X-Nico

13 unusual facts about Martlesham Heath


Adastral Park

See also Martlesham Heath where further history of the site and surrounding area can be found.

The Royal Air Force were prior residents of the site, as RAF Martlesham Heath.

Avro 533 Manchester

By March 1919, Avro sent the first prototype to Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath for official trials before its eventual return to the Avro factory at Hamble.

BT Research

In 1968 BT began the move of its research to the new site at Martlesham Heath in Suffolk.

The Royal Air Force were the original residents of the site in Suffolk at RAF Martlesham Heath.

Martinsyde Semiquaver

Painted red and given the civil registration G-EAPX, it was flown by F. P. Raynham to set a new British speed record of 161.434  mph (259.75 kph) on 21 March 1920 at Martlesham Heath.

No. 264 Squadron RAF

On 8 December 1939 it was reformed at RAF Station Martlesham Heath to bring the Boulton Paul Defiant fighter into service.

Post Office Research Station

In 1968 it was announced that the station would be relocated to a new centre to be built at Martlesham Heath.

RAF Martlesham Heath

With the end of military control, Martlesham Heath has now become an industrial and dormitory satellite of Ipswich and the four pre-war hangars and technical site buildings are now used for light industry and storage.

Terry Matthews

After an apprenticeship at British Telecom's research lab at Martlesham Heath, Matthews left Britain and joined MicroSystems International, a chipmaking operation affiliated with Northern Telecom (which became Nortel Networks) in Ottawa, Canada.

Tipsy B

In August 1938, during the Certificate of Airworthiness tests at Martlesham Heath, there were concerns about rudder authority, so Tipsy Light Aircraft added 18% to the rudder area, leading to successful certification.

Vickers F.B.25

The prototype was sent to Martlesham Heath in June–July 1917 for official testing, and official reports declared that the F.B.25 had poor control characteristics, being "very dangerous" with the engine off, and "almost unmanageable in a wind over 20 miles per hour".

Vickers Vampire

After modifications to the radiator layout and wing structure and re-armed with three Lewis guns in an Eeman mounting capable of firing up at a 45° angle in order able to engage enemy bombers from below, and numbered B1484, the FB.26 was passed to Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath for evaluation.


Buses in Ipswich

Town bus routes generally run from the centre of the town to serve suburban areas, including locations such as Kesgrave and BT's Adastral Park research centre at Martlesham Heath.