In the week of Robert Morgan’s death the latest ‘Pilot’ magazine has as its lead letter one from an engineer who went to Bassingbourn in February. He was to check over an Auster which had been hangared unflown for 3 years.
At the end of the day the owners pushed the aircraft from the hangar with an army escort unlocking the gates out on to the disused airfield. Behind them workmen were demolishing the hangar. The Auster took off and the watchers returned to the army camp. As he remarks, no brass bands, no ceremony. The Memphis Belle flew from there. R.I.P
mmitch.
By: YakRider - 25th May 2004 at 18:32
I was lucky enough to fly in there a couple of years ago, when the local ATC Squadron organised an event.
The museum in the tower is fascinating – lots of B17 and Canberra memorabilia. It too is on the other side of the Army’s fence, so we had to be let in and out. Not sure if it’s possible to get in to see it at any other time via the Guard Room.
Sadly the fly-in wasn’t repeated, and the annual one at Nuthampstead has also been discontinued as far as I am aware because of insurance problems.
At least one hangar remains. We saw it when we went past on our way to OW for the last evening show.
YR
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May 25, 2004 at 9:29 am