Wingfield Aerodrome
Encyclopedia
Wingfield Aerodrome was first the Cape Town
Municipal Aerodrome
, then Air Force Station Wingfield under the SAAF
, before being used as a Fleet Air Arm
base by the Royal Navy
. After WWII
, the aerodrome reverted to being the municipal airport for a while. The history of Wingfield is synonymous with the history of flight in South Africa, including pioneering attempts at commercial aviation.
Navigation was done by following a road or railway line
and referring to prominent landmarks such as Table Mountain
.
There were no laws prohibiting low flying or landing within city limits.
Places in the vicinity of Cape Town known to be used as airfields included Kenilworth race course
, Green Point
Common
and Green Point cycle track, Sea Point
, Robben Island
, Maitland Common, Rosebank
Showgrounds and Mr Young's farm near Wynberg
as well as local beaches.
It would be several years before the commercial prospects of aviation would be grasped and an aviation infrastructure put in place.
Junkers Ju 86
airliners used for maritime patrol
s. After moving to Wingfield the squadron was absorbed as A Flight of 32 Squadron SAAF.
804 Naval Air Squadron
of the Fleet Air Arm reformed in September 1944 at Wingfield aerodrome 24 Hellcat IIs and in January 1945, they embarked on HMS Ameer
to provide cover during the landings on Ramree Island
, and subsequently missions over Sumatra
and Malaya
.
In 1939, Alex Henshaw
, Chief Test Pilot
for Britain's Spitfire
fighter planes, flying a modified Percival Mew Gull
registration number G-AEXF, set a number of records for solo flights between Gravesend, Kent
(now RAF Gravesend
) and Wingfield and back, which still stands today nearly seventy years later.
The move – for which the Navy has already received an initial R40 million – follows a comprehensive multiyear investigation into the rationalisation of the Navy’s training institutions.
The SAS Wingfield Naval Unit continues to exercise its right to the Freedom of Goodwood annually "to enter and march in the town with colours flying, drums beating and bayonets fixed".
is now the primary airport serving the city of Cape Town, and is the second busiest airport in South Africa and third busiest in Africa. The airport was opened in 1954 to replace Cape Town's previous airport at Wingfield.
Correctional Centre, with a capacity of 1692 beds was officially opened. It was built on Wingfield land to the north of the N1 highway. It is aligned to the concept of rehabilitation.
. From 1948 it also provided accommodation for civil servants
and members of Parliament
who annually migrate to Cape Town for the parliamentary session.
On 1 December 1959, after a competition for a new name, the name was changed to Acacia Park on account of the many Port Jackson willow
trees growing there. A primary school was built and provision made for sport and other recreational facilities.
At that stage children in the primary school were taught in accordance with the Transvaal
syllabus and under the control of the Transvaal Education Department.
Acacia Park is currently one of three Parliamentary villages in Cape Town.
during WWII.
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
Municipal Aerodrome
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
, then Air Force Station Wingfield under the SAAF
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
, before being used as a Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
base by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. After WWII
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...
, the aerodrome reverted to being the municipal airport for a while. The history of Wingfield is synonymous with the history of flight in South Africa, including pioneering attempts at commercial aviation.
Early landing grounds in the Cape
In the early days of aviation, all that was required for take off and landing was a level piece of land relatively free of obstructions. Where a flight commenced and ended depended on the weather, the reason for the flight, the mechanical state of the aircraft and even the whim of the pilot.Navigation was done by following a road or railway line
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
and referring to prominent landmarks such as Table Mountain
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top...
.
There were no laws prohibiting low flying or landing within city limits.
Places in the vicinity of Cape Town known to be used as airfields included Kenilworth race course
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, Green Point
Green Point, Cape Town
Green Point is a neighbourhood of Cape Town, South Africa located to the north west of the central business district. It a popular residential area for young professionals and for the Cape Town gay and lesbian community. Many new mid-rise apartment and mixed-use developments have gone up in recent...
Common
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
and Green Point cycle track, Sea Point
Sea Point
Sea Point is one of Cape Town's most affluent and densely populated suburbs, situated between Signal Hill and the Atlantic Ocean, a few kilometres to the west of Cape Town's Central Business District . Moving from Sea Point to the CBD, one passes through first the small suburb of Three Anchor Bay,...
, Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
, Maitland Common, Rosebank
Rosebank, Cape Town
Rosebank is one of the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa, located between the suburbs of Mowbray and Rondebosch.-Geography:Rosebank is located on the lower eastern slope of Devil's Peak, stretching down to the Liesbeeck River, and on the other side of the river up to the edge of...
Showgrounds and Mr Young's farm near Wynberg
Wynberg, Cape Town
Wynberg is a southern suburb of the City of Cape Town in Western Cape, South Africa. It is situated between Plumstead and Kenilworth, and is a main transport hub for the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town.- Geography :...
as well as local beaches.
It would be several years before the commercial prospects of aviation would be grasped and an aviation infrastructure put in place.
World War II
September 1939 saw the formation of 15 Squadron SAAF at Germiston with three former SAASouth African Airways
South African Airways is the national flag carrier and largest airline of South Africa, with headquarters in Airways Park on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The airline flies to 36 destinations worldwide from its hub at OR Tambo International...
