This article needs additional citations for verification .(February 2013) |
RAF Charterhall | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Greenlaw, Scottish Borders in Scotland | |||||||||
![]() A disused runway of RAF Charterhall taken in 2007 | |||||||||
Coordinates | 55°42′25″N2°22′34″W / 55.707°N 2.376°W | ||||||||
Type | Royal Air Force Station | ||||||||
Code | KH [1] | ||||||||
Area | 143 hectares | ||||||||
Site information | |||||||||
Owner | Air Ministry | ||||||||
Operator | Royal Air Force | ||||||||
Controlled by | RAF Fighter Command * No. 9 Group RAF * No. 81 (OTU) Group RAF | ||||||||
Site history | |||||||||
Built | 1917 | 1941/42||||||||
Built by | WW2: James Miller & Partners Ltd | ||||||||
In use | 1917-1919 April 1942 – March 1946 | ||||||||
Battles/wars | First World War European theatre of World War II | ||||||||
Airfield information | |||||||||
Elevation | 112 metres (367 ft) [1] AMSL | ||||||||
|
Royal Air Force Charterhall or more simply RAF Charterhall is a former Royal Air Force station located in the Scottish Borders and the historic county of Berwickshire between the village of Greenlaw and Duns. It was originally a First World War landing ground named Eccles Toft. The airfield was reconstructed in 1942 and was used mainly by No. 54 Operational Training Unit during Second World War. The RAF left in 1947 and the airfield was officially closed.
The location was then left for agricultural use before becoming a motor racing track in 1952. Various forms of motorsport took place at Charterhall, including Formula Two, Formula Libre and Formula Junior with drivers such as Jim Clark, Sir Jackie Stewart and Sir Stirling Moss all having competed there until motor racing ceased at the airfield in 1964. [2] However, in the recent years, the Border Ecosse Car Club have organised the "Charterhall Stages Rally" at the airfield which also ceased in 2013. [3]
The airfield is now sometimes used as a private airstrip, however it does not have any basic maintenance or refueling facilities and its use is very limited. [4]
RAF Charterhall started as a first world war landing ground named RFC Eccles Tofts for No. 77 Squadron from at least the beginning of 1917. The squadron, who were based further north at Edinburgh, flew the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c/d/e, B.E.12, R.E.8 reconnaissance aircraft, Airco DH.6 and Avro 504k. However, the airfield was not kept open for long and soon returned to its original state in 1919. [5]
The airfield was reconstructed during 1941 and opened on 30 April 1942. It was used initially for the short-term placement of trainees, one of the primary units based at Charterhall was No. 54 Operational Training Unit (OTU). [6] The unit primarily carried out instruction on the Bristol Blenheim light bomber and the Bristol Beaufighter, some of these aircraft were fitted with aircraft interception (AI) radar and some Blenheims were dual control, these aircraft were used until 1944 when they were replaced gradually by the de Havilland Mosquito. [7]
Many of the crews arriving at Charterhall were brought in mainly from the Commonwealth after passing their basic flying training instruction.
After No. 54 OTU left in November 1945 for RAF East Moor, a variety of fighter squadrons used the airfield flying the Supermarine Spitfires, North American Mustangs and the Gloster Meteor jet fighter before the RAF left in 1947 and closed the airfield.
As with many wartime training units, RAF Charterhall gained a reputation for having a high accident rate of the trainee crews that passed through there, suffering in the region of 2,000 accidents in 1942 alone, of which just under 200 would be fatal, earning the nickname "Slaughterhall. One such accident occurred on 8 January 1943, a Bristol Blenheim Mk V light bomber piloted by Australian Battle of Britain ace Richard Hillary, author of The Last Enemy, stalled and crashed near the runway when on approach. Hillary was retraining as a night fighter pilot after he recovered from severe burns to his face and hand after his Spitfire was shot down on 3 September 1940. Both Hillary and his observer Sergeant Wilfred Fison was killed. [8]
The accident was probably the result of airframe ice accretion along with the difficulty the Hillary was having in controlling the aircraft due to his injuries. [9]
A memorial to Richard Hillary, Wilfred Fison and everyone who died serving RAF Charterhall between May 1942 and May 1945 was unveiled on 6 November 2001 by the Duke of Kent.
The following units were here at some point:
The site was equipped with 2 runways during the Second World War with a third one planned but never completed. These, along with the taxiways remain relatively intact. The control tower has since been demolished but two of the original hangars still remain, although in a poor state of repair.
After the RAF left in 1947, the airfield was left mainly for use in agriculture until motor racing began with the first Formula Libre race hosted on 6 April 1952, a 2-mile long track was marked out on the land using parts of the old disused runway, making a very long straight which helped overtaking manoeuvres. However, at the time, the drivers reported that the circuit was quite bumpy, although it was better than other circuits south of the border at the time. [2]
Motor Racing continued at the airfield for twelve years, hosting numerous Formula Two and Formula Libre races and being used as a test track for the Ecurie Ecosse team. Some well-known drivers who raced there includes Roy Salvadori, Giuseppe Farina and Jim Clark. Jim Clark would spend much of his racing career at Charterhall, the location where he won his first motor race, competing in 31 events. Motor Racing Events ceased at the airfield in 1964 when the Borders and District Motor Club began organising events at the new Ingliston Racing Circuit.
