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RAF HALTON

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This page last updated on 10th November 2005

[Description] [Attractions] [Viewing] [Other Info]

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Located North-West of Halton village, South of Aston Clinton which is on the A41 in Buckinghamshire, between Aylesbury and Hemel Hempstead. Halton was famous for the apprentice school but these days the station is home to the School of Recruit Training and other non-flying units; the station itself is East of Halton while the airfield is to the West. Halton is a nice relaxed place to spend an hour or two watching the quieter side of the RAF, and happily no plans to sell the place off exist, despite what this page used to say!

ICAO	Telephone	Web sites
EGWN	01296 623535 (ext 6367/6400)	RAF Halton (official site)
	01296 622697 (Halton Aero Club)	RAF Halton Aircraft Apprentices Association
		Aerial view

Frequencies
Frequency	Description	Last heard
123.350	Air to ground (airshows)
129.550	Approach (London Luton Airport)
130.425	Air to ground (aero club)
356.275	Ground

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE

Grob Vigilant T.1 powered gliders of 613 VGS are the military aircraft you'll see here. There is a local flying club with a small number of light aircraft, numerous gliders and microlights too. Visitors are mostly other light aircraft; the odd Bulldog or Chipmunk keeps things mildly interesting.

Unlike most RAF stations flying continues throughout the week, including the weekend, with the Vigilants often busier on a Sunday than during the week. There is never any movement past dusk - the grass runways are unlit anyway. Tuesdays can be interesting - graduation ceremonies mean there is often a flypast or display from visiting aircraft (most of which cannot stop of course!). More info available here and here.

VIEWING

Assuming you're coming from the A41, go into Aston Clinton and turn off onto the B4544 towards Weston Turville. You'll go past some fields on your right and soon come to a small turning to the right (might be signposted for Halton). Take this turn and shortly you'll see the airfield on your left.

The first useful place is by the side of a crash gate (A). There's enough room for a car or two to park on the verge just past the gate; the road here is quiet enough that if you do park partially on the road no-one's going to be particularly bothered about it. From here you have a good view across the Western half of the field; there's a dip on the other side of runway 02/20 which cuts down your view of the rest. The Vigilants usually park by the mobile control tower North of the runway intersection and photos are marginal - a little too far for good shots with a 300mm lens, though they taxi closer on their way to the 02 threshold if the wind is right. To your left you can't fail to notice a Jet Provost fuselage in use as a horse jump, within range of the smallest of lenses.

Jet Provost horse jump (taken from point A); author

Vigilant taxiing (taken from point B); author

Continuing South-East along the road, there's another crash gate on your left (B). A little less room to park either side and the verge is a bit higher but still okay for the average car. You're nice and close to the runway end here and if 02 is in use the Vigilants will taxi right past you. Anything on approach to 02 visible for miles behind you so you have plenty of time to line up your shot, though you are a little bit far away for good shots - best to walk down the (practically non-existent) fence a bit.

From the verge along here you have a good view of the gliders lined up along from the hangars - in fact this side of the airfield is reserved for glider operations only, which is why the Vigilants operate from the other side of the main runway. Flying club aircraft are often hangared and can appear from this side too.

Within sight from this spot is a field entrance on the right hand side of the road (C). There's room for one or two cars here if people are careful, but often it's simply blocked by a single car. Great for head-on shots of anything landing; for anything taking off from 20, it's pot luck depending on the wind as to whether they turn away or are too high by the time they get to you. A public footpath extends across the field here and can offer some alternative angles on approaching aircraft.

Chipmunk landing (taken from point B); author

Microlight taxiing - it's got a roundel on it, honest (taken near point B); author

If the wind means runway 20 is in use, or in the rarer event that 26/08 is in use, your only chance of decent photography is going to mean quite a hike. Drive into Halton village and park, and walk down to the old canal. A footpath runs alongside and another one branches off to the left after a good walk North-East. This path goes up along the side of the airfield and spots such as D and E look to offer some possibility of viewing - however there is high ground and some trees on this side of the airfield and I haven't checked it out myself. It will be less of a walk to drive back to Aston Clinton and try and find the other end of this footpath!

Our final stop at RAF Halton is for the gate guard, a Hunter. As mentioned earlier the station is split in two, so drive through the village and follow the road as it turns to the right. You'll see a sign for the station up ahead but ignore it and follow the road round to the left. You'll pass through some buildings on either side of you (and a memorial on your left) and soon come to a crossroads. The Hunter is now visible on the right-hand side of the road; what you want to do now is turn right but then turn right immediately and park in the area by the fence here (F). If you're worried about traffic from the left, you can always drive straight across this junction and use the mini-roundabout at the station entrance to turn and come back to the parking place. The Hunter is on display in front of an office building and you have a superb head-on shot from here, and limited side-on shots if you walk the fence in either direction - it's not too high so no stepladder needed. As it's not in front of anything sensitive like the station entrance itself or a car park, nobody seems bothered about people taking photos and most people don't bother asking for permission - I'm not even sure where you'd go to do so. That's your lot for Halton.

Hunter gate guard (taken from point F); author

OTHER INFORMATION

Petrol and some shops available in Aston Clinton.

Contributors: author, Alan Allen, Nick Challoner.

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