A Walk Exploring the History of Hucknall Airfield

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Rolls Royce Hucknall hangars 1938. Some are still there today and listed.

An unusual and easy walk from Watnall is over the fields to the old Hucknall Airfield. You can walk along its deserted runway at both ends, enjoying the wildlife that lives there now, explore the Flying Bedstead take off pad and dream of its glory days. This article will help you dream...

A number of world first achievements took place at Hucknall airfield, which were the equal of the finest efforts at Farnborough and other world famous aircraft establishments. The golden era of British aviation is something to be remembered, celebrated and preserved for future generations, and Hucknall’s astonishing aviation legacy and contribution to this era is no exception.

Hucknall airfield permanently closed on 1 March 2015 but you can still visit the excellent Flight Test museum on site. New houses have been built in the middle of the old tarmac runway. The remains of the runway ends can be seen below and make for a nostalgic and poignant experience. The Flying Bedstead test pad is marked with an X. Access is "unofficial" and the situation may change as more houses get built.

The airfield opened in 1916 as No. 12 (Training) Group, 27th Wing with No. 15 Training Depot of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) using Curtiss Jenny JN-4 aircraft.

In February 1918 No. 128 (Gold Coast) Squadron arrived using the DH9 aircraft. They were followed on 1 March 1918 by 130 Squadron also using the DH9 and on 18 March 1918 by 205 Squadron with DH4 and DH9S. These squadrons were absorbed into the RAF when it was formed on 1 April 1918.

On 18 August 1918 23rd Aero Squadron (Repair) USAAF arrived at Hucknall, but in 1919 the airfield was closed and sold to a local farmer, George Elkington.

When the Nottingham Aero Club was formed in 1926 it used part of the airfield but had to leave when the site was bought by the Air Ministry in 1927 and opened in 1928 as RAF Hucknall. During the 1930s an annual Empire Air Day of displays by the resident squadrons was held.

In December 1934 Rolls-Royce moved its testing establishment to Hucknall from Tollerton. It is this operation which made Hucknall one of the most important aeronautical establishments with a vital role to play in the history and the preservation of the United Kingdom. Hucknall saw the testing of the Kestrel and Peregrine engines in both Hawker biplanes and a Heinkel 70. The PV12 engine, later to become the superb Merlin took to the air for the first time from Hucknall in a Hawker Hart biplane. From then on the Rolls-Royce Merlin family was modified and refined at Hucknall for a variety of roles and types of famous British aircraft as well as the the superb North American Mustang. R-R operated there until 2007, although latterly only ground testing was undertaken after the R-R flight testing moved to Filton, Bristol. Notable tests at Hucknall were on Sir Frank Whittle's jet engine in 1942 and the subsequent generations of R-R jet engines both military and civilian. In July 1953 VTOL tests were undertaken on what became colloquially known as the 'Flying Bedstead'. 

1954 Flying Bedstead flown by RR chief test pilot Ron Shepperd who is buried at Nuthall Cemetery.

Punch magazine - The Flying Bedstead captured the British public's imagination

In the period immediately before the war, 98 and 104 Squadrons, with Hawker Hinds, operated along side 504 Squadron which later got Hawker Hurricane fighters. With war looking inevitable in late August, 1939, 504 moved to Digby. 104 left in 1938, so only 98 Squadron, with its highly limited Fairey Battle light day bombers, was there until March, 1940. After France fell, Hucknall was the temporary headquarters for No 1 Group, Bomber Command, until July, 1941.

During the war R-R repaired and modified Hurricane fighter aircraft at Hucknall. A huge number of wrecked Hurricanes were returned to service by the Rolls Royce repair unit. There was also the incident of the Luftwaffe pilot Franz Von Werra, the only Luftwaffe pilot to (eventually) escape from British captivity, when he boldly tried to borrow (unsuccessfully) one such Hurricane at Hucknall. Many interesting people flew into Hucknall. Douglas Bader, Max Aitken, Leigh Mallory (who was Commanding Officer of 12 Fighter Group), the Duke of Kent, who was killed soon after, and the Princess Royal and many more.


