Halfpenny Green Airport

[@mikemallen9378]

Fantastic local history , thanks as always for posting

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Thank you for watching and commenting. It is much appreciated.

[@GiuseppeGavazzaAmbient]

Always enjoy your wanderings

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Thank you for watching and commenting Giuseppe.

[@michaeljoyce8410]

Excellent, really enjoyed that. Thank you

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Thank you for watching Michael.

[@BlurredMan030]

Fascinating, as always 👍👍

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Thank you for watching.

[@XhristinaMacey]

Interesting xx local history is always important to document x

[@XhristinaMacey]

Like Charter hall near where I live the nickname for the place was slaughter hall because of all of the accents on substandard aircraft

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Thank you for watching and commenting. It is greatly appreciated. I watched and very much enjoyed your video on Charter Hall. Unfortunately there were many accidents and deaths at HG and on the training flights away from the airfield, even after changing to Avro Ansons. There was also a civilian worker killed when he walked into a running propeller during the war.

[@dr_jaymz]

Ah good job, I'm based there and didn't know much of its history, but you can feel it when you're there.

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Thank you very much for watching and commenting. I think that the large number of WW2 buildings that have survived and are still in use today helps keep that historic atmosphere.

[@IanHeatherley-bi9rs]

Nice one mate 👍

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Thanks Ian and thank you for watching.

[@michaeljoyce8410]

As you’re moving further afield, perhaps you could look at Gatacre Hall? I lived there, in a barn conversion, for 10 years - 1997\2007. (The first barn to be sold by the developer, who I believe bought the 100 acre site from the Gatacre family in the 1980’s) Apparently there’s a story behind the hall being abandoned late 30’s with the family moving to Canada, never to return. The saying was that every house in Claverley had a “repurposed” piece of furniture from the hall.

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Thanks for the suggestion. I think the furthest afield so far was Kilpeck, Herefordshire! I’ll look into Gatacre. Cheers.

[@cipowell42]

I’d love a video about Hartlebury RAF base. We’ve done quite a bit of research in to the history of our house (which is just outside Hartlebury) and the owners during WW2 were quite actively involved with the French resistance (the lady of the house was French) and there are rumours that the house was also used to help injured airmen recuperate. I’d love to find some more evidence about that too!

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Thanks for watching and commenting. RAF Hartlebury is a possibility for a future video. The history of your house sounds fascinating!

[@cipowell42]

@@thewheezywanderer6995 It really is! We’ve found all sorts out about, found wells hidden in the kitchen etc. We’ve hit a few dead ends though, such as the connection to RAF Hartlebury!

[@michaelbolton7790]

An interesting account of the Airfield. A few other items worthy of interest would be a mention that the airfield was once the home of 'The South Staffs Skydiving Club' from around 1966 to the early eighties. I did my initial parachute training there in 1968, later becoming 'Chief Instructor' for a time. We used a 1930's DeHaviland 'Rapide' biplane as our regular jumpship. During this time the airfield was sold to a consortium led by Mr. Tom Silk, who amongst other things, was the Vice Chairman of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. Sadly he was later killed, along with his wife, in his aircraft when it crashed in the Pyrenees. The airfield was also used to stage the Goodyear Air Races for a number of years. One of the competitors in the 1972 event was non other than Prince Michael of Gloucester. Sadly, he was killed when his aircraft crashed at the airfield when participating in that event. I think that this incident brought about the end of this competition being held there. I personally, now living in Mid-Wales, haven't been to the airfield for a number of years, but being interesting in aviation, it's good to see it still being used for that purpose rather than being built on.

[@TimestreamII]

Thanks for watching and commenting Michael. The extra info is much appreciated. I remember the Prince William aircrash in 1972 I was there at the time. I had forgotten about the Good Year air races and you also reminded me of when the Good Year airship was based there too. I remember the parachuting taking place too. Did it stop because of too many accidents? I was lucky enough to get a pleasure flight in a Rapide a few years ago at one of the WW2 weekends at HG. It was brilliant.

[@michaelbolton7790]

@@TimestreamII I'd already left when the skydiving finished. I don't think it was through an accumulation of accidents, more likely financial. Although I myself & my other jumping companion, Mike Taylor, were involved in a near death accident. If you want to know more about this, look it up on Google - put in 'Skydiving accident- 15th. July 1972'. Personally, I'd sooner forget about it.

[@michaelbolton7790]

@@TimestreamII I'd already left when the skydiving ended at the airfield, but I don't think it was because of accidents, more likely financial. Talking of accidents, myself & my friend, Mike Taylor were involved in one accident there. You can Google it if you want to by putting in 'Skydiving accident, 15th. July 1972 at Halfpenny Green airfield.' I, personally, would rather forget about it.

[@thewheezywanderer6995]

Wow! Just looked it up, that was incredible!