Junkers Ju 86
Junkers Ju 86
The Junkers Ju 86 was a German monoplane bomber and civilian airliner designed in the early 1930s, and employed by both sides during World War II. The civilian model Ju 86B could carry 10 passengers. Two were delivered to Swissair and five to Luft Hansa...
airliners used for maritime patrol
Maritime patrol
Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities....
s. After moving to Wingfield the squadron was absorbed as A Flight of 32 Squadron SAAF.
804 Naval Air Squadron
804 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy, formed in November 1939 from part of 769 NAS Sea Gladiators which had been detached to RNAS Hatston. The squadron was merged into 800 NAS in June 1944 and subsequently reformed in September.-World War II:During World War II, she...
of the Fleet Air Arm reformed in September 1944 at Wingfield aerodrome 24 Hellcat IIs and in January 1945, they embarked on HMS Ameer
HMS Ameer (D01)
The escort carrier USS Baffins was launched 18 October 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding, Tacoma, Washington; sponsored by Mrs. Laurence Bennett, wife of Commander Bennett; and commissioned 28 June 1943, Captain W. L. Rees in command...
to provide cover during the landings on Ramree Island
Battle of Ramree Island
The Battle of Ramree Island was fought for six weeks during January and February 1945, as part of the Indian XV Corps 1944/45 offensive on the Southern Front of the Burma Campaign during World War II....
, and subsequently missions over Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
and Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
.
In 1939, Alex Henshaw
Alex Henshaw
Alexander Adolphus Dumfries Henshaw MBE was a British air racer in the 1930s and a test pilot for Vickers Armstrong in the Second World War.-Early life:...
, Chief Test Pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
for Britain's 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...
fighter planes, flying a modified Percival Mew Gull
Percival Mew Gull
The Percival Mew Gull was a British racing aircraft of the 1930s. It was a small, single-engine, single-seat, low-wing monoplane of wooden construction, normally powered by a six-cylinder de Havilland Gipsy Six piston engine...
registration number G-AEXF, set a number of records for solo flights between Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
(now RAF Gravesend
RAF Gravesend
RAF Gravesend was a Fighter Airfield during the Battle of Britain, and was home to the following Squadrons during the Battle:*No. 610 Squadron RAF from 26 May 1940*No. 604 Squadron RAF from 3 July 1940*No. 501 Squadron RAF from 25 July 1940...
) and Wingfield and back, which still stands today nearly seventy years later.
The present
The SA Navy is to relocate its sprawling technical training school, SAS Wingfield, along with some depots from a run-down World War Two-era site near Goodwood to a purpose built new facility at Simon’s Town.The move – for which the Navy has already received an initial R40 million – follows a comprehensive multiyear investigation into the rationalisation of the Navy’s training institutions.
The SAS Wingfield Naval Unit continues to exercise its right to the Freedom of Goodwood annually "to enter and march in the town with colours flying, drums beating and bayonets fixed".
Municipal Aerodrome
Cape Town International AirportCape Town International Airport
Cape Town International Airport is the primary airport serving the city of Cape Town, and is the second busiest airport in South Africa and third busiest in Africa. Located approximately from the city centre, the airport was opened in 1954 to replace Cape Town's previous airport in the suburb of...
is now the primary airport serving the city of Cape Town, and is the second busiest airport in South Africa and third busiest in Africa. The airport was opened in 1954 to replace Cape Town's previous airport at Wingfield.
Goodwood Correctional Centre
On 17 October 1997 one of the most modern prisons in South Africa, the GoodwoodGoodwood, Cape Town
Goodwood is a suburb situated between the northern and southern suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. It is 10 kilometres from the city centre and accessible from the N1, N7 and N2 highways....
Correctional Centre, with a capacity of 1692 beds was officially opened. It was built on Wingfield land to the north of the N1 highway. It is aligned to the concept of rehabilitation.
Acacia Park
In 1947 a township called Sassar was erected on a portion of Wingfield Aerodrome for the accommodation of officials of the South African Railways and HarboursTransnet
Transnet SOC Ltd is a large South African rail, port and pipeline company, headquartered in the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg. It was formed as a limited company on April 1, 1990. A majority of the company's stock is owned by the Department of Public Enterprises, or DPE, of the South African...
. From 1948 it also provided accommodation for civil servants
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
and members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
who annually migrate to Cape Town for the parliamentary session.
On 1 December 1959, after a competition for a new name, the name was changed to Acacia Park on account of the many Port Jackson willow
Acacia saligna
Acacia saligna, commonly known by various names including coojong, golden wreath wattle, orange wattle, blue-leafed wattle, Western Australian golden wattle, and, in Africa, Port Jackson willow, is a small tree in the family Fabaceae...
trees growing there. A primary school was built and provision made for sport and other recreational facilities.
At that stage children in the primary school were taught in accordance with the Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
syllabus and under the control of the Transvaal Education Department.
Acacia Park is currently one of three Parliamentary villages in Cape Town.
External Links
Further reading
This is the definitive history of Wingfield as a civilian and military aerodrome, particularly as part of the host of Southern African aerodromes that played an important role in training pilots and aircrew as part of the worldwide British Commonwealth Air Training PlanBritish Commonwealth Air Training Plan
The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan , known in some countries as the Empire Air Training Scheme , was a massive, joint military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, during the Second World War...
during WWII.