33-496: The Gliding Heritage Centre (GHC) is a collection of vintage gliders based at Lasham Airfield , Hampshire, UK. Christopher Wills, the son of Philip Wills , founded the Vintage Glider Club in 1973. He died on 4 May 2011 but left a bequest of £100,000 to build a hangar to house vintage gliders plus his Steinadler . A group of enthusiasts decided to create a Gliding Heritage Centre which could be visited by members of
66-563: A Saturday Evening gliding course during the summer months which is open to everyone, providing an environment where young members can fly with people of similar ages. The Gliding Heritage Centre has two separate hangars on the south side containing 42 historic gliders, many of which are in flying condition. Derek Piggott was Chief Flying Instructor at Lasham during much of the period from 1953 to 1989. Ann Welch , Nicholas Goodhart , Ralph Hooper , Frank Irving and Peter Twiss were also members for many years. Imperial College Gliding Club
99-643: A large white dome. These have now been removed, as have most of the buildings dating from World War II. In 1950, the Army Gliding Club was re-established by Major Tony Deane-Drummond , then an instructor at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst . It operated at Odiham Airfield , but after two accidents, the Commandant of Sandhurst ordered it to suspend operations. In early 1951, he ordered Major Deane-Drummond to restart
132-477: Is in constant use throughout the year and regularly hosts national and regional gliding championships. Oerlinghausen Airfield claims to be the world's largest gliding club with "around 25,000" glider launches annually whereas Lasham launched 25,750 gliders in the year to 31 October 2014. There were approximately 59,000 aircraft movements (departures and landings) in that year (compared with Southampton Airport 's 43,350). In 1999, Lasham Gliding Society completed
165-545: Is planned to add a viewing area in the workshop to allow the public to see work that is being done. Public tours of the museum are scheduled at 2:00 every Sunday with the starting point in the club-house of Lasham Gliding Society ,. Other gliders in private ownership are also made available to the collection from time to time. Lasham Airfield Lasham Airfield ( ICAO : EGHL ) is an aerodrome 3.6 miles (5.8 km) north-west of Alton in Hampshire , England, in
198-740: Is the oldest, and one of the largest, university gliding clubs in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1930, the club was the second club to become affiliated to the British Gliding Association . The club started by building its own glider Payne I.C.1 . It has for most of its life flown from Lasham Airfield in Hampshire after transferring from Redhill in 1951. It operates under the auspices of Lasham Gliding Society who provide its launching facilities and many of its instructors.The club maintains an archive website where details of
231-861: The Hawker Hind . His squadron moved to RAF Grantham a few months later. The squadron was one of several RAF units sent to Egypt and the Middle East in mid-1938. Based at RAF Heliopolis , the squadron was among the last in the Middle East to convert to the Bristol Blenheim bomber, in June 1939. Bateson later took command of the squadron, from September 1940 to January 1941, in operations against Italian forces in Libya. In January 1942, Bateson took command of No. 211 Squadron RAF in Egypt. The squadron
264-510: The 1960s to 1980s, Lasham hosted a number of unusual aircraft – notably one of only two surviving Avro Yorks (G-ANTK in Dan-Air colours) – and was the resting home of aircraft from around the world which came to be scrapped, including most of the old Comet 4 fleet. Dan-Air ceased trading in 1992, and after a period of operation by FLS Aerospace, the facility was let by the society to aircraft maintenance company ATC Lasham Ltd. On 2 October 2015,
297-723: The English town of Watford, where he attended the local grammar school from 1914 onwards. Post-war he became a senior RAF officer. Bateson joined the Royal Air Force in July 1936. After initial flying training, Bateson was granted a short service commission as an acting pilot officer in September 1936. He completed his RAF flying training in May 1937 and in June joined No. 113 Squadron RAF at RAF Upper Heyford where he initially flew
330-528: The RAF after the war, rising to the rank of air vice marshal in January 1960. From February 1963 he was Senior Air Staff Officer, HQ Fighter Command , the posting from which he retired on 1 August 1967. Squadron Leader Bateson has displayed great devotion to duty when leading his squadron during extensive operations during September and October, 1940. His leadership has in fact played a considerable part in forcing
363-569: The airfield was transferred to RAF Fighter Command . Squadrons equipped with Hawker Hurricanes , Hawker Typhoons and Supermarine Spitfires operated from Lasham. Later in 1943, it became a base for the bombers of No. 2 Group RAF , part of the RAF Second Tactical Air Force . The squadrons of 2 Group used the de Havilland Mosquito and North American B-25 Mitchell . (apart from one- or two-night stays) The following units were here at some point: On 14 April 1944, at
