Wartime Duxford photos

🙂 @ the last paragraph 😉

Museum? Not me. Ashleys the Shiraz swiller. I’d rather drink Belgian beers.

Anyways, here’s what my website has about DX.

Duxford

This was the base at which 609 was first to make acquaintance with the Hawker Typhoon, joining 56 Squadron who had converted to them from their Spitfires and were already highlighting teething troubles with both the engine and the airframe that were to continually dog the Typhoon throughout its service life. In 609’s first month at Duxford, arriving on 30th March 1942, they only received one Typhoon – but were kept busy as they still operated their 13 (worn-out) Supermarine Spitfire MKVB’s. By the beginning of May, they were at long last in possession of their new mounts – fifteen factory-fresh Hawker Typhoons of both types 1A and 1B, with which they were to train before becoming fully operational once more. During this time, 609 had one fatal accident – on 26th June 1942. Whilst taking off as a pair, the Belgians Raymond ‘Cheval’ Lallemand and Francois De Spirlet collided (De Spirlet’s Typhoon having a blow-out that swung the aircraft across the runway). Francois Xavier Egenoff De Spirlet was killed.

While still at Duxford, 609 was to fire its guns in anger for the first time since the change-over – courtesy of Armand ‘Fifi’ De Saxce, who fired on a Focke-Wulf Fw190 that was flying in accidental formation with the Belgian Bob Wilmet – this mistaken identity between the two types of aircraft was soon to become a familiar occurrence from both sides, especially once the Typhoons were sent to the south coast to intercept the Fw190 tip-and-run raiders, both flying at low-level. Under Paul Richey’s reccomendation, the Duxford Wing – which now consisted of 56, 266 and 609 Squadrons – was split up and redeployed to combat this new threat. On 18th September 1942, 609 (West Riding) Squadron returned to Biggin Hill, leaving merely the words on the blackboard outside dispersal:

“Tally Ho! Gone away!”

And the Goat.

Duxford was built during World War One as one of the earliest RAF Aerodromes. From training RFC aircrew in 1917, it went on to become No 35 Training Depot in September 1918. When the war ended shortly afterwards, it was used to disband squadrons returning from overseas, becoming No.2 Flying Training School in 1920. In 1924 Duxford was to finally become a fighter station.

In August 1938, No.19 Squadron at Duxford became the first RAF squadron to re-equip with Supermarine Spitfires, the first being flown into Duxford by Chief Test Pilot Jeffrey Quill of Supermarine. Duxfords first Hurricanes arrived 11 months later when escaped Czech Pilots formed 310 Squadron, soon to be joined 242 Squadron from nearby Coltishall, along with the still-present Spitfires of No19. In September 1940, these squadrons, under Douglas Bader, formed a wing, intercepting a large Luftwaffe force before they could attack their target. 611 (West Lancashire) and 302 (Polish) Squadrons were soon added to this now famous.’Big Wing’ of sixty fighters.

Once the Battle Of Britain was over, Duxfords role changed slightly, to accommodate the Air Fighting Development Unit, and to become the place where squadrons were sent for converting onto new aircraft. As such, Duxford became the operational birthplace of the Hawker Typhoon with its formation under John Grandy of the first Typhoon wing, consisting of 56 (Under Hugh ‘Cocky’ Dundas, brother of John), and 609 Squadron (Under Paul Richey’s command). Their first operation together took place on 20th June 194 with a sweep over France.

In April 1943 the Duxford became Base 357, one of many bases used by the United States 8th Air Force, and held the headquarters of the 78th Fighter Group flying P47 Thunderbolts and P51 Mustangs. It remained in America’s hands 1 December 1945.

Duxford aerodrome, Base 357, RAF Duxford, is now home Rebecca Harding of Spit n’ polish inc., and the Imperial War Museum as well as many private owners and operators of warbirds, and is renowned for both the quality of its exhibits, and for hosting the premier warbird airshows in Europe.

Probably of no help, but there you go.

I’m only posting ’em once – honest

Hmmm…well I’ve heard of double posting but…interesting…~cue Twilight Zone music~…

:p

Originally posted by JDK
Grassy, with a few hangars.

