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Location DB > England > Cornwall > Mullion (Lizard peninsula) > Predannack Airfield RNSFF
 Name
Predannack Airfield RNSFF
 Viewing Options
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 Database Info
created by GC Intercept on 9/3/2008 2:49 PM
last modified by GC Intercept on 9/9/2008 3:50 PM
 Viewability
Publically Viewable Publically Viewable
This location has been labeled by its creator as Public, and therefore can be viewed by anyone.
 Overview
 Description
At the southern end of the airfield is the training area for the Royal Naval School of Fire Fighting (RNSFF) which moved here in 1971. They usually have between 15 and 20 airframes at their disposal for personnel rescue practice training. A separate pan area is used to ignite large quantities of fuel from time to time for fire fighting training. The redundant airframes which are brought here by road, tend to linger here for a few years before being tendered for scrap and subsequently replaced. The public footpath path which follows the coast of Devon and Cornwall happens to go through the airfield, which has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is half owned by English Nature. Poisonous snakes (Adders/Vipers) consider the airfield their home and so care should be taken not to step on one.

 Basic Information
Type: Outdoors
Status: Active
Accessibility: Moderate
Recommendation: worth the trip
 Physical Information
Address
Predannack
Mullion (Lizard peninsula), Cornwall
England
Owner: Royal Navy & English Nature
  • See a map of this location
  •  Hazards
  • asbestos
  • rust
  • flooding
  • water
  •  Interesting Features
    Disused military airframes, dummy aircraft, Second World War military airfield architecture, Flora, Fauna.
     Security Measures
  • fences
  • Military presence
  •  Historical Dates
    Built: 1941
    Closed: 0
     Required Equipment
  • long pants / sleeves
  •  Recommended Equipment
    boots, car, map
     History
    Predannack Airfield is situated near Mullion on Cornwall's Lizard Peninsula. The runways are operated by the Royal Navy and today it is used as a satellite airfield and relief landing ground for nearby Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose. It is also home to an RAF Gliding School unit and the Royal Naval School of Fire Fighting (RNSFF), which holds a number of dummy aircraft for fire extinguishing practice, together with a number of retired airframes for personnel rescue practice. Building work began for an RAF advanced night fighter base to protect the nearby ports of Falmouth and Penzance during 1940 and RAF Predannack Down opened in 1941 as part of Portreath Sector. It later transferred to RAF Coastal Command until it went into care and maintenance on 1 Jun 1946. During the Second World War Coastal Command squadrons flew anti-submarine sorties into the Bay of Biscay as well as convoy support in the western English Channel using aircraft such as Beaufighters and De Havilland Mosquitoes. After a short period of experimental use by Vickers under the supervision of Barnes Wallis around 1951 (who previously developed the "bouncing bomb" of Dam Busters fame). Wallis utilised the airfield in the development of his futuristic supersonic swing-wing Swallow and Goose aircraft projects. To this end a long ramp was constructed with rails and was used to launch radio-controlled scale models, proving the concept of a 'Swing-Wing' aeroplane. The base was afterwards taken over by the Royal Navy on 15 Dec 1958. The airfield subsequently fell out of use and it became a satellite airfield for nearby RNAS Culdrose, to handle intensive helicopter operations and as a relief landing ground. There is also a small arms range on the site and the RN Fire Fighting School moved here in 1971. Situated on the western side of the spectacular Lizard Peninsula, parts of the base away from the operational areas are within a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its combination of botanical (orchids), zoological (butterflies & snakes) and geological (bastite & serpentinite) uniqueness.
     Media Coverage
    None found
     Future Plans
    Unknown
     Stories


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     Photo Galleries
    Click to view gallery
    1st Gallery
    Sat, Aug 2nd, 2008
    posted by GC Intercept
    25 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    2nd Gallery
    Sat, Sep 6th, 2008
    posted by GC Intercept
    25 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    3rd Gallery
    Tue, Sep 9th, 2008
    posted by GC Intercept
    25 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    4th Gallery
    Mon, Sep 15th, 2008
    posted by GC Intercept
    25 pictures
    Click to view gallery
    5th Gallery
    Fri, Sep 26th, 2008
    posted by GC Intercept
    17 pictures
     


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     Web Links
    http://www.flashea...z=16.1&r=0&src=msl
     Contribute

    Edit this Location
     Moderator Rating
    The moderator rating is a neutral rating of the content quality, photography, and coolness of this location.

    Category Rating
    Photography 8 / 10
    Coolness 10 / 10
    Content Quality 9 / 10
     Validation
    This location's validation is current. It was last validated by Steed on 9/29/2008 2:15 AM.

     Latest Changes
  • on Sep 29 08 at 2:15, Steed validated this location
  • on Sep 26 08 at 12:42, GC Intercept updated gallery picture
  • on Sep 26 08 at 12:42, GC Intercept updated gallery picture
  • on Sep 26 08 at 12:42, GC Intercept updated gallery picture
  • on Sep 26 08 at 12:42, GC Intercept updated gallery picture
  • on Sep 26 08 at 12:41, GC Intercept updated gallery picture
  • on Sep 26 08 at 12:41, GC Intercept updated gallery picture
  • on Sep 26 08 at 12:41, GC Intercept updated gallery picture
  • on Sep 26 08 at 12:41, GC Intercept updated gallery picture IMG_0373.JPG
  • on Sep 26 08 at 12:41, GC Intercept deleted picture 274148 from gallery 5th Gallery
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