RAF Honiley
Encyclopedia
RAF Honiley is a former Royal Air Force
station located in Wroxall, Warwickshire
seven miles (11 km) southwest of Coventry
, England
. The station closed in March 1958, and after being used as a motor vehicle test track, is presently subject to planning permission from the Prodrive
Formula One
team for development of their Fulcrum test and development facility.
squadron
s defending the Midlands
during the Second World War
:
Like many stations, it collected a station mascot in the form of a Supermarine Spitfire
, No. 7240M. From April 1957, the station was placed on Care and Maintenance until closure
for vehicle testing, current residents include Prodrive
, Marcos
and TRW
.
In addition to their existing automotive consultancy business, already based at the site since 2001, in March 2006 motor racing company Prodrive announced its intent to build a £
200million, 200 acre (0.809372 km²) motorsport facility called The Fulcrum. Prodrive's statement in the planning application for the facility – which could house as many as 1,000 staff – boasted of "a motorsport complex which could eventually house Prodrive's new British Prodrive F1
team", further cementing Managing Director David Richards
' intention to return to F1
in 2008.
As of 3 August 2006, Prodrive has won the support of the Warwick District Council
planning committee for development of The Fulcrum. The permission covers a highly advanced engineering research and development campus, a conference facility called the Catalyst Centre and new access road, a roundabout, infrastructure, parking and landscaping. The plans still have to be presented and agreed by the British government's Department for Communities and Local Government
, and there is local opposition via the Fulcrum Prodrive Action Group (FPAG) to protect the rural nature of the community and the safety of the people that live within it.
However, following rule changes banning so-called 'customer' cars from competing in F1, and legal proceedings undertaken by existing F1 manufacturer teams, Prodrive's F1 plans have been shelved indefinitely. There is no information relating to the effect this may have had on continuing with any part of the site's redevelopment. Prodrive's core motorsport business remains based at their existing Banbury
headquarters.
It is also the site of the HON (Honiley) VOR-DME navigation aid, which is positioned to the south of the track.
Also Manchester international airport (EGCC) use their SID/STAR departure out of Runways 23R and 23L (formerly 24R and 24L). Some are HON1Y "honiley one yankie" departure out of runway 23L. And the HON1R "honiley one romeo" Departure out of runway 23R.
The old administration buildings, previously used by Lucas Automotive have been left by Prodrive in the same state they were when Lucas first vacated the site and have become a popular site for Urban Explorers
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
station located in Wroxall, Warwickshire
Wroxall, Warwickshire
Wroxall is a small village in the civil parish of Beausale, Haseley, Honiley and Wroxall in the county of Warwickshire, England. It is from Kenilworth, and from Coventry on the A4141 road. According to the 2001 census the village had a population of 94. It has its own cemetery to the north of the...
seven miles (11 km) southwest of Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The station closed in March 1958, and after being used as a motor vehicle test track, is presently subject to planning permission from the Prodrive
Prodrive
Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...
Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
team for development of their Fulcrum test and development facility.
History
Originally called Ramsey, it was renamed RAF Honiley in August 1941, and used by night fighterNight fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
squadron
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
s defending the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
:
- 1456No. 1456 Flight RAFNo. 1456 Flight was formed at RAF Honiley, Warwickshire on 24 November 1941, equipped with Turbinlite Douglas Boston and Douglas Havoc aircraft. On operations they cooperated with the Hawker Hurricanes of 257 Squadron...
(TurbinliteTurbinliteThe Helmore/GEC Turbinlite was a 2,700 million candela searchlight fitted in the nose of a number of British Douglas Havoc night fighters during the early part of the Second World War and around the time of The Blitz....
) Flt using the Douglas Havoc - August 1943 to March 1944 - No 63 OTU instructing Airborne Interception techniques with BristolBristol Aeroplane CompanyThe Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aero engines...
BeaufightersBristol BeaufighterThe Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design...
and BlenheimBristol BlenheimThe Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
s. Moved to RAF CranfieldCranfield AirportCranfield Airport is an airfield just outside the village of Cranfield, south-west of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It was originally a World War II aerodrome, RAF Cranfield.... - July 1944 to August 1946 - ground units transferred to 26 Signals Group, RAF Bomber CommandRAF Bomber CommandRAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
. Renamed Signals Flying Unit in July 1944, testing new radio equipment. Moved to RAF WattonRAF WattonRoyal Air Force Station Watton is a former military airfield in Norfolk, England. The airfield is located approximately south-southwest of East Dereham....
in August 1946 - August 1946 to March 1957 - 605 "County of Warwick" SqnNo. 605 Squadron RAFNo 605 Squadron was formed as an Auxiliary Air Force Squadron. Initially formed as a bomber unit, it was one of the most successful participants of the Battle of Britain. It also had the distinction of being active during World War II at two fronts at a time, when the squadron was split up between...
