Airfields that never were

Very interested to hear of the proposed airfield/bomb store near Essendine having lived only a few miles from there in the 1970s - has anyone got any more details?

If I remember correctly RAFM Hendon had just two 'airfields-which-never-were' plans. These were a full plan for High Roding, Essex, plus a bomb store plan for Essendine.

I remember feeling mischievous in the 1980s and planned visiting a local pub in the High Roding area with a rolled copy of the site plan (1944 date suitable removed) and informing the locals that work was due to commence in a few days.

Slightly off topic, near to where I live on the Ards Peninsula, County Down; there was an airfield comissioned at Millisle. Strange thing is that half way through building, the airfield was declared no longer needed and abandoned. Today 2 runways (iirc) still exist with a number of businesses occupying some airfield buildings that were erected. Not sure if there are any drawings - its one of the items on my list of things to do - check with RAF Museum about it.

Ballyherbert - see my earlier post up this thread

Chris

Normally I would have offered to hold the ladder and pour the tea but I have to build my igloo

As this thread turned into a bombing ranges thread I have split the thread and the Bombing Ranges is now a new thread here

www.airfieldresearchgroup.org.uk/forum/b...-ranges?limitstart=0

I don't know if this is relevant but I know David Smiths book mentions Macaroni Down SLG which was "Built but later decommissioned". I was always a bit curious about it due to the proximity to Southrop and the fact a friend of mine lived in an old RAF building in Macaroni Woods. Anyway, I'm wondering if like Turkdean the land was acquired, cleared of obstructions then abandoned in favour of another site.

Another interesting and possibly relevant note is that in a Civil Defence document at the Glos. County Records office dated July 1940 it discusses "airfields under construction that are not to be blocked against invasion" and specifically mentions "Southrop West". This made me wonder why the need to add the "West". Possibly to differentiate it from another aerodrome site close to Southrop (which Macaroni Down is)? As the document is from 1940 I know that a lot of land was bought up by the RAF and cleared as potential landing grounds/aerodromes but not all of it was put to use.

I know Turkdean was one. The land was bought and hedgerows grubbed up and walls taken down but then they abandoned it in favour of Northleach. Turkdean was an ELG for a while as I have it marked on an RAF chart and listed in the post war airfield "assets" list. Certainly it was a marked ELG in 1942 but I think was abandoned by 1944. Same for Burford.

From The Mighty Eighth War Manual:

Appledram.
1 mile south of Chichester, Sussex.
Proposed site of 8AF fighter base 10 Aug 42, not proceeded with.

Beaumont, AAF Station 148.
Immediately north of Beaumont village, Essex.
Tentatively allocated 8AF as bomber base (Class A std.) 10 Aug 42.
Confirmed Sept 42.
Indefinitely postponed 16 Dec 42.

Cold Norton, AAF Station 163.
1½ miles west of Cold Norton village, Essex.
Tentatively allocated 8AF as bomber base 10 Aug 42.
Confirmed Sept 42.
Construction indefinitely postponed 14 Dec 42.
Site would have taken in the WWI Stow Maries airfield.

Crowfield.
Immediately northeast of Crowfield village, Suffolk.
Tentatively allocated 8AF as bomber base 10 Aug 42.
Confirmed Oct 42.
Construction indefinitely postponed 14 Dec 42.

Finedon.
Immediately northwest of Finedon, Northamptonshire.
Tentatively allocated 8AF as bomber base 10 Aug 42.
Confirmed Oct 42.
Construction indefinitely postponed 16 Dec 42.

High Roding, AAF Station 177.
1 mile northeast of High Roding village, Essex.
Tentatively allocated 8AF as bomber base 10 Aug 42.
Confirmed Sept 42.
Warning of Land Requisition served.
Construction indefinitely postponed 6 Dec 42.

Ingatestone.
1 mile west-southwest of Ingatestone village, Essex.
Tentatively allocated 8AF as bomber base 10 Aug 42.
Confirmed Sept 42.
Warning of Land Requisition served.
Construction indefinitely postponed 16 Dec 42.

Maldon.
Northeast of Mundon, Essex, 3 miles southeast of Maldon.
Tentatively allocated 8AF as bomber base.
Confirmed Sept 42.
Warning of Land Requisition served Oct 42.
Construction indefinitely postponed 16 Dec 42.

Southminster, AAF Station 173.
Between Southminster and Steeple, Essex.
Tentatively allocated 8AF as bomber base 10 Aug 42.
Confirmed Sept 42.
Construction indefinitely postponed 16 Dec 42.

All the best,
PB