RAF Friston and RAF Merston
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Thread: RAF Friston and RAF Merston

  1. #1

    RAf Friston

    Another long abandoned airfield used in WW2; on the clifftops of East Sussex, was used as an emergency landing ground and forward operating base throughout ww2, as well as home to an ASR (Air Sea Rescue) flight.
    Officially it was a satellite to Kenley, built in 1940 around an earlier civil landing field; accommodations were rudimentary for those not accommodated at Gayles Farm, being tents and huts , only 2 blister hangars, no control tower, I would think one of the huts would be 'watch office', it has been reported that at times there were nearly 100 aircraft of all types to be seen here , it being a popular 'drop in' for aircraft limping home from ops, besides the resident ASR Spitfires . Still a bit of a WIP..

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Friston

    https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/G...sourceID=19191


    Click image for larger version. 

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    it's above the Spit in screenie

    ttfn

    Pete

  2. #2
    Senior Administrator huub vink's Avatar
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    The last episodes of the TV series "a piece of cake" were recorded at Friston (see below) and the Seven Sisters were acting as the Cliffs of Dover.

    Cheers,
    Huub


  3. #3
    Many thanks for investigating and creating these, MM!

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by ViperPilot2 View Post
    Many thanks for investigating and creating these, MM!
    I'm just filling in the gaps that Ian leaves...I have one maybe two more in the works that were genuinely Battle of Britain airfields.

    Ttfn

    Pete

  5. #5

    RAF Merston

    Satellite to Tangmere 2.5 miles away , built 1940, and completed in 1941,consisted of a 30ft wide peri track, a control tower, and 6 blister hangars plus numerous assorted huts.
    Runways were originally grass, but due to problems with waterlogging (strange for an airfield that was built on the site of Marsh Farm) were relaid in metal tracking in late 1942

    The large buildings in centre picture are not part of the airfield, but the pre war refrigerator factory.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Was used by Spitfires from both RAF, then USAAF when it became station 351

    Still got a bit of finishing up to do, with this one and Friston

    ttfn

    Pete
    Last edited by Motormouse; November 10th, 2023 at 10:10.

  6. #6

    Friston to test

    Friston.zip

    have fun; there's a little bonus in the zip too

    ttfn

    Pete
    Last edited by Motormouse; November 15th, 2023 at 11:32.

  7. #7

    RAF Friston and RAF Merston


    A new entry has been added to Add-Ons Library, category FS 2004 Scenery

    Description: Ez Scenery / AFCAD of 2 more long gone RAF airfields


    Royal Air Force Friston or more simply RAF Friston is a former Royal Air Force satellite station and Emergency Landing Ground located in East Sussex, England;
    built in 1940, closed 1946,Friston on the scenic South Downs had one of Britain's slightly more unusual airfield histories, though one no less effective or noteworthy. Its early beginnings are vague: certainly there existed a pre-war civil landing ground at Gayles Farm which first saw confirmed RAF use during 1936 for an exercise. Four years later the military officially arrived by declaring this place as an Emergency Landing Ground, further but still limited use occurring during 1941 when Friston became a forward airfield for Kenley, though the ELG requirement largely remained. Friston was briefly re-used in the filming of " Piece of Cake" TV series


    and


    RAF Merston was built during 1939 as a grass satellite airfield to RAF Tangmere,
    and was sited West of Merston, North, North East of Runcton Village, and 2 miles South East of Chichester. but problems with waterlogging of the grass runways (unusual that!; It was built on Marsh Farm ) meant it wasn't fully utilised until 1941, with 17 hard standings, 12 double pens for fighters and 6 blister hangers. Runways relaid in metal 1942-43, Closed 1946
    The large buildings are not part of airfield and are there to represent the pre war refrigerator factory


    As usual; built to align with the UK VFR photoscenery, exclude file included, but no ground poly for default / GW3 users as Sbuilder won't run on my system
    Objects from usual suspects ; Ted Andrews, UKVFR Scenery library, Sid Schwartz, Al Simms and Michael Carr

    To check it out, rate it or add comments, visit RAF Friston and RAF Merston
    The comments you make there will appear in the posts below.

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