Bristol Whitchurch Airport

Whitchurch served as Bristol Airport for 27 years from 1930 until it closed in 1957 and air traffic moved to a new site at Lulsgate. The airfield was one of very few that was open to commercial traffic in WWII and the Air Transport Auxiliary formed No2 Ferry Pilots Pool at Whitchurch in 1940 a year after the airfield was requisitioned by the Air Ministry. The single tarmac East-West Runway and and taxiways were added around this time. The ATA remained active there until 1945.

Post war the airport did not attract many scheduled services and the close proximity of housing estates restricted runway extensions, hence the closure. Today part of the main runway and taxiways still exist as does a large hangar but this is seemingly not being used and the area around it is being redeveloped. The site of the former airport buildings is now a leisure area featuring fast food outlets and an aircraft hardstanding area is covered in trees. Plans have previously been approved to turn most of what is left in to a large housing estate although this is currently uncertain but I would be surprised if the airfield survives as it is in the long term.

Anyway, I was there today and this is what I saw.