From 1986, the "Charterhall Stages Rally" was organised and held at the airfield by the Border Ecosse Car Club. This event was last held on 30 March 2013. [3]
The site is still employed for minor civil use using a small unlicensed landing strip which is the most recently resurfaced part of runway 07/25. The other runway, 02/20, is unsuitable for use. Pilots landing at the airfield are also recommended to check the runway for livestock before landing as the site is also used for farming. [17]
There is also no refueling or maintenance facilities at the site. [4]
Royal Air Force Tangmere or more simply RAF Tangmere is a former Royal Air Force station located in Tangmere, England, famous for its role in the Battle of Britain.
Royal Air Force Syerston, commonly known simply as RAF Syerston, is a Royal Air Force station in the parish of Flintham, near Newark, Nottinghamshire, England. Opened in 1940, it was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a bomber base during the Second World War, operating Vickers Wellingtons, Avro Manchesters, and the Avro Lancaster heavy bombers. Post-war, it became home to Jet Provosts of the 2 Flying Training School. It is now home to the Royal Air Force Central Gliding School.
Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and the station is now under the command of UK Strategic Command.
Royal Air Force Catterick or RAF Catterick is a former Royal Air Force airfield located near Catterick, North Yorkshire in England. It is located alongside the A6055 road on the outskirts of Catterick Village.
Cranfield Airport is an airfield just outside the village of Cranfield, in Bedfordshire, England. It is 7 NM south-west of Bedford and 5.5 NM east of Milton Keynes. It was originally a Second World War aerodrome, RAF Cranfield. It is now used for business aviation, private flights, and for research and development activities.
Royal Air Force Bircham Newton or more simply RAF Bircham Newton is a former Royal Air Force station located 2.1 miles (3.4 km) south east of Docking, Norfolk and 13.4 miles (21.6 km) north east of King's Lynn, Norfolk, England.
HMS Sultan is a shore base of the Royal Navy in Gosport, Hampshire, England. It is the primary engineering training establishment for the Royal Navy and home to the Network Rail Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme and the EDF Energy engineering maintenance apprenticeship.
Royal Air Force Croft or more simply RAF Croft is a former Royal Air Force station located 4.6 miles (7.4 km) south of Darlington, County Durham, England and 8 miles (13 km) north-east of Richmond, North Yorkshire. The site is also known locally as Croft Aerodrome or Neasham. Constructed at the same time as many other airfields, it was originally named RAF Dalton-on-Tees after the nearby village Dalton-on-Tees. However, it was quickly renamed RAF Croft after initial confusion with the also newly opened RAF Dalton near Thirsk, just 25 miles away.
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located 9 mi (14 km) southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Royal Air Force Detling, or more simply RAF Detling, is a former Royal Air Force station situated 600 feet (180 m) above sea level, located near Detling, a village about 4 miles (6.4 km) miles north-east of Maidstone, Kent.
Royal Air Force Grangemouth or more simply RAF Grangemouth is a former Royal Air Force station located 3 mi (4.8 km) north east of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
Royal Air Force Dundonald or more simply RAF Dundonald is a former Royal Air Force station located in South Ayrshire, Scotland, three miles north-east from the coastal town of Troon.
Royal Air Force Hal Far or more commonly RAF Hal Far is a former Royal Air Force station which was the first permanent airfield to be built on Malta. It was operated by the RAF from 1 April 1929 until 1946 when it was transferred and renamed to HMS Falcon, a Royal Navy stone frigate, and was used by Fleet Air Arm crews. It was transferred back to the RAF on 1 September 1965 and returned to the Maltese Government and redeveloped from January 1979. It is now closed and one of its runways is used by drag racing enthusiasts. The second runway is now a road leading to an industrial estate which was developed recently. The Maltese fire service, the CPD occupy the newer building with the glass control tower on the roof. The old Royal Naval Air Station building is now occupied by the International Safety Training College who utilise part of the runway for firefighting training.
Royal Air Force Dunholme Lodge or more simply RAF Dunholme Lodge was a Royal Air Force station located between the parishes of Welton and Dunholme in Lincolnshire, England.
Royal Air Force Wrexham, or more simply RAF Wrexham, is a former Royal Air Force station at Borras, on the outskirts of Wrexham, Wales and north-east of the city centre.
Royal Air Force Woolfox Lodge, or more simply RAF Woolfox Lodge, is a former Royal Air Force station next to the A1 road in Rutland, UK. The airfield is split between the parishes of Empingham and Greetham. It was open from 1940 until 1966.
Royal Air Force Melbourne or more simply RAF Melbourne is a former Royal Air Force station used during the Second World War. Located 5 miles (8 km) to the south-west of Pocklington, Yorkshire, England. The nearest village is Seaton Ross.
Royal Air Force Acaster Malbis, or more simply RAF Acaster Malbis, is a former Royal Air Force station located 5.9 miles (9.5 km) south of York city centre and 5.7 miles (9.2 km) east of Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England. It was developed from a small grass airfield at the beginning of the Second World War and its main use was as a training base for RAF Bomber Command, before being used by RAF Maintenance Command from 1944 until 1957.
Breighton Aerodrome is a private aerodrome primarily used for general aviation flying located on the former Royal Air Force Breighton or more simply RAF Breighton, a former Royal Air Force station located near to the village of Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
Royal Air Force Macmerry or more simply RAF Macmerry is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located 4.5 miles (7.2 km) west of Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland and 11.4 miles (18.3 km) east of Edinburgh. It was situated immediately to the north east of Macmerry on the north side of the A1 road. It has also been called RNAS Macmerry and unofficially RAF Tranent and RAF Penston during its life.