When I were a nipper, late 50s/early 60s-ish, we used to drive up the old A12 to Gt. Yarmouth from Romford and always have a “brew-up” near Martlesham Heath.
One of the way points was always to spot the old Spitfire and some early jet just apparently left at the edge of the airfield near the road. Does anyone else remember these and can you cast some light on the history of them? I’m guessing now, but I think the jet might have been a Sabre and not all of it, either.
The Spitfire? I seem to remember it was in zinc chromate, but I might be dreaming this.
Martin
By: Arabella-Cox - 13th June 2017 at 14:18
Just an update on all things ex RAF Martlesham Heath http://mh100.org.uk/
By: Guildman - 4th March 2013 at 12:33
Thanks, gents. Thinking about it more, it might have been the Meteor. I remember something all on its own over one side looking ( I seem to recall) like it had nosed in. It always amused us as we drove by. It was nowhere near any buildings. In golf terms you could say it was well “in the rough”.
Martin
By: Cranston - 2nd March 2013 at 14:33
Not sure about this one. When I was there in 59′ as well as the Comm Flt, the B of B was there with their Spits and Hurricanes. That was the year that the Spit landed on the cricket pitch during the B of B flypast. Prior to that during the summer, it was normal for the ” brass” in 11 Group to fly the Spits, ” for old time sake”. On two occasions to my memory the Spits were landed wheels up, forgetting to put the gear down !! Remember lifting one up off the runway, selecting the gear down and pulled back to the hangar ! The story goes ( 50 years on!) that bits were taken off the damaged aircraft and fitted to the fly past Spit, enabling it to fly on that day. The story goes that it was the carb that was robbed and fitted, without any post crash inspection, so I was told .
Remember well hanging over the rear fuselage whist they did engine runs , but did not have the experience of a certain WAAF !!!
By: G-ORDY - 2nd March 2013 at 13:04
and another one at Debden?
Whilst on the subject, we have an exhaustive list of Spitfires which were disposed of during the late 1950’s which will be appearing as an Appendix in a book very soon …
However, one we cannot pin down was sighted by Graham Trant in a blast pen on the north side of RAF Debden around 1957/58.
It was a low-back (probably an L.F.XVIe) painted either silver or pale blue and had the wings stacked alongside the fuselage.
Graham had thought it was SL572, but the date and location do not stack-up as its last accident had been an Duxford … although it may have been taken to Debden for fire practice?
By: G-ORDY - 2nd March 2013 at 12:23
One That Got Away …
This one was outside the BBMF hangar at Martlesham on 12 August 1959. It may be either SL718 or TE464. It was scrapped after spares recovery …
By: Cranston - 2nd March 2013 at 06:48
11Group Communication Flt. Now there is photo that brings back memories.
By: viscount - 1st March 2013 at 22:44
A photo taken at Martlesham Heath on 22nd February 1960, on the back titled: ‘Communications Flight’.
This photo the work of George Jones.
By: Cranston - 26th February 2013 at 15:46
MH was my fist posting when I joined the RAF in 58 . It was 11 Group HQ at the time, the aircraft were as follows :
Anson
Meteor 7 and 8
Chipmunks
Also based there were the B of B Spits and Hurricanes. So maybe that’s what you saw, although we did get numerous visiting aircraft of various types. Left there in 1960 for Singapore, but have been passed a few times, my old hangar and billets are still there, but MH brings back many happy memories, even after 50 years or so.
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February 26, 2013 at 11:55 am