Assault Glider Trust

Last updated

Assault Glider Trust
Founded2001
Registration no.1088895
Location

The Assault Glider Trust is a registered charity [1] established in 2001 and based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, England.

The trust was formed by veterans of the Glider Pilot Regiment Association. Current projects of the trust are to convert a Dakota to its original parachute and glider tug function, [2] along with restoring or building an Airspeed Horsa, an American CG-4A Waco and a De Havilland Tiger Moth. [3]

In 2001, RAF Shawbury offered a home for the construction of the aircraft.[ citation needed ] BAE Systems found the original working drawings for a Horsa glider and allowed these to be used for the project under the condition that any aircraft produced would not be flown. [2]

Related Research Articles

Pegasus Bridge Canal bridge in Normandy; scene of a WWII battle

Pegasus Bridge, originally called the Bénouville Bridge after the neighbouring village, is a road crossing over the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham in Normandy. The original bridge, built in 1934, is now a war memorial and is the centrepiece of the Memorial Pegasus museum at nearby Ranville. It was replaced in 1994 by a modern design which, like the old one, is a bascule bridge.

Army Air Corps (United Kingdom) Aviation arm of the British Army

The Army Air Corps (AAC) is a component of the British Army, first formed in 1942 during the Second World War by grouping the various airborne units of the British Army. Today, there are eight regiments of the AAC as well as four Independent Flights and two Independent Squadrons deployed in support of British Army operations across the world. They are located in Britain, Brunei, Canada, and Germany. Some AAC squadrons provide the air assault elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade through Joint Helicopter Command.

Airspeed Horsa British WWII troop-carrying glider

The Airspeed AS.51 Horsa was a British troop-carrying glider used during the Second World War. It was developed and manufactured by Airspeed Limited, alongside various subcontractors; the type was named after Horsa, the legendary 5th-century conqueror of southern Britain.

RAF Shawbury

Royal Air Force Shawbury otherwise known as RAF Shawbury is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Shawbury in Shropshire in the West Midlands of England.

Glider Pilot Regiment

The Glider Pilot Regiment was a British airborne forces unit of the Second World War, which was responsible for crewing the British Army's military gliders and saw action in the European theatre in support of Allied airborne operations. Established in 1942, the regiment was disbanded in 1957.

RAF Tern Hill

Royal Air Force Tern Hill or RAF Tern Hill was a Royal Air Force station at Tern Hill in Shropshire, England, near the towns of Newport and Market Drayton.

Slingsby Hengist

The Slingsby Hengist was a British military glider designed and built by Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd. Like other British troop carrying gliders in the Second World War, it was named after military figures whose name began with H, in this case the Jute invader Hengist.

Defence Helicopter Flying School

The Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) was a military flying school based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, England. The school, established in 1997, was a tri-service organisation and trained helicopter aircrews for all three British armed forces. It initially used the Eurocopter Squirrel HT1 and Bell Griffin HT1 helicopters, which were retained despite the introduction of the Airbus Juno HT1 and Airbus Jupiter HT1.

Sleap Airfield

Sleap Airfield is located 10 NM north of Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

No. 299 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron during the Second World War and was part of No. 38 Group.

No. 298 Squadron was a Royal Air Force special operations squadron during the Second World War. Later in that war it changed to the transport role, disbanding after the end of the hostilities.

RAF Keevil

Royal Air Force Station Keevil or more simply RAF Keevil is a former Royal Air Force station located between the villages of Keevil and Steeple Ashton, about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of the town of Trowbridge, in Wiltshire, England.

No. 190 Squadron RAF Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

No. 190 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron with a relatively short existence, but a very broad career. It served as a trainer squadron during the first World War and as convoy escort, airborne support and transport squadron during World War II.

Waco CG-4

The Waco CG-4 was the most widely used American troop/cargo military glider of World War II. It was designated the CG-4A by the United States Army Air Forces, and given the service name Hadrian by the British.

No 297 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was notable for being the first airborne forces squadron formed. With sister No 296 Squadron it formed No 38 Wing RAF in January 1942, joined in August by No 295 Squadron; the Wing expanded in 1943 to become No 38 Group RAF. The squadron saw action in Sicily and took part in the D-Day invasion and Operation Market Garden. It was disbanded in 1950.

RAF Tarrant Rushton

RAF Tarrant Rushton was a Royal Air Force station near the village of Tarrant Rushton east of Blandford Forum in Dorset, England from 1943 to 1947. It was used for glider operations during World War II and later revived for civilian operations. It is currently disused, though some buildings survive. Today it serves as a visual reference point (VRP) for VFR flights, in particular NW departures from Bournemouth Airport.

RAF Methwold

Royal Air Force Methwold or more simply RAF Methwold is a Royal Air Force station located 2.1 miles (3.4 km) north east of Feltwell, Norfolk and 10.9 miles (17.5 km) north west of Thetford, Norfolk, England.

Operation Mallard

Operation Mallard was the codename for an airborne forces operation, which was conducted by the British Army on 6 June 1944, as part of the Normandy landings during the Second World War.

RAF Broadwell

Royal Air Force Broadwell or more simply RAF Broadwell is a former Royal Air Force station located 2 miles north of Broadwell and 3 miles southeast of Burford, Oxfordshire, and within 2 miles of RAF Brize Norton.

Operation Turkey Buzzard

Operation Turkey Buzzard, also known as Operation Beggar, was a British supply mission to North Africa that took place between March and August 1943, during the Second World War. The mission was undertaken by No. 2 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment and No. 295 Squadron Royal Air Force, prior to the Allied invasion of Sicily. Unusually, the mission was known by different names in different branches of the British Armed Forces: the British Army called the operation "Turkey Buzzard", while in the Royal Air Force it was known as "Beggar".

References

  1. "Assault Glider Trust, registered charity no. 1088895". Charity Commission for England and Wales.
  2. 1 2 "Assault Glider Trust: BACKGROUND INFORMATION - The Full Story". Archived from the original on 13 November 2007.
  3. "Volunteers rebuild lost gliders". BBC News . 6 July 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2010.