Returning to the RAF, early in the war until late 1940, Hucknall was home to No 12 Fighter Group HQ after which it moved to the underground bunker at Watnall. In January 1941 No. 1 Flying Training School arrived at Hucknall using Tiger Moth, Fairey Battle and Airspeed Oxford aircraft; this school moved to RAF Newton in July 1941 as No. 16 Secondary Flying Training School. It was replaced at Hucknall on 16 July 1941 by 25 Elementary Flying Training School using Tiger Moths. Hundreds of Polish pilots were trained there to fly on Tiger Moths before moving to operational units. The fledgling pilots used to party over at Watnall Hall which housed a large contingent of female WAAFs who worked in Fighter Command's secret underground bunkers there. 

In May 1946 504 Squadron arrived with De Havilland Mosquito T3 trainers and NF30 night-fighters and it was re-equipped with Spitfire F22 day fighters in May 1948. This squadron re-located to RAF Wymeswold in March 1950.

In 1946 the Nottingham University Air Squadron used Hucknall flying Tiger Moths but it moved to Newton during 1947.

The Merlin Flying Club (R-R employees) used the airfield from 1971 and up to the final closure operated the site as a weekend flying venue. They also used to do "have a try" flights from their grass airfield which I did a few years ago, They had an old "Land Rover" lookalike called an Austin Gipsy as a fire tender. 

Not a LandRover, an Austin Gipsy fire tender

Watnall locals will remember the annual Hucknall airshow in the summer and the very often seen (and heard) blue photo reconnaissance Spitfire that graced the local skies in the summer months. Sadly no more. The last airshow was around the mid to late 2000's. I can remember one in 2006.

The site is now used for housing, an extension of the Greater Nottingham conurbation, no doubt to be populated by people who won't ever give a thought to why their roads are named Kestrel, Peregrine, Merlin, Griffon, Welland, Derwent or Avon. Some of the airfield buildings are listed and there is also the Hucknall Flight Test museum on the site, along the lines of Duxford and Old Warden.

A good few brave airmen were also lost, either in training or in testing at, or from Hucknall and should be remembered, whether they were training on a Tiger Moth or flying in a Lancastrian, a Flying Bedstead or Vulcan...



Fatal Flying Bedstead crash 1957
XK426 was the second of two Rolls Royce "Flying Bedsteads", (Thrust Measuring Rigs) - the first British jet plane to achieve a vertical take-off. It was involved in a fatal crash during trials on 28 November 1957. The aircraft was carrying out an initial tethered flight in a gantry at Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. At 30 feet it paused, wobbled, and fell back rapidly and struck the ground heavily on its rear legs. It then bounced back up to 30 feet, fell back to the ground and toppled against the gantry structure killing the pilot. The pilot - New York-born Wing Commander Henry G.F. Larsen - was pinned underneath and crushed. He had been piloting the aircraft for the first time.

As a result of this accident, the other "Flying Bedstead" (Thrust Measuring Rig) was grounded. XK426 was the second of the two (the first was issued the serial XJ314). XK426 has a short flying life; it had only flown for the first time on 12 November 1957, and was wrecked in the above crash 16 days later.
The wreckage of XK426 was scrapped, XJ314 (TMR/"Flying Bedstead" No.1) was gifted to the Science Museum in London, where it remained on display


Rolls-Royce Spitfire Mark XIV and Lightning both based at Hucknall

Vulcan landing at the Bulwell end of the Hucknall runway.
Even huge planes like this could be accommodated at Hucknall.
Pic credit Hucknall Flight test museum.
 
1938 - close up of the Rolls Royce hangars

Cliff Rodgers - Rolls Royce chief test pilot and RR Spitfire pilot
Herbert Clifford Rodgers OBE, DFC, C.Eng, FRAeS (1922 - 2003)
Cliff joined the RAF as an apprentice at Halton in 1938 where the war cut short his training and he was passed out as a Fitter IIa. Following fitting posts at a number of locations he successfully applied for pilot training which he carried out at Scarborough, Alberta and Manitoba, Canada, followed by Bruntingthorpe and Winthorpe in the UK.
Having trained on Manchesters and Lancasters at 1661 HCU at Winthorpe, he was then posted to an operational squadron, 630 Squadron at East Kirkby where he few a total of 32 operations on Lancaster.
In 1944 he trained as an instructor before moving back to 1661 HCU at Winthorpe training pilots on Lancaster and Stirlings.
Cliff Rodgers (right) with the RR Spitfire behind

During his time at Tollerton he met Rolls-Royce Chief Test Pilot Captain Shepherd who on hearing of Cliff's heavy aircraft experience, offered him a job at Hucknall which he accepted in August 1948. In 1954 he became deputy Chief Test Pilot followed by Chief Test Pilot in 1962 which he remained until 1971 when test flying ceased at Hucknall. He then became Chief Communications Pilot flying the Company's Gulfstream II all over the world. In his retirement he continued to fly the Company's Mk XIV Spitfire until 1987, thus flying it regularly for a period of 38 years and entertaining many of the residents of Hucknall in the process.
 
