Always drive over this airfield on the way home whenever possible. Carted on the perimeter in the fifties and was driven by my father along the main runway from 0 to80 mph doing his Mosquito take off drill. He was an instructor and recce pilot in ww2. It is sad that recent history has gone so quickly from the Forest. Bless all the men and women who served.
Ashley Walk bombing range, near Godshill is also an interesting place to visit. The water-fiiled crater made by the first 22,000lb. Gand Slam bomb can still be seen.
Ashley Walk is a great place to explore. Do check out my video of my walk there - which covers some history of the craters. ruclips.net/video/N1umv3MvDGc/видео.html
Not exactly New Forest but I grew up next door to what was Christchurch Airfield. There are some great links to this info and even a recon photo by the Luftwaffe
I did do a small clip about RAF Christchurch but alas virtually all of it has been built over so I never published a video. A number of the roads at the location do have references to their former use within their names (eg Lancaster Way etc). Maybe I will see if I can do a walk down that way that include a reference to it - and thereby complete the set of the 12 "New Forest" WW2 airfields.
A lot of Southampton lads and lasses learnt to drive on that old airfield, 60 odd years ago it was in better condition, I was 14 when I had my first drive in my aunties Ford Consul convertible..great times..
Shame they ripped up the runways. I always wondered if they were still hidden under all that grass, i thought maybe soil and grass had just built up over time, but you've answered that query for me, thanks. We have visited this area every time we've taken a holiday near the New Forest and although we've got out and walked around by the various ponds nearby, we've never bothered to walk around the old airport site. I didn't even know about the remains of the runway light bases being there, though we know several of the old frying pan shaped areas they used for parking aircraft on are still there.
Thanks. Do check out another video that I did of a walk at Stoney Cross as it includes some further "exploration" around the site including finding large bits of concrete in a gully! (ruclips.net/video/5nmS2J825Vc/видео.html ) Thanks for watching.
I don’t understand why at least one small structure couldn’t be left standing here or at Beaulieu Heath or Helmsley of which a memorial plaque could be mounted upon. I’d guess the only reason those few concrete bases remain to this day was the financial burden of breaking up & returning the ground to heathland or gravel pathways .For a nation which prides itself on its heritage & military history & might I believe the near eradication of these airfields is pretty disgraceful & disrespectful to many airmen & those in supporting roles whom were sacrificed saving that very thing & all the illustrious institutions which survive as a consequence of their efforts & deaths. All three locations were hardly obstructing development & arguments regarding maintenance of a few brick walls would be utterly insignificant compared to the protection that’s relished upon more opulent historical artefacts in England. Thanks for this Dave.
![NEW FOREST WALK at STONEY CROSS & OCKNELL INCLOSURE (NEW FOREST NATIONAL PARK) [4K]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5nmS2J825Vc/mqdefault.jpg)
Always drive over this airfield on the way home whenever possible. Carted on the perimeter in the fifties and was driven by my father along the main runway from 0 to80 mph doing his Mosquito take off drill. He was an instructor and recce pilot in ww2. It is sad that recent history has gone so quickly from the Forest. Bless all the men and women who served.
Great information Dave, really helping with my HNC photography project
Thank you.
Great video. I drove along the runways just a few days ago.
Thanks. Yes, I regularly drive around that part of the New Forest as well.
Ashley Walk bombing range, near Godshill is also an interesting place to visit. The water-fiiled crater made by the first 22,000lb. Gand Slam bomb can still be seen.
Ashley Walk is a great place to explore. Do check out my video of my walk there - which covers some history of the craters. ruclips.net/video/N1umv3MvDGc/видео.html
Fascinating film Dave. 👍🏼👍🏼
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.
Not exactly New Forest but I grew up next door to what was Christchurch Airfield. There are some great links to this info and even a recon photo by the Luftwaffe
I did do a small clip about RAF Christchurch but alas virtually all of it has been built over so I never published a video. A number of the roads at the location do have references to their former use within their names (eg Lancaster Way etc). Maybe I will see if I can do a walk down that way that include a reference to it - and thereby complete the set of the 12 "New Forest" WW2 airfields.
Gives me a very sad feeling to see this . I was born in 1942 . Thinking about all the pilots and there planes ✈️ God Bless em all ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖🎖
Yes - a very sad place to walk around.
A lot of Southampton lads and lasses learnt to drive on that old airfield, 60 odd years ago it was in better condition, I was 14 when I had my first drive in my aunties Ford Consul convertible..great times..
The perfect place to learn to drive, I should imagine! Thanks for watching.
Got to love the P-38s. They always remind me of a couple of artillery shells. Quite fitting considering the damage they did.
Yes indeed. I believe that the Germans gave them the nickname of "Fork-tailed devils"!
Shame they ripped up the runways. I always wondered if they were still hidden under all that grass, i thought maybe soil and grass had just built up over time, but you've answered that query for me, thanks. We have visited this area every time we've taken a holiday near the New Forest and although we've got out and walked around by the various ponds nearby, we've never bothered to walk around the old airport site. I didn't even know about the remains of the runway light bases being there, though we know several of the old frying pan shaped areas they used for parking aircraft on are still there.
Thanks. Do check out another video that I did of a walk at Stoney Cross as it includes some further "exploration" around the site including finding large bits of concrete in a gully! (ruclips.net/video/5nmS2J825Vc/видео.html ) Thanks for watching.
@@DaveFord ok will do, thanks. 🙂
I don’t understand why at least one small structure couldn’t be left standing here or at Beaulieu Heath or Helmsley of which a memorial plaque could be mounted upon. I’d guess the only reason those few concrete bases remain to this day was the financial burden of breaking up & returning the ground to heathland or gravel pathways .For a nation which prides itself on its heritage & military history & might I believe the near eradication of these airfields is pretty disgraceful & disrespectful to many airmen & those in supporting roles whom were sacrificed saving that very thing & all the illustrious institutions which survive as a consequence of their efforts & deaths. All three locations were hardly obstructing development & arguments regarding maintenance of a few brick walls would be utterly insignificant compared to the protection that’s relished upon more opulent historical artefacts in England.
Thanks for this Dave.
Yes, I know what you mean. I am surprised that a small building couldn't have been left.