Saturday 9 September was the Boscombe Down Families day which allowed a chance to take a camera inside the wire.
The main ceremonial aspect was the unveiling of a memorial plaque mrarking the centenary.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]255658[/ATTACH]
The main historical items (apart from the still servicable pre production Hawk on the static line) were to be found in the Apprentice School Hangar.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]255659[/ATTACH]
A nice selection of engines.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]255660[/ATTACH]
Whats left of a Basset
[ATTACH=CONFIG]255661[/ATTACH]
They have to practice rivetting on something.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]255662[/ATTACH]
Bertie Basset is still in one piece though.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]255663[/ATTACH]
JP5
Outside one of the Chieftans looks like it has become a plaything for RAF Crash and Smash
[ATTACH=CONFIG]255664[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]255665[/ATTACH]
Lightning Gate Guard
By: Lynx815 - 19th September 2017 at 19:38
XS765 but was fully skinned at last year’s Families’ Day.
By: Splitpin - 19th September 2017 at 17:48
Very interesting photographs…thanks. What is the identity of the Basset fuselage hulk please?
By: Arabella-Cox - 12th September 2017 at 20:53
I was expecting the remains of the Basset to get people adgitated not the spelling on the memorial.
My memory of Rick was both he, an American serviceman and myself, a British civilian, trying to convince the guard at RAF Gatow to let’s us in after a rather good night out on the town so we could return to Boscombe the next day in the Herc.
By: Rocketeer - 12th September 2017 at 20:11
I personally don’t care about the spelling of ‘honoring ‘ . Like Aeronut, I’m a long in the tooth inmate of BD. Over the years we have had countless exchange American test pilots as well as test pilot and FTE studes. One of the finest was Rick Husband who went on to fly the shuttle and was tragically lost with Columbia. When Rick left BD to join NASA, I spoke to him and wished him luck. That was within 25 yds of where the stone is now. So I, personally, will remember Rick when I read that.
By: DaveF68 - 12th September 2017 at 09:52
That’s dreadful. No doubt proofed on Word and spell checked that way
By: Rosevidney1 - 11th September 2017 at 22:29
I have to agree with Lynx815. I’m amazed the spelling is simply incorrect and I’m afraid it will grate with the majority of people who read it.
By: pogno - 11th September 2017 at 09:44
Its probably just me being old school but in my view this memorial is a rather odd combination of text, shape, ambiguous images and choice of material. The memorial at Martlesham Heath seems much more informative and imposing www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive.cfm?storyid=409F4C47-5056-A318-A8D3E997B6FC8792
Richard
By: Lynx815 - 11th September 2017 at 07:47
Not sure about the use of the American style ‘…honoring…’ on the memorial stone.
By: Paul Thayre - 11th September 2017 at 07:40
Good memories but a shadow of its former self…..
Sign In
September 10, 2017 at 7:41 am