ASR airfield photos

Tom,

I completely forgot that there is a superb website dedicated to Banff which you may find interesting. It includes a large selection of photos.

http://www.scotshistoryonline.co.uk/rafbanff.html

ASR Photos

Hi Ian and ‘Archieraf’,

Thanks for the pointers for photo permissions. I will follow these up.

Yours aye

Tom

And Thornaby control tower, from here: http://haib.50g.com/thornaby.htm

It’s not really what you’re looking for, but I found this photo of an Anson of 206 Squadron taken at Bircham Newton at this website: http://www.wartimememories.co.uk/airfields/birchamnewton.html

Oops. I forgot to mention that this shows a 489 Squadron Beaufighter from Dallachy being escorted by a 315 Squadron Mustang from Peterhead.

Another Dallachy photo that might be of interest …

Hello Tom,

To follow on from Ian’s posting above, I have a catalogue of the Luftwaffe Photographs in the National Monuments of Scotland which features some of the Scottish airfields you mentioned. Contact details given in the publication for enquiries about the Luftwaffe Collection should be addressed to:

The Secretary
RCAHMS
John Sinclair House
16 Bernard Terrace
Edinburgh
EH8 9NX
Phone: 0131 662 1456 or e-mail [email]nmrs@rcahms.gov.uk[/email]

You might also try contacting Jim Hughes, author of A Steep Turn to the Stars. He has some photos of the airfields you require in his book but no source is mentioned. I expect he might be able to point you in the right direction.

Tom,

The Banff photo comes from the RAF Museum. If you quote the serial number at the bottom, they’ll be able to identify the photo.

The two photos of Wick are from the National Monuments Record of Scotland, part of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

The Dallachy Beaufighter photos came from SCRAN (Scottish Cultural Resources Access Network) and are credited there to the National Museums of Scotland. Your best idea would be to write to the Museum of Flight for permission.

Sorry I can’t give permission for the photos but you should have some joy with the organisations above.

Here are a few photos. Banff in 1943 and Wick in 1941 and 1943.

Hi Ian,

Thanks very much for the swift response with photos of Wick and Banff. Also the amazing B 🙂 eaufighter photos. Do I have your permission to use the airfield photos in the book? Also, would you mind if I used the the Beaufighter photos too. 279 Sqn was tasked with providing ASR cover to the Banff and Dallachy strike wings on ops off the Norwegian coast and escorted many a damaged Beau back to base or dropped airborne lifeboats and dinghies to ditched crew, so the photos are relevant to the tale. I will, of course, give full credit in the book to the source of the photos. if you wish to discuss this offline with me please e-mail me at thomasdochertyATtiscali.co.uk (change AT to @) in the address.

Yours aye

Tom

Hi Snapper,

Thanks very much for the offer. Current photos of Beccles would be good if you can provide them. Do you have an e-mail address or phone number for Bob Collis, so i can get in touch with him?

Yours aye

Tom

Although not quite as dramatic, here’s another couple from Dallachy.

Nice shot

Excellent photo of Beaufighters, whoever took that is braver than me. The noise must have been fantastic!

And an image of Dallachy. Or at least, a small part of it. This may not be of much use to you, but I don’t have any aerial photos of this aerodrome.

Here are a few photos. Banff in 1943 and Wick in 1941 and 1943.

Beccles. That’s down the road from me. I don’t have any photos from wartime (though I have from now, and can take fresh). You want to contact Bob Collis at Flixton Aviation Museum.