HMS Blackcap was originally built for the RAF during WW2 as a night fighter station to protect Liverpool but due to changes in the Luftwaffe tactics it was not required and was handed over to the Navy in 1942. Forty-one Fleet Air Arm Squadrons were based there for varying periods, some aircraft being flown directly to and from aircraft carriers operating in the Irish Sea and other nearby waters.
Fairey Aviation used two large A1 (aircraft production) hangars on the northeast edge of the airfield for the modification, repair and flight-testing of Barracudas, Fireflies and Fulmars before they were dispatched to their operational squadrons. Post war the airfield was used for aircraft maintenance up until its closure in 1958. More recently Shell used the airfield as a test track.
Vought Chesapeake at Blackcap in 1943.
Ive had this place on my list for a while and have wanted to have a mooch around and track down the remaining ww2 structures. There isn't a huge amount of the original airfield remaining. The M56 now runs through the middle of it and the remains are split either side of it.
The area to the south of the M56 has a fairly secure perimeter fence with motion tracking camera's although I have no idea why as its basically just the runways, fighter pens and the trashed remains of the shell test track building.
The battle HQ is North of the m56 along with the gun test butts. Coincidentally the battle HQ is in the back garden of a once popular urbex tourbus house although I've never seen anyone include it in their photos of the place. I've included a Google map with the bits I found circled if anyones interested.
Runways/Taxiways
Fighter pens
Air crew shelter
Shell test track buildings
Battle HQ
Gun test butts
Thanks for looking.
Fairey Aviation used two large A1 (aircraft production) hangars on the northeast edge of the airfield for the modification, repair and flight-testing of Barracudas, Fireflies and Fulmars before they were dispatched to their operational squadrons. Post war the airfield was used for aircraft maintenance up until its closure in 1958. More recently Shell used the airfield as a test track.
Vought Chesapeake at Blackcap in 1943.
Ive had this place on my list for a while and have wanted to have a mooch around and track down the remaining ww2 structures. There isn't a huge amount of the original airfield remaining. The M56 now runs through the middle of it and the remains are split either side of it.
The area to the south of the M56 has a fairly secure perimeter fence with motion tracking camera's although I have no idea why as its basically just the runways, fighter pens and the trashed remains of the shell test track building.
The battle HQ is North of the m56 along with the gun test butts. Coincidentally the battle HQ is in the back garden of a once popular urbex tourbus house although I've never seen anyone include it in their photos of the place. I've included a Google map with the bits I found circled if anyones interested.
Runways/Taxiways
Fighter pens
Air crew shelter
Shell test track buildings
Battle HQ
Gun test butts
Thanks for looking.
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