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Near Brize Norton

A forum for the discussion of Military aviation and RAF Station heritage
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reheat module
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Near Brize Norton

Post by reheat module » Mon May 28, 2018 2:01 pm

I'm heading down to see a friend near Carterton, very close to BZN.
Just looking on a map, there appears to be a disused runway and the earth contours of Pans, at a site about 1-1.5 miles directly WNW of the end of BZN main runway.
Can anyone give any advice on this, or any link to its history please?
Many thanks.
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Nighthawke
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Re: Near Brize Norton

Post by Nighthawke » Mon May 28, 2018 2:12 pm

Former RAF Broadwell - plenty of Google links by the looks of things.

sherriff
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Re: Near Brize Norton

Post by sherriff » Mon May 28, 2018 2:35 pm

Has a solar farm on half of it. You can still walk along the remains of the main runway. The watch-office still stands. Was C47's. 1943-47. Participated in D-Day.

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reheat module
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Re: Near Brize Norton

Post by reheat module » Mon May 28, 2018 4:17 pm

Many thanks, just needed the name, well on to the way of learning something new.
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Malcolm
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Re: Near Brize Norton

Post by Malcolm » Mon May 28, 2018 6:59 pm

reheat module wrote:
Mon May 28, 2018 4:17 pm
Many thanks, just needed the name, well on to the way of learning something new.
Try looking at RAF Down Ampney and you'll realise you've probably driven past it a million times (hunting B-52 and B-1's) and not realised. And RAF Blakehill Farm is just the other side of the A419 too. Broadwell, Down Ampney and Blakehill Farm were the 3 bases that the majority of the British and Commonwealth Paras took off from on their way to parachuting Into the fields east of Caen in the 2nd and 3rd waves during D-Day.

nickowen
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Location: Vale of Clwyd

Re: Near Brize Norton

Post by nickowen » Wed Jun 13, 2018 5:53 pm

Slightly off topic, but 'Down Ampney' is also the name of a beautiful hymn tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams, sung at this time of year to the words 'Come down O Love divine'. Whenever we sang it at school, I would think of D Day and and of the young men who took the fight to the enemy and began the liberation of occupied Europe.

AshBailey
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Location: Cinderford, Forest of Dean

Re: Near Brize Norton

Post by AshBailey » Wed Jun 20, 2018 12:11 pm

If it helps anyone - I have an old spreadsheet I compiled years ago with all (or very nearly all) airfields from WW1 - present day.

It hasn't been updated for years but has counties, OS grid refs, brief history etc... If it's of any use to anyone drop me a PM with your email address and I'll email a copy back.

1marshn30
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Location: Bodicote Oxfordshire

Re: Near Brize Norton

Post by 1marshn30 » Tue May 28, 2019 9:25 pm

RAF Broadwell control tower 2/5/19
ImageP5020634 RAF Broadwell by marshn2010, on Flickr

A lot more peaceful than 75 years ago
Ni

Al dunn
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Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:12 pm
Location: MOD St Athan

Re: Near Brize Norton

Post by Al dunn » Wed May 29, 2019 9:41 am

There was a piece on RAF Broadwell posted on here a few years back

viewtopic.php?f=322&t=29472&p=196184&hi ... ll#p196184

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