Editing Elstree (section)

=== Elstree Aerodrome ===
[[Elstree Aerodrome]] is licensed by the CAA and has a {{convert|2150|ft|yd m|0|adj=on}}<!--717 yards--> paved runway, suitable most for light aircraft and turbine powered G A aircraft. It also is one of the main helicopter centres for north London and is extending its provision in this area.
In the early 1930s it was a grass landing strip for the local Aldenham House country club.<ref>Richard Riding and Grant Peerless, ''Elstree Aerodrome: The Past in Pictures'', The History Press Ltd (26 November 2003), {{ISBN|0-7509-3412-3}}, {{ISBN|978-0-7509-3412-1}}, 192 pages. (Back cover)</ref> A concrete runway was put down during [[World War II]], and [[Wellington Bomber]]s were modified here.<ref>John M. Houlder, C.B.E., "[http://www.firecrestaviation.co.uk/documents/History%20of%20Elstree%20Aerodrome.pdf History of Elstree Aerodrome] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402164949/http://www.firecrestaviation.co.uk/documents/History%20of%20Elstree%20Aerodrome.pdf |date=2 April 2012 }}", at [http://www.firecrestaviation.co.uk/ Firecrest Aviation Ltd] website. Retrieved 20 September 2011</ref> After World War II the airfield was initially used to fly in converted Halifaxes stacked with food supplies to supplement the depleted British stocks; however, after an overloaded plane damaged the runway it was no longer used for this purpose.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.londonelstree.com/history-of-elstree|title=Elstree – History & Photos|website=Elstree|language=en|access-date=8 March 2020}}</ref>

On 29 November 1975, retired [[Formula One]] race car driver and [[Embassy Hill]] car owner [[Graham Hill]] and his racing driver [[Tony Brise]] were piloting a twin-engine six-seat [[Piper PA-23]]-250 Aztec (N6645Y) from France to London with four additional team members aboard. All six were killed when it crashed and burned in heavy fog on Arkley Golf Course, {{convert|3|mi|0}} short of the runway.<ref name=pckdpu>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q-4bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nlYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4438%2C6718095 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press |location=(Pennsylvania, U.S.) |agency=United Press International |title=Plane crash kills driver Graham Hill |date=30 November 1975 |page=D-1 }}</ref><ref name=rmdthms>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ioVQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2BEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7248%2C127474 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |location=(Wisconsin, U.S.) |agency=United Press International |title=Racing mourns death of Graham Hill |date=1 December 1975 |page=5, part 2}}</ref><ref name=dbmj>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TM8hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pp4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=699%2C105162 |newspaper=Daytona Beach Morning Journal |location=(Florida, U.S.) |agency=Associated Press |title=After cheating death 20 years, Hill killed in air crash |date=1 December 1975 |page=1C }}</ref>