Chichester/Goodwood Airport (IATA: QUG, ICAO: EGHR), normally referred to as Goodwood Airfield or Goodwood Aerodrome is located 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) north northeast of Chichester, West Sussex, England.
Chichester/Goodwood Airport Goodwood Airfield Goodwood Aerodrome | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Airport type | Private | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator | Goodwood Road Racing Company Ltd | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | Westhampnett West Sussex | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 110 ft / 34 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 50°51′34″N 000°45′33″W / 50.88634°N 0.75917°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | goodwood.com/aerodrome | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Chichester (Goodwood) Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P781) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Goodwood Road Racing Company Limited).[2]
Wartime use
editThe airfield was built during the Second World War by the Royal Air Force as a relief landing ground for nearby RAF Tangmere. The site was the former Westhampnett Farm and part of the Goodwood Estate. It was known as RAF Westhampnett.
RAF use
editDuring the Battle of Britain two fighter squadrons (145 Sqn and 602 Sqn) were based at Westhampnett.
USAAF use
editWesthampnett was also used by the United States Army Air Forces Eighth Air Force as a fighter airfield for the 308th and 309th Fighter Squadrons of the 31st Fighter Group from RAF Atcham and RAF High Ercall with Supermarine Spitfire Vs beginning on 27 July 1942.
The 31st FG flew its first sorties with RAF, (total of 1,286 losing 5 aircraft) on 10 September 1942, and flew last mission from Great Britain in late October 1942. The group then moved to Gibraltar and fought with the Twelfth Air Force in North Africa and Italy.
Postwar use
editAfter the war the airfield was returned to the Goodwood Estate and the perimeter track of the airfield has been used since the late 1940s for motor racing and called the Goodwood Circuit. The airfield currently has a large flying school and many historic aircraft.
See also
editReferences
editThis article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency