The Oak Leaf Stages will run at Desborough Airfield, Wilbarston, near Corby, Northampton on April 20th 2008. The organisers have built on their many years of experience from running this event at Flookburgh, Binbrook and now at Desborough to promote a 10 stage multi-use rally that promises to be enjoyable, exciting and value for money with 60 competitive miles on offer. Regs and Entry Form here

ERO have an ongoing commitment to the airfield and have invested in the airfield further in 2005, 2006 and 2007to keep damage to a minimum and also ensure the format ensures the competitors, have a safe and enjoyable day’s motorsport.

The event is brought to you by an experienced organising team which has run events of this type for many years ably assisted by many volunteers from other clubs and associations, for which we are very grateful.

Previous winners:

1989 Jon Joannides/Rob Farrington

1990 Jon Joannides/A. White

1991 Dave Hopwood/Andy Willet

1992 Terry Smith/Andrew Gardiner

1993 Dave Scialom/Simon Dodd

1994 Stuart Darragh/David Oates

1995 Tony Janetta/Lee Carter

1996 Lyndon Barton

1997 Jon Joannides

1998 Alan Peat/Steve Turner

1999 Andy Elliot/Dave Oldfield

2000 Mick Gillman/Jason Dolman

2004 Ron Aiken/Bryan Neale

2005 Chris Baylis/Mark Maison

2006 Paul Haberlin/Joe Cruttenden

2007 Did not run

2008 You?

 

A little bit of History

Desborough Airfield, Northamptonshire

Approximately 4 miles W of Corby between Wilbarston on the A427 and Desborough on the A6

The airfield is situated between the villages of Wilbarston and Desborough, after which it was named, and lies east of the B669 road that joins the two villages.

The station opened on September 1 1943 to receive No 84 OTU which was equipped with Wellington’s plus five Hurricane’s

The airfield had 50 yard-wide concrete runways, the main being 2,000 yards long and lying on an east-west axis. There were two intersecting runways, each 1,400 yards long, with an encircling perimeter track. During 1944 the flying programme was intense and the unit average was about 2,000 flying hours per month.

Throughout the war years Desborough stayed the home of No 84 OTU and remained a training station until the OTU was disbanded on June 14th 1945

In August 1945 the airfield was used for landing practice by Dakotas from 107 OTU at Leicester East. However, by the end of the month the station closed to flying and was put on a care and maintenance basis. With the rapid rundown of the Royal Air Force, the station had closed down in1946