The Rolls Royce Spitfire which still occasionally graces the skies of Watnall today



More wartime/aviation reading for you at the "Tales from Watnall Hall" website here including the time chief test pilot Ron Sheppard crashed onto the B600 road outside Watnall Hall... https://watnallhall.blogspot.com/search/label/wartime%20watnall; 

Sources - Thoroton archives, Duxford, Hucknall Flight Test museum. Local newspaper archives.

Comments

Tracey Bettinson
We loved our amazing Air field as children x
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Mel Pilcher
I know abit about the birth of aviation on the isle of Sheppey ,interesting times !
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John Teasdale
In years 5 & 6 at Highbury Junior School friend Cristopher and I were mad on aircraft and would go to path from Bulwell Hall Park to end of runway to watch annual air display clutching The Observer's Book of Aircraft. Always remember a Vulcan bomber flying low.
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Andrew Lejoger Moon
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I remember going to the final air display around 65.
The Blue Angels and the star of the show was the Vulcan flying low along the runway and climbing vertically on full throttle, it was so loud we had to cover our ears.
We were sat on the grass near the runway.
It would never be allowed now.
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Pamela Elizabeth Woodcock
Andrew Lejoger Moon Loved watching the air displays in the 1960s. Seeing the Red Arrows, too.
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Brian Yeomans
Andrew Lejoger Moon I remember seeing The Blue Angels at Hucknall in 1973 when they were flying Phantoms. What did they use in 1965, would it be Skyhawks?
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Andrew Lejoger Moon
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Brian Yeomans I think they were Phantoms then.
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Andrew Lejoger Moon
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Brian Yeomans I also remember, in the late 80s when I played golf at Bullwell Hall,standing on the, what was the 3rd tee, and being buzzed by a Spitfire, very low.
Sent a tingle down your spine.
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May be an image of text that says 'ROLLS ROYCE Rolls-Royce THIS MEMORIAL COMMEMORATES THE PILOTS AND CREWS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES FLIGHT TESTING AIRCRAFT AND ENGINES AT ROLLS-ROYCE, HUCKNALL. 26. 21.7.41 29.12.42 29. 55 REGINALD E. KIRLEW DAVID R. McCARTNEY F/O STUART T. HOLLICK (RAF) RICHARD H.B. PEACH ROBERT L. JONES D.S.O. MAURICE P. COSTELLO ILLTYD D. DAVIES WILLIAM ORR W/C HENRY G.F.LARSEN D.F.C.(RAE) MANCHESTER HURRICANE SPITFIRE CANBERRA LANCASTRIAN 28. 11. 20.9.58 KEITH R. STURT RONALD W. FORD (FAIREY AVIATION) WILLIAM E. HOWKINS F/L RAYMONDM PARROTT (RAF) FLYING BEDSTEAD (TMR) VULCAN'
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Chris Appleby
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Jeff Bridges Sobering post.
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David Weston
This is a great post, thank you 👍🏻
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Bhavoir Kirk
Was the last air show in 2014? I thought it was much earlier than that?
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Chris Appleby
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Bhavoir Kirk Not exactly sure to be honest but I can certainly remember them in the later 2000's
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Bhavoir Kirk
Chris Appleby thank you. It’s just that I seem to remember going to them over 30 years ago with my mum - the ones when the Red Arrows visited, and I thought they stopped around that time. But thanks for your answer🤙
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Bhavoir Kirk
Chris Appleby fabulous post, by the way. Thank you🤙
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Andrew Lejoger Moon
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Bhavoir Kirk they used to have a display for the flying club.
The ones in the 60s were like Farnborough.
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Kevin Palethorpe
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Went a few times to the shows sometimes legally and sometimes illegally by over the fence back of what we called Bulwell springs
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Iain Yexley
Interesting post! My dad was in RAF but radar not flying
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Paul Miller
Until.i was 12 (1959) my family lived at Awsworth.
We where right on the flight path and saw a lot of the Vulcan and a Shackleton that had what looked like an old style TV aerial on the nose.
I remember someone saying it was to do with weather recording.
Though i never had that confirned.
I remember seeing the Hawker Hunter formation team around the late 1950s. They were all black.
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Frank Wilson
I used to work a three shift system at Stanton Ironworks.I used to dread working Nights when the VC 10 with the two standard engines and the RB 211 engine flew over our house.I swear I used to jump about 2 feet out of bed when it flew over.What a lovely racket once I had calmed down.
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Paul Miller
Frank Wilson i re.ember that flying over as well Frank.
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Frank Wilson
Paul Miller our house is about 1 mile from the end of the runway,the Pilot was giving it full thrust his when he came over.What a noise.
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Arthur Hancock
I have a plaque that shows the aircraft at Hucknall including the Harrier, but cannot find its history.
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Guy Peace
An older workmate of mine worked on the Flying Bedstead there during its trials. He was a fuel systems expert from RR in Derby.
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Paul Stevo Stevens
Mike Barnett right up your street this mate.
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Andy Rosochacki
I remember at an airshow there in the 60s in beautiful weather the St Johns ambulance men administering aid to people in shock after a Lightning arrived with a “silent” approach near the sound barrier if not actually through it and going vertical when its sound caught it up in explosive fashion.
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Christine Clamp - McBride
Annual Air display, viewed mostly from sitting on slack heaps 50s.
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Nigel Harrison
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The English Electric Lightning was Britain’s only supersonic aircraft - the only completely British supersonic plane to ever go into production. Rather surprising! I think English Electric also made washing machines, we had one when I was a child. Thought it was very cool!
May be an image of aircraft and text
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Gill Cooke
Great post. I always went to the Hucknall air show every year. It was a very big day locally, loved it
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Dave Sanders
My father in law was there for the 'flying bedstead' tests he was an instrument technician in 504 squadron
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Nigel Savage
Loved the shows in the 60's, was mad on aircraft those days spent a lot of money on "Airfix" kits, the fighters Spitfires, Me 109's etc, were a mighty 1/11 in those days!! Used to go with my dad, brother, Also went with Derek Hamlin when we lived in St Anne's, caught the bus there, spent a lot of time picking up the "Pop" bottles, taking them back to the stalls and picking up 3d (Threepenny Bit) per bottle, and then buying ice lollies (Suckers) happy days👍
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Michael Carr
I worked in 4 hangar for about 10 years until 2003. I was proud to be a part of an exceptional team and find it very sad that some of the historic buildings have been demolished.
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James Overton
Was an unfortunate accident testing the harrier engine at rr Hucknall
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Hangar Pics 

