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Report - - Predannack Airfield, Helston - May 2018 | Military Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Predannack Airfield, Helston - May 2018

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Idle Hands

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Predannack Airfield

Predannack Airfield was established in 1941 and reached its peak personnel level of 3,600 by 1944 in the midst of the second World War. It's evolved over the years but remains owned my the Ministry of Defence, used as a satellite of RNAS Culdrose and the base of RAF 626 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. The Royal Navy operate the runways and use the more remote end for crash rescue practice. It's adorned with a changing roster of retired airframes for this purpose.

I was keen to see this and the weather was perfect for such an excursion, though its MoD connection made me slightly nervous. That aside, if you can locate it along the south west coastal path you can pretty much walk straight in. If I wasn't looking for it, I could easily have ended up there inadvertently as it turned out.

The first thing I saw on rounding the gorse was a Sea King I recognised from previous reports - looking pretty much the worse for wear it has to be said. I'd barely got the camera out when a car came hurtling down the runway closest to me so I crouched down and carried on, fully expecting it to be doing a tour of the alcoves that house these bits of aviation history. After such a hike to get to the place it'd be pretty bad luck to be turned back so soon...

IMG_3821Predannack.JPG


IMG_3873Predannack.JPG


Thankfully it didn't pan out like that. The car never reappeared, and the next thing I saw was a guy about my age and his young son doing the same as me. This relaxed me and paved the way for the most chilled out wide open explore in the beating sun since the last days of Thorpe Marsh Power Station, and it was just as enjoyable.

A bit of post-exploring research would suggest the occupants of the car lived at Jellytown, a pair of cottages on the west of the airfield whose only access is through the main gates and along the perimeter road. No wonder they weren't too fussed about us being there.

IMG_3817Predannack.JPG


IMG_3818Predannack.JPG


IMG_3819Predannack.JPG


It seems that a number of the aircraft pictured here over the years have been removed of late, and some new ones have arrived...

This pair of British Army Westland Lynxes were built in 1991 and appear to be new additions.

IMG_3824Predannack.JPG


IMG_3825Predannack.JPG


IMG_3826Predannack.JPG


IMG_3827Predannack.JPG


This plane wreck has been here much longer...

IMG_3833Predannack.JPG


IMG_3831Predannack.JPG


IMG_3835Predannack.JPG


Another newer one...

IMG_3839Predannack.JPG


IMG_3840Predannack.JPG


More Sea Kings...

IMG_3843Predannack.JPG


IMG_3845Predannack.JPG


IMG_3848Predannack.JPG


IMG_3851Predannack.JPG


There are also a couple of Hawker Siddeley Harriers...

IMG_3857Predannack.JPG


IMG_3858Predannack.JPG


IMG_3859Predannack.JPG


IMG_3860Predannack.JPG


IMG_3865Predannack.JPG


And finally some of the fire training rigs...

IMG_3867Predannack.JPG


IMG_3868Predannack.JPG


And with that I strolled out the way I'd come in search of a well earned drink.

Definitely worth the bit of effort it takes to get there.

Thanks for stopping by! :thumb

IMG_3866Predannack.JPG
 

host

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Yes sir really nice report, if it wasn't so far away i'd love to go back...
 

Idle Hands

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Yes sir really nice report, if it wasn't so far away i'd love to go back...

Thanks very much - Yeah it’s about as far away as anywhere I could have taken a trip to... I just made a week of it! :D
 

Webster1991

28DL Member
28DL Member
Predannack Airfield

Predannack Airfield was established in 1941 and reached its peak personnel level of 3,600 by 1944 in the midst of the second World War. It's evolved over the years but remains owned my the Ministry of Defence, used as a satellite of RNAS Culdrose and the base of RAF 626 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. The Royal Navy operate the runways and use the more remote end for crash rescue practice. It's adorned with a changing roster of retired airframes for this purpose.

I was keen to see this and the weather was perfect for such an excursion, though its MoD connection made me slightly nervous. That aside, if you can locate it along the south west coastal path you can pretty much walk straight in. If I wasn't looking for it, I could easily have ended up there inadvertently as it turned out.

The first thing I saw on rounding the gorse was a Sea King I recognised from previous reports - looking pretty much the worse for wear it has to be said. I'd barely got the camera out when a car came hurtling down the runway closest to me so I crouched down and carried on, fully expecting it to be doing a tour of the alcoves that house these bits of aviation history. After such a hike to get to the place it'd be pretty bad luck to be turned back so soon...

IMG_3821Predannack.JPG


IMG_3873Predannack.JPG


Thankfully it didn't pan out like that. The car never reappeared, and the next thing I saw was a guy about my age and his young son doing the same as me. This relaxed me and paved the way for the most chilled out wide open explore in the beating sun since the last days of Thorpe Marsh Power Station, and it was just as enjoyable.

A bit of post-exploring research would suggest the occupants of the car lived at Jellytown, a pair of cottages on the west of the airfield whose only access is through the main gates and along the perimeter road. No wonder they weren't too fussed about us being there.

IMG_3817Predannack.JPG


IMG_3818Predannack.JPG


IMG_3819Predannack.JPG


It seems that a number of the aircraft pictured here over the years have been removed of late, and some new ones have arrived...

This pair of British Army Westland Lynxes were built in 1991 and appear to be new additions.

IMG_3824Predannack.JPG


IMG_3825Predannack.JPG


IMG_3826Predannack.JPG


IMG_3827Predannack.JPG


This plane wreck has been here much longer...

IMG_3833Predannack.JPG


IMG_3831Predannack.JPG


IMG_3835Predannack.JPG


Another newer one...

IMG_3839Predannack.JPG


IMG_3840Predannack.JPG


More Sea Kings...

IMG_3843Predannack.JPG


IMG_3845Predannack.JPG


IMG_3848Predannack.JPG


IMG_3851Predannack.JPG


There are also a couple of Hawker Siddeley Harriers...

IMG_3857Predannack.JPG


IMG_3858Predannack.JPG


IMG_3859Predannack.JPG


IMG_3860Predannack.JPG


IMG_3865Predannack.JPG


And finally some of the fire training rigs...

IMG_3867Predannack.JPG


IMG_3868Predannack.JPG


And with that I strolled out the way I'd come in search of a well earned drink.

Definitely worth the bit of effort it takes to get there.

Thanks for stopping by! :thumb

IMG_3866Predannack.JPG
Thanks, much appreciated. Glad you enjoyed them!
Excellent pics I’m from Hampshire do you know of any decent places to explore around me I’m in Gosport
 

Idle Hands

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Just seen this, nice update ;)
My dad flew those lynx mk9As, shame to see them like that

Thanks. They're wide open now and in a far worse state. I revisited a few months back - worth a look as it's the kind of place that's always evolving
 

Toodlecat

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Thanks. They're wide open now and in a far worse state. I revisited a few months back - worth a look as it's the kind of place that's always evolving
That's a shame, suppose you cant save everything though, to my knowledge there are no MK.9As in museum's anywhere in the UK.
 

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