A question about grass...

Hi all, hope someone can help out.

I have been asked by a friend of mine in Hawaii about the type of grass we have on UK airfields. Particularly Duxford or Bruntingthorpe. He is involved with the Barbers Point Museum and wants to plant the same type of grass there.

Any ideas please?

Thanks

I will ask my father who was employed in Airfield grounds maintenance once he left the RAF.
In the meantime, I did not realise how technical Airfield grass cutting was!

I found the following article-
www.pitchcare.com/magazine/one-man-one-i...-acres-of-grass.html

Jon wrote:

I will ask my father who was employed in Airfield grounds maintenance once he left the RAF.
In the meantime, I did not realise how technical Airfield grass cutting was!

I found the following article-
www.pitchcare.com/magazine/one-man-one-i...-acres-of-grass.html

That's quite incredible! He does mention grass types about half way down his piece. I wonder if it was that complicated during the war? I suspect not.

Thanks Jon - that link looks great

A very interesting article. I would comment that the article covers grass requirements on an international airport where the main object I controlling the bird population. The activities listed are generally not applicable to maintenance of a grass runway for light aircraft - six-inch long grass would be a I killer, almost literally.

Interestingly, two or three years ago at Coningsby they sprayed of all the grass, cultivated the bare soil and then reseeded the whole area. Obviously there some benefit from taking such drastic action.

On British military airfields WW2, the sowing of different types if grasses was part of airfield camouflage schemes in conjuction various agricultural techniques including mowing in shading effects.

Not quite WW2 era but still interesting reading.

www.int-birdstrike.org/Amsterdam_Papers/IBSC25%20WPA1.pdf

OK, I spoke to my Dad.
He was working for for the airfield grounds contractor when a large part of Marham was resown.
From memory, it was a Rye grass mix of American origin.

No NATO stock number available unfortunately!

Even more interesting, here's a seed product which promises trouble free jet operation!

www.pitchcare.com/shop/grass-seed/pro-ma...bird-strike-mix.html