It’s a facetious remark, but not far off. Most of the accom was there, you can tell which are the newer hangars, and the perri track – was that pre-war anyone?

That sounds to me like a fair description of most WWII fighter airfields in a nutshell

Originally posted by JDK
Grassy, with a few hangars.

It’s a facetious remark, but not far off. Most of the accom was there, you can tell which are the newer hangars, and the perri track – was that pre-war anyone?

That sounds to me like a fair description of most WWII fighter airfields in a nutshell

Not a problem Daz 🙂 (I’ll PM you in a sec)

Grassy, with a few hangars.

It’s a facetious remark, but not far off. Most of the accom was there, you can tell which are the newer hangars, and the perri track – was that pre-war anyone?

I meant to add the photo is merely for guidance as to how DX looked in its Battle of Britain days, so wouldn’t actually be used in the bookitself.

Sorry if I confused you folks 😮

Snapper,
You really don’t work for a museum, do you… As much meths as you can drink, old bean, on our money.
Cheers

PS, yes, I’ve been made redundant too; albeit a few years ago, in a city not quite far far enough away. 😉

Keeps you in Shiraz though eh?

As far as the Imperial War Museum goes, the IWM is the official despository for Crown copyrighted material relating to the the United Kingdom’s armed forces. This means that the IWM will deal with any requests for this material, and should only charge a reproduction fee for private use. For commercial use there is a licensing fee to pay as well (well the Museum has to make money in order to spend money, and now Lambeth Road is free admission…)

However, not all material in the possession of the IWM is Crown copyright, a good proportion of it has IWM copyright, or private copyright, and therefore a charge may be made concerning copyright. If a photo has IWM or private copyright, in THEORY, there should be no other organisation claiming copyright.

Becka

P.S. Daz…I have in my possession, a copy (paid for by myself) of a black and white aerial image of Duxford during WWII, showing both the south and north sides. It is at home at the moment so I cannot check the number and find out what the copyright is on that print, but if you would like me to find out, I can. I believe it was taken around 1943 which might be a bit too late for you?

P.P.S Further info can be found on the IWM website. I will not post the link here, as I do not wish to be accused of infringing Keypublishings rules concerning advertising. Although I would see it as providing someone with a link to some potentially useful information, there are some out there who would probably think I’m just trying to increase the Museum’s revenue, which I’m not.

Well said Melvyn.

If you trawl through the photo archives of some of the major Commonwealth museums, you see the same old photos under respective copyright even though, for the technology at the time of acquisition, these images are clearly from copy negatives.

I am amused though with the websites that scan my photographs from magazines or wherever and then copyright them on their site. 🙂

Mark

As always, cheers for the advice, Melvyn. 🙂

Wartime Duxford photographs would have been Crown Copyright (definitely not IWM!). The guide published by the PRO shows that, for photographs taken at this time, the period of copyright is fifty years from the end of the year, so all 1940 photographs came out of copyright at the start of 1991. This has been further checked with the Crown Copyright Officer who resides in an office in the MOD. Good chap too as I remember.

Anything taken by a serving member of the forces whilst in uniform counts as Crown Copyright, certainly for this period.

Although I have no problem with any museum charging for its services, it is a source of annoyance that some will charge high ‘copyright’ or ‘reproduction’ fees for photographs that no longer have any copyright attached to them.

Find them where you can Daz and if you have any doubts, call the Crown Copyright Officer. He is the only person that can decide if they are out of copyright.

MH

Cheers Ashley – thanks for the info. Will get in touch! 🙂

DazDaMan…well what you need to do is speak to someone in the IWM who could help you on that…(You wouldn’t have to look very far ;)) You would have to pay for the photograph, but that way you would be able to use the photo in your novel, no problem. Unless you can find someone with their own private collection of Duxford photos, the chances are that any Duxford photos on the “circuit” originate from collections such as the IWM, and if you use a copy without gaining permission from the copyright holder, you could end up in a spot of bother.

Alternatively you could write to the Old Dux Association and see if there are any members with photos of Duxford in 1940 who would be willing to let you use their photo/s.

Becka

Sorry, 1942 only. Need any of Drem, Catterick, Warmwell, Middle Wallop, or Northolt?