WWII Hampshire - Defending Gosport - RAF Grange airfield (1)
Introduction
The photograph on this page of WWII Hampshire - Defending Gosport - RAF Grange airfield (1) by Mike Searle as part of the Geograph project.
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WWII Hampshire - Defending Gosport - RAF Grange airfield (1)
Image: © Mike Searle Taken: 25 Nov 2016
- Pillbox (type FW3/24): DoB ID: S0012745 This variant form of a type 24 hexagonal bulletproof pillbox has an unusually large number of embrasures, and is the only one of the former airfield's seven extant pillboxes that overlook an open area. All the others are located in woodland within a local nature reserve. Although never a major airfield (the tarmac runways having been removed), during the Second World War the airfield at RAF Gosport (aka Grange) played host to a number of squadrons flying a variety of aircraft. These included the Spitfire, Hurricane, Defiant, Swordfish, Blenheim, Hudson, Barracuda, and Beaufighter. With the end of the war, control passed to the Royal Navy's FAA who operated a small number of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters from the airfield, then recommissioned as HMS Siskin. The airfield was finally closed in May 1956 when HMS Sultan, a RN training and mechanical repair facility was established on the site. Much of the former airfield was given over to housing in 1965. Image
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Image Location
Latitude
50.810161
Longitude
-1.17874