High Ercall

Really Strange place to visit, the eeriness of how clean everything makes this place a very interesting place to walk around.

Construction Began in 1938  of the Airfield and from the 1940’s there was a maintenance squadron situated here along with various other squadrons.

The site later became the headquarters for the Road Transport Industry Training Board (RTITB) Multi Occupational Training and Educational Centre (MOTEC 1), home of the RTITB National Junior Mechanic Competition 1987.

The majority of the runways have been removed leaving only small tracks however nine hangars still are present spread out over the site and near a local village. A local Wartime Aircraft Recovery Group also occupies a section of the site.In 2002 it was proposed to build a centre for asylum seekers on the site.The site was sold in 2014.

A World War Two military airfield with post war civilian use of the site. Construction of the airfield began in 1938, it was partly complete by 1940, though work on the airfield buildings continued into 1941. From 1940 the airfield was operated by Maintenance Command, particularly by 29 Maintenance Unit. Civilians from the Ministry of Aircraft Production were also worked at the base. From 1941-1942 the airfield was taken over by Fighter Command, and it was used by 68, 255 and 257 Squadrons, also 1456 Flight. These were mainly night fighter units. From 1942 the base was also used by the United States Army 8th Air Force’s 309 Fighter Squadron. The role of the site changed in 1943 to training: it was used mainly by 60 Operational Training Unit for this purpose. By the end of the war High Ercall had a variety of hangars including the initial J and K types, with added L, T2, Robin and Blister type aircraft hangars: none of the last three types have survived. Most of these were grouped around the south and western edge of the flying fields, with two additional sites further to the west and dispersals to the east side. Living quarters were to the south of the flying field. There were a range of permanent technical buildings at the main unit site and the technical site. The site was used post-war by the Royal Air Force for storage and scrapping of aircraft and from 1968 by the Road Transport Industry Training Board. By the late 1990s the main flying field had been destroyed, but a number of buildings survived including J, K and B1 type hangars, stores, office and workshops mostly at the main unit site- please see SJ 61 NW 30 for further details. Sub site number 2 has been used as a museum by a local “Wartime Aircraft Recovery Group”, please see SJ 51 NE 34 for further details.

 

http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1397458

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7341243/raf-cold-war-airfield-prepare-for-war-soviet-union/

 

1 thought on “High Ercall

  1. Alan Armstrong says:

    Worked here for Centrex in 1996-98. A wonderful place to train the young people in our Motor Trade. The on site accommodation & food was first class. I used the swimming pool, bowling green & bar at night. Met some interesting people & it was a privilege to be associated with quality training.

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