikinGlynn

Super Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Supporting Member
Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2014
Messages
2,817
Reaction score
4,631
51007182761_2966505cc7_c.jpg


At the risk of upsetting many people but I was fortunate enough to get a holiday last year, so back down to Cornwall it was & although this place has been done to death it was one I wanted to tick off.

51007291792_37eef74356_c.jpg


Predannack Airfield on the Lizard Peninsula. The runways are operated by the Royal Navy and today it is used as a satellite airfield and relief landing ground for nearby RNAS Culdrose.

It is also home to an RAF Gliding School unit and the Royal Naval School of Fire Fighting, which holds a number of dummy aircraft for fire extinguishing practice, together with a number of retired airframes for personnel rescue practice, such as this disused Westland Wessex (right).

51007184246_bc20f78135_c.jpg


I really enjoyed a solo wander around here though there was a car & 2 guys at the large hanger so I spent an alarming amount of time crawling around in the grass.
As most of you know this is a live site so not the sort of place you want to get caught, but no such dramas occured.
Its a bit pic heavy but Iv tried to keep them a bit different.

51007185496_53102ea8f4_c.jpg


Building work began for an RAF advanced night fighter base to protect the nearby ports of Falmouth and Penzance during 1940 and RAF Predannack Down opened in 1941 as part of Portreath Sector. It later transferred to RAF Coastal Command until it went into care and maintenance on 1 Jun 1946. During the Second World War Coastal Command squadrons flew anti-submarine sorties into the Bay of Biscay as well as convoy support in the western English Channel using aircraft such as Beaufighters and De Havilland Mosquitoes.

After a short period of experimental use by Vickers under the supervision of Barnes Wallis around 1951, the base was taken over by the Royal Navy on 15 Dec 1958.

51007290882_5e17d8d3db_c.jpg


51006478398_fe55a778e4_c.jpg


51007184806_e1a5d951f1_c.jpg


51007184516_bae6c8a3e8_c.jpg


51006477943_fd4a295116_c.jpg


51007289962_1794d4fda9_c.jpg


51007183981_420e387c7a_c.jpg


51006477063_90de4fbcdb_c.jpg


51006476443_b5cfb614bb_c.jpg


51007288622_43005f45d3_c.jpg


51006476738_bf6878f820_c.jpg


51006476603_67d9d0098c_c.jpg


51007183631_ac18611536_c.jpg


51007290992_e5ee6a6653_c.jpg


51007291222_cf10731c0d_c.jpg


51006479143_0e546cc17f_c.jpg


51007290502_a6fa43f4a0_c.jpg


51007183751_92d81d7c67_c.jpg


Finally I should mention how nice the moors are around here, being a bit of a wildlife photographer it gave me the chance to combine hobbies.
So of no interest to most of you but here is a pair of whitethroats & stonechat in one pic, which is something Id never achieved before

51007748008_fd3408f11d_c.jpg


51007182621_7f08c0e313_c.jpg


Thats all from here, thanks for looking
 
Well you may have gone on holiday last year but at least it was in the UK unlike those selfish people who think the only place to have a holiday is abroad so bring back the virus to us. Nice little explore that, sad to see so many aircraft like that.
 
51007182761_2966505cc7_c.jpg


At the risk of upsetting many people but I was fortunate enough to get a holiday last year, so back down to Cornwall it was & although this place has been done to death it was one I wanted to tick off.

51007291792_37eef74356_c.jpg


Predannack Airfield on the Lizard Peninsula. The runways are operated by the Royal Navy and today it is used as a satellite airfield and relief landing ground for nearby RNAS Culdrose.

It is also home to an RAF Gliding School unit and the Royal Naval School of Fire Fighting, which holds a number of dummy aircraft for fire extinguishing practice, together with a number of retired airframes for personnel rescue practice, such as this disused Westland Wessex (right).

51007184246_bc20f78135_c.jpg


I really enjoyed a solo wander around here though there was a car & 2 guys at the large hanger so I spent an alarming amount of time crawling around in the grass.
As most of you know this is a live site so not the sort of place you want to get caught, but no such dramas occured.
Its a bit pic heavy but Iv tried to keep them a bit different.