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#1732787778439396-596: The airline closed. Several aircraft were parked at Lasham during the COVID-19 recession, including some from easyJet , TUI and Ryanair . Robert Bateson (RAF officer) Air Vice Marshal Robert Norman Bateson CB , DSO & Bar , DFC (10 June 1912 – 6 March 1986) was a Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot during the Second World War who flew extreme low-level raids against precision targets in occupied Europe. He started life in
429-555: The area before and after the airfield was constructed were displayed in the main corridor of the clubhouse of Lasham Gliding Society on the North side of the airfield to the South of Avenue Road. Also displayed were photographs and other details of aircraft and personnel of the squadrons that flew from Lasham and are listed below. The fire in the clubhouse in 2021 has meant these artifacts are temporarily stored during re-building. In mid-1943,
462-590: The club at Lasham. In the meantime, the Surrey Gliding Club and Imperial College Gliding Club were both seeking a new home because Redhill Aerodrome had many other users. The Surrey club and Imperial College therefore moved to Lasham in August 1951. As well as Tony Deane-Drummond, other notable instructors at that time included Ann Welch , Lorne Welch and Philip Wills . All of them went on to become British champions. A war-surplus barrage balloon winch
495-843: The club's history since 1930 are kept. It has 93 student members. Its current captain is Antoine Aulnette. Its most notable member was Frank Irving Companies based at the south-west of the airfield have used the main runway since 1954 to bring in large jet aircraft for overhauls. In 1954 Dan-Air established a subsidiary, Dan-Air Engineering , at Lasham Airfield to service its own fleet and aircraft belonging to other operators. Between 1972 and 1974 Lasham airfield regularly hosted six Douglas DC3 Dakotas owned by Roger Byron-Collins' Macedonian Aviation based at Southend airport for care and maintenance and resprays under arrangements with Dan-Air. Regular visitors were DH104 Dove G-APZU (04511), Douglas Dakota G-AMPO (16437/33185), G-AMHJ (13468), G-AMPZ (16124/32872), G-AMRA (15290/26735), G-AMSV (16072/32820) From
528-672: The command of No. 613 (City of Manchester) Squadron RAF . Equipped with De Havilland Mosquito FB.VI fighter bomber aircraft, the squadron was one of several in No. 2 Group RAF responsible for low level precision attacks, among them strikes against Gestapo Headquarters in, for example, The Hague (the Central Records Registry attack of 11 April 1944) and Copenhagen (the Operation Carthage attack on 'Shell House' of 21 March 1945). Bateson continued to serve in
561-481: The enemy to abandon several of his military base ports. He has led operational formations on thirty-six occasions and often, after objectives have been attacked, he has had to force his way through superior numbers of enemy fighters. Squadron Leader Bateson has also carried out a long series of hazardous reconnaissance’s and has obtained vital information. Throughout the period of active operations he has displayed rare courage and devotion to duty This officer has displayed
594-517: The following types: The club uses three Skylaunch winches, normally delivering launch heights of 1500 ft and over 2000 ft in strong winds. The club also operates five tugs: and can call on several privately owned tugs in busy periods. There are 221 other gliders at the airfield operated by private owners and by affiliated gliding clubs: Imperial College Gliding Club , University of Surrey Gliding Club , Southampton University Gliding Club and The Crown Service Gliding Club. Lasham Youth run
627-487: The highest standard of skill and leadership throughout the many and varied sorties in which he has participated. In April, 1944, Wing Commander Bateson flew the leading aircraft of a formation detailed to attack a target in the Netherlands. The operation, which demanded a high degree of courage and determination, was completed, with success and reflects the greatest credit on the efforts of this officer, whose leadership
660-506: The highest standard of skill as the target was small and well defended. Nevertheless, the attack was pressed home with a determination and accuracy which ensured success. In April,1945, this officer led his squadrons in an attack against a similar target at Odense. In spite of opposition from the ground defences the attack was vigorously and accurately pressed home. By his brilliant leadership. Group Captain Bateson played an important part in
693-553: The holding company of ATC Lasham went into administration and closed its Southend branch with immediate effect. New owners of ATC Lasham Ltd, 2Excel Engineering Ltd, signed a new lease with the Society on 23 December 2015 and have continued to maintain large jet aircraft at Lasham. The airfield occasionally provides storage for redundant aircraft. In 2008 these included aircraft from XL Airways UK , Futura International Airways , Zoom Airlines . Six bmibaby 737s arrived in 2012 when
