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Stapleford Aerodrome
Stapleford Aerodrome (ICAO: EGSG) is an operational general aviation aerodrome in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England, near the village of Abridge. It is about 3.4 nautical miles (6.3 km; 3.9 mi) south of North Weald Airfield and 4.5 NM (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) north of Romford. The airfield is just within the M25, close to the junction with the M11.
Stapleford Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P472) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Herts & Essex Aero Club Limited).
Stapleford opened as Essex Aerodrome in 1933 as a base for Hillman's Airways, which provided a service to Paris and other European cities using De Havilland DH.84 Dragon and DH.89 Dragon Rapide biplanes. Amy Johnson was one of the Hillman Airways pilots. After running into financial difficulties, Hillman was bought up by Whitehall Security Corporation Ltd and merged with three other airlines that they already owned to form British Airways Ltd. Operations began in 1936, but after four months, all flights were moved to Heston Aerodrome, leaving just a small number of private aircraft.
The RAF took an interest in the airfield in 1937, and in 1938 No. 21 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School RAF was established at Stapleford. Training was provided by Reid and Sigrist Ltd, under contract to the Air Ministry. One of the most famous students was J.E. "Johnnie" Johnson who became the RAF's top scoring pilot and reached the rank of air vice-marshal.
The airfield was requisitioned shortly after the start of the Second World War as RAF Stapleford Tawney. A long perimeter track and dispersal points were built and some accommodation buildings were erected. By the end of March 1940 the airfield was ready to become a satellite station for RAF North Weald.
The first squadron to make regular use of Stapleford was No. 151 Squadron, making patrols from the base from August 1940. Six aircraft were lost and two pilots, including squadron leader Eric King, killed in action on 30 August. After a short stay, the squadron was moved to RAF Digby, Lincolnshire, but one aircraft struck a crane after takeoff and burst into flames. The pilot, Pilot Officer Richard Ambrose, was killed; he is buried in Epping cemetery.
No. 46 Squadron arrived in September, having lost all their Hawker Hurricane fighters when the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious was sunk while evacuating the squadron from Norway.
Other units to use Stapleford included the secret No. 419 Flight, formed in August 1940 as the operational air-arm of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). They were intended to use Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys to drop agents and supplies behind enemy lines. Westland Lysanders would be used to pick up agents as well as other important people. Because of heavy Luftwaffe attacks on North Weald, the flight moved to Stapleford on 4 September. The Whitley was a rather large aircraft to use Stapleford's grass runways. Only two operations were carried out from Stapleford; one to Brest and the other to Fontainebleau. The flight then moved to RAF Stradishall, Suffolk, on 9 October.
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Stapleford Aerodrome
Stapleford Aerodrome (ICAO: EGSG) is an operational general aviation aerodrome in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England, near the village of Abridge. It is about 3.4 nautical miles (6.3 km; 3.9 mi) south of North Weald Airfield and 4.5 NM (8.3 km; 5.2 mi) north of Romford. The airfield is just within the M25, close to the junction with the M11.
Stapleford Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P472) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Herts & Essex Aero Club Limited).
Stapleford opened as Essex Aerodrome in 1933 as a base for Hillman's Airways, which provided a service to Paris and other European cities using De Havilland DH.84 Dragon and DH.89 Dragon Rapide biplanes. Amy Johnson was one of the Hillman Airways pilots. After running into financial difficulties, Hillman was bought up by Whitehall Security Corporation Ltd and merged with three other airlines that they already owned to form British Airways Ltd. Operations began in 1936, but after four months, all flights were moved to Heston Aerodrome, leaving just a small number of private aircraft.
The RAF took an interest in the airfield in 1937, and in 1938 No. 21 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School RAF was established at Stapleford. Training was provided by Reid and Sigrist Ltd, under contract to the Air Ministry. One of the most famous students was J.E. "Johnnie" Johnson who became the RAF's top scoring pilot and reached the rank of air vice-marshal.
The airfield was requisitioned shortly after the start of the Second World War as RAF Stapleford Tawney. A long perimeter track and dispersal points were built and some accommodation buildings were erected. By the end of March 1940 the airfield was ready to become a satellite station for RAF North Weald.
The first squadron to make regular use of Stapleford was No. 151 Squadron, making patrols from the base from August 1940. Six aircraft were lost and two pilots, including squadron leader Eric King, killed in action on 30 August. After a short stay, the squadron was moved to RAF Digby, Lincolnshire, but one aircraft struck a crane after takeoff and burst into flames. The pilot, Pilot Officer Richard Ambrose, was killed; he is buried in Epping cemetery.
No. 46 Squadron arrived in September, having lost all their Hawker Hurricane fighters when the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious was sunk while evacuating the squadron from Norway.
Other units to use Stapleford included the secret No. 419 Flight, formed in August 1940 as the operational air-arm of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). They were intended to use Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys to drop agents and supplies behind enemy lines. Westland Lysanders would be used to pick up agents as well as other important people. Because of heavy Luftwaffe attacks on North Weald, the flight moved to Stapleford on 4 September. The Whitley was a rather large aircraft to use Stapleford's grass runways. Only two operations were carried out from Stapleford; one to Brest and the other to Fontainebleau. The flight then moved to RAF Stradishall, Suffolk, on 9 October.