DANGER UBX!

[syscom3]

Large bomb found at ex-Navy base

A 60ft World War II pipe bomb has been found under a runway at a former Royal Navy air base.
BBC NEWS:Saturday, 22 April 2006

The device is believed to be one of a number of explosives planted at HMS Daedalus, Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, to be set off in case of invasion.

Hundreds of homes may be evacuated when the bomb is detonated in June.

Solent Coastguard and Hampshire police air unit, which both use the site, are still in full operation, but a glider club has been ordered to stop flying.

A spokesman for the police unit said it used a runway that was not affected.

Flying instructor Tony World, of the Portsmouth Naval Gliding Club, said the 18m bomb had been confirmed at the site during two months of recent survey work.

Battle of Britain

He said: "They are saying they are not sure that it is the only one.

"We have even been told we cannot walk on the grass."

The base was the headquarters of the Fleet Air Arm during the Battle of Britain.

Several explosive devices were found there about 15 years ago and were blown up.

Much of the base was recently handed over to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which had previously rented the site.

An MCA spokesman said: "As new landlords we are particularly keen to reach agreement with the gliding club based on new methods of operation we will be using the airfield for.

"We need to come to the agreement before allowing them to use the airfield."

 

[Glider]

I was based there as part of my training and used to belong to the gliding club. I find it amusing that after all these years and heaven only knows how many take off and landings that have been done on that field they have stopped the gliding club. All sorts of aircraft used to use the field in the 70's.
It was an interesting place in the 70's as it housed the RN trials unit for Hovercraft. They had all sorts of machines for trials and the RN ended up not buying any of them.