51007185496_53102ea8f4_c.jpg


Building work began for an RAF advanced night fighter base to protect the nearby ports of Falmouth and Penzance during 1940 and RAF Predannack Down opened in 1941 as part of Portreath Sector. It later transferred to RAF Coastal Command until it went into care and maintenance on 1 Jun 1946. During the Second World War Coastal Command squadrons flew anti-submarine sorties into the Bay of Biscay as well as convoy support in the western English Channel using aircraft such as Beaufighters and De Havilland Mosquitoes.

After a short period of experimental use by Vickers under the supervision of Barnes Wallis around 1951, the base was taken over by the Royal Navy on 15 Dec 1958.

51007290882_5e17d8d3db_c.jpg


51006478398_fe55a778e4_c.jpg


51007184806_e1a5d951f1_c.jpg


51007184516_bae6c8a3e8_c.jpg


51006477943_fd4a295116_c.jpg


51007289962_1794d4fda9_c.jpg


51007183981_420e387c7a_c.jpg


51006477063_90de4fbcdb_c.jpg


51006476443_b5cfb614bb_c.jpg


51007288622_43005f45d3_c.jpg


51006476738_bf6878f820_c.jpg


51006476603_67d9d0098c_c.jpg


51007183631_ac18611536_c.jpg


51007290992_e5ee6a6653_c.jpg


51007291222_cf10731c0d_c.jpg


51006479143_0e546cc17f_c.jpg


51007290502_a6fa43f4a0_c.jpg


51007183751_92d81d7c67_c.jpg


Finally I should mention how nice the moors are around here, being a bit of a wildlife photographer it gave me the chance to combine hobbies.
So of no interest to most of you but here is a pair of whitethroats & stonechat in one pic, which is something Id never achieved before

51007748008_fd3408f11d_c.jpg


51007182621_7f08c0e313_c.jpg


Thats all from here, thanks for looking
great pics, glad you didn't get caught
 
Great stuff, loved Predannack - if you get a chance you should read up about the Barnes-Wallis connection as the research he did here was pioneering.

Sad to see the Dominie and Jetstream looking so wrecked - and the Canberra.
 
Great stuff, loved Predannack - if you get a chance you should read up about the Barnes-Wallis connection as the research he did here was pioneering.

Sad to see the Dominie and Jetstream looking so wrecked - and the Canberra.

Thanks Ill do that. I guess if you know any where u see it go downhill for me it was a new explore so was all good.
I assume they do damage to these when using them for training?
 
Thanks Ill do that. I guess if you know any where u see it go downhill for me it was a new explore so was all good.
I assume they do damage to these when using them for training?
Yes, at least it's not vandalism, in this case AFAIK the Fleet Air Arm use the old aircraft for fire and rescue training. Still a shame to see the airframes getting wrecked, though they usually donate one or two to museums.

To be fair it looks like you saw a bit more than I did, there was the Canberra, Dominie, Jetstream, Sea Harrier and a Jaguar there 2014-ish plus a Sea King hulk but I think the Lynxes are more recent...
 
51007182761_2966505cc7_c.jpg


At the risk of upsetting many people but I was fortunate enough to get a holiday last year, so back down to Cornwall it was & although this place has been done to death it was one I wanted to tick off.

51007291792_37eef74356_c.jpg


Predannack Airfield on the Lizard Peninsula. The runways are operated by the Royal Navy and today it is used as a satellite airfield and relief landing ground for nearby RNAS Culdrose.

It is also home to an RAF Gliding School unit and the Royal Naval School of Fire Fighting, which holds a number of dummy aircraft for fire extinguishing practice, together with a number of retired airframes for personnel rescue practice, such as this disused Westland Wessex (right).

51007184246_bc20f78135_c.jpg


I really enjoyed a solo wander around here though there was a car & 2 guys at the large hanger so I spent an alarming amount of time crawling around in the grass.
As most of you know this is a live site so not the sort of place you want to get caught, but no such dramas occured.
Its a bit pic heavy but Iv tried to keep them a bit different.

