THREE roads on an industrial estate in Witney are the only reminder that an airfield that played a crucial role in both world wars once existed there.

De Havilland Way, Range Road and Richard Jones Road on the Windrush Industrial Park are tantalising reminders of the airstrip which once serviced Spitfires and Hurricanes damaged in the Battle of Britain.

In a recent exhibition at the old Grammar School in Bampton, former RAF engineer Peter Davis set up a display outlining the fascinating history of the largely forgotten airfield.

Mr Davis, 68, who has three sons and lives in Bampton, said: “There are 27,000 people living in Witney but hardly anyone remembers that there was an airfield there.

“It played a crucial role in the first and second world wars.

“I think it would be nice to at least have a plaque somewhere to remember it.

“More than 500 Spitfires and 500 Hurricanes were repaired there in the Second World War so it played a big role in the success of the Battle of Britain and the war effort.”

The airfield opened in 1918 and remained in us until 1951.

During that time it served as an RAF training unit, a base for tennis, horse racing and motorcycle speedway as well as for Witney and Oxford Aero Club and Witney Aeronautical College.

The airfield’s most famous role was during the Second World War when Spitfires and Hurricanes were flown or transported there after being damaged or shot down in the air war against Hitler’s Luftwaffe. Planes were repaired by the engineers at Witney before being rushed back into service.

Mr Davis, who became a technical author when he left the RAF after 22 years’ service, first became interested in aviation when his brother-in-law took him to air shows at RAF Benson and Abingdon as a child.

He first started getting interested in Witney airfield when he was based at RAF Benson in the 1970s and met Richard Jones, a test pilot who had risked his life to make sure planes had been properly repaired.

Mr Jones crash-landed on at least two occasion after test flying faulty planes over Witney.

He settled in the town after leaving the RAF and was a local celebrity until his death three years ago. Richard Jones Road is named after him.

De Havilland Way takes its name from De Havilland the company that owned the airfield in the 30s and 40s when it was a service station for aircraft from across the country.

Range Road reveals another fascinating piece of the airfield’s history. It is sited near to where butts were set up so pilots could practise firing their plane’s machine guns.

Mr Davis said the the site was closed down in 1949 and taken over by Smiths Industries to build car heaters.

Now it is a modern industrial estate with little sign of the aeronautical history that once played out there.