John Harrowven's - Other Stuff Page

Page started - 19/6/99
Last updated - 26/7/99

The Early Days

Martlesham Heath was established as a Royal Flying Corps Experimental Station on 16th January 1917, the testing squadron being re-located from Upavon. Its function was to develop and test new types of aircraft. In the early days testing was fairly crude, for example, wing structures would be tested to destruction by continually adding measured quantities of sand to boxes on the wing until they broke. Dynamic forces were simply ignored until flight. Because of this, a great deal of testing relied on the courage and skill of the test pilots, many of whom had proved themselves during combat in France and had been withdrawn from the front to less hazardous duties - testing untried aircraft!

In 1924, the site was enlarged becoming the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (AAEE). Testing techniques become steadily more sophisticated and Aircraft certified at Martlesham Heath developed an excellent reputation. As a consequence, Martlesham was soon renowned the world over for testing both military and civilian aeroplanes from Spitfires and Hurricanes to Sopwith Camels and Vickers Vimys.

A feature of Martlesham summers between the wars were the large fires that took hold on the heath. These could burn for up to 3 weeks at a time and put the base at considerable risk.

The station was heavily involved in the regional sports scene at all levels boasting several county athletics champions and at one time even the captain of Ipswich Town Football Club - Flight Leiutenant Sidney Webster.

Activities at Martlesham increased dramatically in the build-up to World War II. Planes, especially those sporting the new camoflage finish, began to be stored by hiding them in the bushes and trees of the heath rather than in the airfield hangers. It is interesting to note that many of these hide-outs are still evident today.

Martlesham Heath

The War Years

The Post-War Years