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#1732787778439726-514: The nights preceding and following D-Day , the Mosquitos of 305 and 613 squadrons carried out low level attacks on enemy supply lines and armoured positions in Normandy to assist the allied landing forces. The airfield ceased to be an operational Royal Air Force station in 1948, though General Aircraft Ltd continued testing military gliders there. On 14 September 2006, a memorial at the entrance
759-418: The public in a building called The Chris Wills Memorial Hangar. It is a registered charity No 1148972. After raising more money and with much volunteer work, the first hangar was opened on 4 August 2013 during the 41st International Vintage Glider Club rally that was held at Lasham that year. Further fund raising allowed the building of a second hangar to house the ever increasing collection of gliders. Hangar 2
792-460: The purchase from the Ministry of Defence of the freehold to the airfield, making the final payment in 2001. It now owns all of the land within the fenced and gated area as well as the fields that form the undershoot area at each end of the main runway. LGS's 90+ instructors train new pilots at all stages from ab initio through to competitive cross-country flying . The training fleet consists of
825-565: The request of resistance workers, six Mosquitos of 613 Squadron led by Wing Commander Robert Bateson bombed the Central Records Registry of the Gestapo in The Hague from a height of 50 ft (15 m). The accuracy was such that the incriminating records were burnt. There was loss of life amongst the Dutch and German staff, but there were few civilian casualties in the nearby streets. On
858-555: The vicinity at once), winch cables up to 3,000 ft (910 m) above the ground, and occasional movements of large jet airliners. Over-flying aircraft are requested to not fly below 3,618 ft (1,103 m) QNH . The airfield frequency is 131.03 MHz . The airfield was built on farmland in 1942, causing the A339 (Alton-Basingstoke road) to be diverted to the west from Lasham village. Initial RAF operations (from November that year) were by 38 Wing, Army Co-operation Command . Maps of
891-479: The village of Lasham . The airfield was built on farming land in 1942 as a Royal Air Force Station during the Second World War. The RAF ceased operations in 1948, but an aircraft company, General Aircraft Ltd , continued to fly from the airfield. From 1951, the main activity at Lasham airfield became recreational gliding . The airfield is now the home of the largest British gliding club, also one of
924-430: The world's largest, Lasham Gliding Society Ltd (LGS), which bought the land in 1999 from the Ministry of Defence. The airfield is also the location of 2Excel Engineering Ltd., a company that maintains jet aircraft for various airlines. Pilots of powered aircraft visiting the airfield require prior permission and a briefing on its hazards: in particular dense concentrations of thermalling gliders (up to 100 gliders can be in
957-584: Was dedicated to those who served at Lasham between 1942 and 1948. In 1952, future world champion Mike Hawthorn occasionally used its perimeter track to test his Cooper-Bristol Formula Two car, as did others. In the 1960s the Space Department of the Royal Aircraft Establishment with its HQ at Farnborough, sited a number of satellite tracking and receiving dish aerials on the south side of Lasham airfield, one enclosed in
990-410: Was officially opened on 25 August 2018. A dedicated workshop was added following a further bequest from Trish Williams. This allows some of the aircraft in the collection to remain airworthy, as well as helping to restore and conserve the rest of the fleet. The workshop is also used for teaching the skills required to restore and repair wooden gliders, as these skills are becoming increasingly scarce. It
1023-619: Was one of several sent to the Far East after Japan entered World War 2. Flying from airfields in Sumatra and Java , the squadron suffered heavy losses to Japanese forces. Bateson, with other officers and men of 211 Squadron, was among RAF survivors evacuated to Australia in early March 1942. From May 1942, he was posted to command No. 11 Squadron RAF in Ceylon . Bateson returned to the United Kingdom in mid-1943 and from February 1944 took over
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1056-661: Was outstanding. His achievements have been worthy of great praise. Since being awarded the Distinguished Service Order this officer has completed very many sorties 'and the successes obtained are a splendid tribute to his exceptional skill great courage and unfailing devotion to duty. In March, 1945, Group Captain Bateson led a large formation of aircraft in an attack on the headquarters of the German Gestapo in Copenhagen. The operation called for
1089-593: Was used for launches. Types flown included Slingsby T.21 B trainer, Grunau Baby , and various other pre-war German sailplanes. Lasham Gliding Society (LGS) was established in 1958 to unify operations of the gliding clubs that had been operating since 1951. It later signed a long lease on the airfield from the Ministry of Defence . The airfield's boundaries were reduced but it still occupies over 500 acres (200 ha). 237 gliders are based at Lasham which are used by 632 flying members, plus social members. The airfield
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