Royal Auxiliary Air ForceRoyal Auxiliary Air ForceThe Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service...
equipped with de HavillandDe HavillandThe de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
MosquitosDe Havilland MosquitoThe de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
and VampiresDe Havilland VampireThe de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served... - August 1946 to March 1957 - 1833 Sqn Royal Naval ReserveRoyal Naval ReserveThe Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
with Sea Vampires then Supermarine AttackerSupermarine AttackerThe Supermarine Attacker was a British single-seat naval jet fighter built by Supermarine for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm . It was the FAA's first jet fighter.-Design and development:...
s.
Like many stations, it collected a station mascot in the form of a Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
, No. 7240M. From April 1957, the station was placed on Care and Maintenance until closure
Facilities
The airfield had 15 hangars; there were three Bellmans and 12 Blister hangars. There was also a cinema and technical workshops.Present day
After being taken over by LucasVarityLucasVarity
LucasVarity plc was a UK automotive parts manufacturer, created by a merger of the British Lucas Industries plc, and the North American Varity Corporation in August 1996.-Foundation:...
for vehicle testing, current residents include Prodrive
Prodrive
Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...
, Marcos
Marcos (automobile)
Marcos was a British sports car manufacturer. The name was a combination of founders Jem Marsh and Frank Costin.-History:Marcos was founded in Luton, in Bedfordshire, England, in 1959 by Jem Marsh and Frank Costin. Frank Costin had earlier worked on the De Havilland Mosquito fighter-bombers and...
and TRW
TRW
TRW Inc. was an American corporation involved in a variety of businesses, mainly aerospace, automotive, and credit reporting. It was a pioneer in multiple fields including electronic components, integrated circuits, computers, software and systems engineering. TRW built many spacecraft,...
.
In addition to their existing automotive consultancy business, already based at the site since 2001, in March 2006 motor racing company Prodrive announced its intent to build a £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
200million, 200 acre (0.809372 km²) motorsport facility called The Fulcrum. Prodrive's statement in the planning application for the facility – which could house as many as 1,000 staff – boasted of "a motorsport complex which could eventually house Prodrive's new British Prodrive F1
Prodrive F1
Prodrive F1 Team is the name of a proposed Formula One team to be run by Prodrive. The team was selected by the FIA in 2006 to be the 12th entry into the 2008 Formula One world championship...
team", further cementing Managing Director David Richards
David Richards
David Richards may refer to:*David Richards , former NFL offensive lineman*David Richards , British general*David Richards , former CEO of the ICC...
' intention to return to F1
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
in 2008.
As of 3 August 2006, Prodrive has won the support of the Warwick District Council
Warwick (district)
Warwick is a local government district of central Warwickshire in England. The current leader of the district council is Conservative Party member Michael Doody. The council is currently controlled by the Conservative group, who hold 23 of the 46 council seats...
planning committee for development of The Fulcrum. The permission covers a highly advanced engineering research and development campus, a conference facility called the Catalyst Centre and new access road, a roundabout, infrastructure, parking and landscaping. The plans still have to be presented and agreed by the British government's Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
, and there is local opposition via the Fulcrum Prodrive Action Group (FPAG) to protect the rural nature of the community and the safety of the people that live within it.
However, following rule changes banning so-called 'customer' cars from competing in F1, and legal proceedings undertaken by existing F1 manufacturer teams, Prodrive's F1 plans have been shelved indefinitely. There is no information relating to the effect this may have had on continuing with any part of the site's redevelopment. Prodrive's core motorsport business remains based at their existing Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
headquarters.
It is also the site of the HON (Honiley) VOR-DME navigation aid, which is positioned to the south of the track.
Also Manchester international airport (EGCC) use their SID/STAR departure out of Runways 23R and 23L (formerly 24R and 24L). Some are HON1Y "honiley one yankie" departure out of runway 23L. And the HON1R "honiley one romeo" Departure out of runway 23R.
The old administration buildings, previously used by Lucas Automotive have been left by Prodrive in the same state they were when Lucas first vacated the site and have become a popular site for Urban Explorers