51007185496_53102ea8f4_c.jpg


Building work began for an RAF advanced night fighter base to protect the nearby ports of Falmouth and Penzance during 1940 and RAF Predannack Down opened in 1941 as part of Portreath Sector. It later transferred to RAF Coastal Command until it went into care and maintenance on 1 Jun 1946. During the Second World War Coastal Command squadrons flew anti-submarine sorties into the Bay of Biscay as well as convoy support in the western English Channel using aircraft such as Beaufighters and De Havilland Mosquitoes.

After a short period of experimental use by Vickers under the supervision of Barnes Wallis around 1951, the base was taken over by the Royal Navy on 15 Dec 1958.

51007290882_5e17d8d3db_c.jpg


51006478398_fe55a778e4_c.jpg


51007184806_e1a5d951f1_c.jpg


51007184516_bae6c8a3e8_c.jpg


51006477943_fd4a295116_c.jpg


51007289962_1794d4fda9_c.jpg


51007183981_420e387c7a_c.jpg


51006477063_90de4fbcdb_c.jpg


51006476443_b5cfb614bb_c.jpg


51007288622_43005f45d3_c.jpg


51006476738_bf6878f820_c.jpg


51006476603_67d9d0098c_c.jpg


51007183631_ac18611536_c.jpg


51007290992_e5ee6a6653_c.jpg


51007291222_cf10731c0d_c.jpg


51006479143_0e546cc17f_c.jpg


51007290502_a6fa43f4a0_c.jpg


51007183751_92d81d7c67_c.jpg


Finally I should mention how nice the moors are around here, being a bit of a wildlife photographer it gave me the chance to combine hobbies.
So of no interest to most of you but here is a pair of whitethroats & stonechat in one pic, which is something Id never achieved before

51007748008_fd3408f11d_c.jpg


51007182621_7f08c0e313_c.jpg


Thats all from here, thanks for looking
Hi there
Really enjoyed these pictures. I'm really trying to photograph this site for a project on my doctorate, last time i was there security was quite visible so couldnt get near, is there any chance you could ( or anyone for that matter ) give me some tips regarding best time and best approach etc
I would appreciate any advice, thanks
 
Without giving away any secrets, the aircraft are quite close to the public footpath, so you don't need to and shouldn't go near the active runway as that could interfere with flying and bring down a whole heap of trouble if you're spotted. For many locations, visiting early on a Sunday morning can often avoid coming into contact with people.

However in your case as you're working on a PhD project, why not contact the Royal Navy station officer or PR folks and see whether they could accommodate an organised visit? The forces are generally pretty approachable if you have a legit reason for wanting to see something historic or out of use on a base.
 
Hi there
Really enjoyed these pictures. I'm really trying to photograph this site for a project on my doctorate, last time i was there security was quite visible so couldnt get near, is there any chance you could ( or anyone for that matter ) give me some tips regarding best time and best approach etc
I would appreciate any advice, thanks

I genuinely have no idea, I was there on holiday & went mid week.
If you go in certain places there is not so much as a fence u can literally walk straight on, but other places have a small fence & MOD property keep out signs.
Best thing would be do what I did, just go & enjoy a walk on the moors & see what happens
 
Blimey thats a bit extreme, do u recon they could of just been practicing?
Possible, but I doubt it. I was actually on my way out of the site when I saw a van and heard voices just where I'd come from, and within a few minutes the chopper appeared. As I made my way back I could see it circling, like they were looking for something.

I have no idea how they knew I was there, as I was on site for less than 20 mins, on my own and literally tiptoeing around. I stayed well away from the sight of any buildings too, staying on the perimeter.

At the time I posted my report (in the non-public section) I think it was Smiler who said I'd have been detected and photographed.
 
Last edited:
You cannot understand why these planes are not salvaged for parts by the RAF and others for places like RAF Cosford or Duxford etc museums as they are often trying desperately to find parts for their own exhibits. The Dominie is case in point as Cosford has one with much of its internals missing and so it seems odd they used these for target practise etc. Such a beautiful plane too...
 

Latest posts

Back
Top