Anne Archer
This is brilliant history … so interesting
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Peter Kurinczuk
Listed... till they're allowed to deteriorate far enough to necessitate demolition like other hangars eg 4 & 5. Shame on RR/ITP!
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Spitfire pic
Ian Finn
I saw this plane i assume its the same one flying in the 60s when my dad owned the garage at Watnall someone said it was the Flying Officer getting his hours in what a sight and sound
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Peter Kurinczuk
Ian Finn RR has been through a few Spits eg. the current one was only restored in the 1990s.
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Pam Marriott
Did your dad sell Jenson Interceptors? I loved seeing those cars on the forecourt.

Vulcan Pic

mments

Anne Archer
I lived with these planes during the Cold War - my Dad was stationed at RAF Scampton - responsible for refuelling and maintenance of the aircraft. There was always 3 in the air in that dangerous era. Fully armed with nuclear capability - they kept w… 
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Chris Appleby
Anne Archer Yes that sound! I remember it from airshows in the 80's.
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Peter Mankelow
It was VX770 that crashed at RAF Syerston in 1958. The pictured aircraft appears to be a different one. I witnessed that accident, and ironically started my apprenticeship at RR Hucknall some 10 yrs later. The flying component at Hucknall started to wind down in 1971. Activities being transferred to Bristol.
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Neil Thompson
Bert London, who I knew at the end of his life was I think a draftsman at Hucknall and continued post retirement working on the archives in the museum at Hucknall. He showed me some of the drawings he made, while the engineering was way beyond my understanding, I could appreciate the technical brilliance I was witnessing
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