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KEMBLE

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This page last updated on 10th November 2005

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

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Kemble is another civilian airfield that used to be an RAF station. With a long history of being home to maintenance units, Kemble is now home to Delta Jets and their Hunter fleet as well as several other civilian organisations. Kemble used to cover a huge area, with hangars dispersed at large distances from the runways, but it has shrunk somewhat leaving those far-out hangars outside the current perimeter. In civilian hands it's a friendly place and welcomes visitors so you can look forward to a rewarding day should you visit here.

ICAO	Telephone	Web sites
EGBP	01285 771177	Kemble Airfield (official site)
	01285 770077	Bristol Aero Collection (official site)
		Britannia Aircraft Preservation Trust (official site)
		AV8 Bistro & Restaurant (official site)
		Kemble Air Day 2004 (official site)
		Aerial view

Frequencies
Frequency	Description	Last heard
118.900	Tower

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE

Spam cans and microlights mostly I'm afraid. However, Delta usually put up at least one Hunter each weekend so a Saturday visit should see some noisier action. Jet Provosts pop in from time to time and the day-to-day activity can include ex-military types such as Chipmunks. Devonair being based here means you also have a chance of seeing a Devon.

Activity is highest during weekdays and office hours, with very little happening in the evening. Weekends can actually be busier than during the week, depending on what the weather's like.

Also on the airfield is the Bristol Aero Collection, an aviation museum housed in one of the large hangars. See their web site for opening times and admission details.

VIEWING

Assuming you're coming from Kemble village direction, you'll soon see the airfield on your right. As soon it shows up keep an eye out for the layby on the left, and pull in here (A). This is your primary viewing area at Kemble, and has an excellent view over the road to runway 09/27. While for many years there was only a small stone wall along the airfield perimeter, unfortunately the CAA forced the airfield to erect a large fence instead, for security reasons. This is going to make photography much more difficult than it used to be. Microlights depart in a very short distance and are normally airborne by the runway intersection so you won't see much of them up this end. Spamcans are a bit high for photography when departing from 09, but easily photographable if landing on 27. As most of the jet movements here are Hunters and JPs they're still quite low when departing from 09, so you'll see them come over the hump in the middle of the runway and climb gently past you. They will be above the level of the fence at least. When airshows or open days are on at Kemble this layby is closed by the police - so don't be a tight git, pay to go in!

Jet Provost departing (taken from point A); author

Once you've had your fill at this spot, it's a short trip down the road to the massive green gate you'll see on your right just after the road curves to the left (B). You can usually ignore the signs about keeping this area clear as the gate is no longer used except when events are on - it used to offer access to some hangars South-East of here, on the other side of the road from the airfield. However there's no real point hanging round here for long - it just offers limited views of the airfield, with the spamcans a bit lower when departing. This is probably the nearest safe parking spot for watching any activity on runway 13/31, but that runway isn't often used - it's too short for the Hunters for a start.

Hunter taking off (taken from near point C); author

So, next spot - inside! Kemble is now a licensed airfield and welcomes visitors. With the Bristol museum on-site and a rather swish new restaurant you have any number of excuses to visit. The entrance to the airfield is on the right just after the large hangars now used for storage. Once in the gate and signed in with security if required, drive round the Southern taxiway following the signs for the Bristol Aero Collection and Delta Jets. The BAC hangar is at point C and is well worth a visit. Handily it also offers good views onto the runway. Don't go too close as the tower won't like it and may stop all flying until somebody comes along to shout at you - there's a bit of fence with bushes etc. along it that points to towards the runway, use that as a guide and don't go beyond the end of the fence.

Driving back out of the BAC area (or A Site as it's known on the airfield), turn right to continue on the taxiway as it curves North to cross runway 09/27. From now on you are entering the live part of the airfield. If you are not escorted across the runway OBEY THE STOP MARKINGS and make ABSOLUTELY sure that there are no aircraft using the runway, approaching to land, or taxiing out from the pan in front of Delta's hangars (G site) before you cross the runway to continue towards Delta. DO NOT cross the runway on foot under any circumstances. If runway 09 is in use, you can walk down a little closer towards the runway (having parked behind Delta's hangars) to get excellent shots of anything landing - point D. Continuing round to the tower (again follow signs) and the Avi8 Bistro & Restaurant, you can park by the tower and and the area directly in front of it offers good views of any operations on the grass runway. Please ask in the tower if you wish to wander around the hangars and aircraft parking area.

Hunter landing (taken from near point D); author

Mustang departing (taken from point F); author

Right, that's it for inside - if you're stuck with staying outside, there's three more spots to investigate. Back out of the airfield, and get back on the road to Kemble village. Turn left in the village at the second left turning (not the one for the station). Follow this road and when you come to a crossroads, turn left towards Jackaments Bottom. After a while the road begins to curve right and there's a small turning on the left, signposted for Jackaments Bottom Farm. Take this turn and go down this winding little lane - take it easy, it's narrow and the road is a little rough in places - very scenic though. All the way to end and you'll come to the old D Site entrance, now disused (F). This offers a limited view onto runway 09/27 and the Northern taxiway - more distant from the runway than at point A but closer to the taxiway obviously. There's a fairly high fence here so a stepladder is necessary.

The next two spots are purely for logging serials of anything parked outside Delta's hangars so you can terminate your tour at this point if you only want photos. Back down the lane and turn left onto the main road again. After a while you'll see the Northern part of the airfield on your left, at a higher level than you and past a field or two. There are a couple of rough laybys (G and H) where you can pull over and check out what's parked on Delta's pan. And that's it for Kemble!

OTHER INFORMATION

The two main roads on the map are busy ones and it's not possible to stop at the side of them; if you did, I'm sure you'd be in a pile-up before the Police came along to move you on. You have no excuse for this anyway with the ample parking space available at point A.

Cafe and toilets available at the Avi8 Bistro & Restaurant by the control tower; Kemble village is a bit bare in the way of such things so Cirencester is the nearest comfort stop otherwise.

Contributors: author, Glen Moreman.

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