RAF Weston-Super-Mare began life as one of the Municipal Aerodromes proposed by British aviation pioneer Sir Alan Cobham.
The first scheduled air serivces began from here, using Dragon Rapides, on a triangular route from Plymouth to Cardiff and then to Weston-Super-Mare. With the most popular leg being the Cardiff to Weston link as as the crow flies the distance is less than 20 km but the road route is over 150 kms.
By 1938 a passenger terminal building has been provided as ell as hangerage. However the moment war was declared the RAF asked if it could use the site as the nearby RAF School of Technical Training at Locking had no airfield. Then in 1940 the RAF took over the site entirely, laying a new runway capable of handling the British Beaufighter which was being constructed at the west end of the site.
RAF Weston became home to No 286 Sqn who flew Hurricans and Deffiants, and the No 116 Sqn whose task was to act as RADAR targets for numerous Anti-aircraft batteries in the South West. Towards the end of the War it became Polish Air Force Staff College.
When the war ended, the site became home to the Bristol Aeroplane Company helicopter division and several important marques include the Sycamore and Belvedere. Eventually Westlands took over things who used it as a logistics store until 1987 when the site was closed and various elements sold off with the land being used for mixed industrial use, housing and a museum.
The cache itself is small, magnet and there is no room for a pencil so please bring your own.
If you have the capablity you can still fly to this site. As there is still an operational helipad on the site which operates 09:30 to 16:30 daily (Wednesday to Sunday).
The pilot notes are as follows:
- 17ft. AMSL.
- Northerly circuits over aerodrome.
- Avoid over flying caravan park and village on SE boundary.
- 2m fence surrounds the landing area.
- Flags/windsock adjacent.
- Contact Number: 01934 635227
- Please contact before departure to advise arrival time.
Congratulation to KrystalTipps and djelibeli on the joint FTF. Well done.