Royal Air Force School of Gliding, Shobdon

**cessna152towser** · 16th February 08, 03:03 PM

Today my co-pilot Mike suggested a visit to Shobdon airfield in the west of England, near Leominster, and close to the Welsh border. The terrain in this area changes abruptly from the rolling farmlands of rural English Herefordshire to the start of the Welsh mountains and was ideal as a training area for the Arnhem and Normandy landings. During World War II the Royal Air Force School of Gliding was based here and even today much gliding still takes place. Indeed we saw an ex RAF Chipmunk trainer take off with a glider in tow. The RAF continue to use the airfield to practice short field take offs and landings in mountainous terrain with their C-130's. This was our first sighting of Shobdon aerodrome.

Plenty of surviving World War II infrastructure.

Inside the Nissen Hut good food awaits. Because of its central position between north and south, many light aircraft use this as a staging post in the long flight from Scotland or the North of England to the English South Coast. We were hungry after our two our flight and soon got tucked in - note the chocolate cake - Shobdon's superb chocolate cake has a well deserved reputation among pilots.

Mike with the Shobdon aerodrome cat.

Me with our mount for the day, a 1976 Piper Cherokee Warrior, G-VIVS, owned by a mutual firend.

I wouldn't normally photograph aeroplanes which are partly covered over in tarpaulin but I just had to conclude with a view of this lean mean machine, an ex Soviet Yak-52 fighter trainer.

**Frank McGrath** · 16th February 08, 07:33 PM

Cessna I really love your postings. Great Photos , Great Subjects. Thanks.

Frank

**BoldHighlander** · 16th February 08, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by Frank McGrath

Cessna I really love your postings. Great Photos , Great Subjects. Thanks.

Frank

Hear! Hear!

**pdcorlis** · 16th February 08, 10:15 PM

Hey - those don't look like mushy peas with the fish and chips... what gives??????

Nice photos once again Alex!

**McGurk** · 17th February 08, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by pdcorlis

Hey - those don't look like mushy peas with the fish and chips... what gives??????

Nice photos once again Alex!

Ah, at posh places, you get non-mushy peas. Mushy peas are normaly for places without plates!

Cessna, wonderful photos, It had been suggested that a friend and I fly to Shobdon for a £100 butty. Alas, I gave up fying before we managed that. Oh, to slip the surly bonds of earth once more...

**David Dalglish** · 17th February 08, 12:36 AM

Another good trip Alex

**SFCRick** · 17th February 08, 03:04 AM

Another great set of photos

**Jock Scot** · 17th February 08, 04:25 AM

Er,the top picture with the farm buildings at the bottom of it, is my brother's farm.Small world.

You may be interested to know that the oldest herd of Hereford cattle resides there.Also one of the 5 original Hereford cattle imported to the USA,in about 1890, came from there.

**cessna152towser** · 17th February 08, 11:24 AM

Er,the top picture with the farm buildings at the bottom of it, is my brother's farm.Small world.

You may be interested to know that the oldest herd of Hereford cattle resides there.

Small world indeed. Next time you visit your brother you must get up to the airfield to sample their menu - and next time I go that way I must look out for Hereford cattle.

**Jock Scot** · 17th February 08, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by cessna152towser

Small world indeed. Next time you visit your brother you must get up to the airfield to sample their menu - and next time I go that way I must look out for Hereford cattle.

I know the airfield well!