Merryfield Open Evening 2011

RAF MERRYFIELD “AT HOME” 18 SEP 1954

Some items from the 1954 “At Home” day – part of the RAFA Battle of Britain Week for that year:

Flying Programme

It is hoped that the Flying Display will include the following:-

Air Sea Rescue demonstration by a Helicopter

Formation aerobatics by Meteors from the Royal Air Force Station at Weston Zoyland and Vampires from Merryfield.

Demonstration flying by a Wyvern and a Helicopter, by courtesy of Westland Aircraft, Limited.

Solo aerobatics by Chipmunk, Meteor, Balliol, Provost and Vampire aircraft.

Height and speed judging contest.

Breaking the sound barrier by a Sabre of Fighter Command.

Mock attack by Vampires on a position defended by guns manned by the Royal Air Force Regiment.

During the afteroon formations of aircraft will be flying over the airfield.

At the end of the Display visiting aircraft from the Static Park will take-off and fly past before returning to their bases.

Two civilian aircraft will be operating from the airfield throughout the period giving pleasure flights to the public at moderate charges.

The Static Aircraft Display was expected to include:

Vampire 5
Vampire T11
Venom
Prentice
Meteor T7
Lincoln
Canberra
Varsity
Provost
Harvard
Balliol
Chipmunk
Anson
Auster
Tempest
Sabre
Wyvern
S51
Meteor NF11

This was just ONE ‘At Home Day’ held at a relatively small aerodrome in Somerset. The Station opened at 1.30 pm and closed at 5.30 pm. The Flying Display was from 2.35 pm until 5 pm, with a ‘Tea interval’ from 4 pm – 4.30 pm!

There was an address by The Lord Hylton, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Somerset at 2.30 pm and the Station Band from Royal Air Force, Boscombe Down played selections during the afternoon (By kind permission of Air Commodore A. H. Wheeler, OBE).

What people would give to see something like that today!

Ok thanks anyway. It is good to hear your reminisces about Merryfield. Anymore that you can share with us? 🙂

Sorry, no – I was rather too young at the time.

And it wasn’t until many years later that I had my Brownie 127!!

So many missed photo-opportunities – such as the Meteor TT20 which overshot the runway, stopped just short of the road but deposited its nose cone in the fence on the far side of the road!

Many thanks for the information Nickwilcock. As you say it must have been spotting heaven for anyone interested. I thought that was the space vacated by the Westlands hangar, but thanks for just clarifying it for me. Did you by any chance take any photos, or notes on aircraft movements.. especially of the Wyverns being tested from there?

Rob.

Absolutely cracking shots.

My favouite is the b/w shot of the junglie #9 in your first post.

Was the reversal of the negative intentional. 😀 Evocative atmosphere.

1959 Air Show

inkworm, I well remember the 1959 Air Show! It was a wonderfully hot summer’s day and there was a lot of flying. We’d also had a private viewing of the Bleriot IX and Bristol Fighter which had been hangared overnight.

The ‘crazy flying’ involved a bright yellow Tiger Moth which had been ‘stolen’ by someone who ‘couldn’t fly’. It jinked about at low level and at one stage was flown directly towards the crowd before pulling up. It looked a bit silly, to be honest.

The Jet Provost display was quite noisy, but impressive. Though not half as impressive as the low level Vulcan flypast!

Later on, the wind was suitable, so the Bleriot IX and Bristol Fighter both flew. The Bleriot simply flew from one end of the short RW to the other and was then wheeled back to the hangar.

At a previous Open Day, the programme had featured ‘Breaking the Sound Barrier by a Sabre of Fighter Command’! I’d love to see that today – rather more impressive than the clattering helicopters.

MERRYFIELD

Wyvernfan, please note the Google Earth image below:

Westlands hangar was where the gypsy site now is. You can still see the old hangar base where I’ve put a marker. The hangar area was connected to the perimeter track by 2 accesses as marked.

Another event at Merryfield was the testing of the deflected jet Meteor research aircraft RA490 which had 2 Nene engines. Ground running was conducted over special pits somewhere near where I’ve indicated, but all traces have now been removed. It was fun crawling through the disused tunnels as a kid!

Sabres, Meteors and Wyverns were regularly tested at Merryfield – heaven for an air-mad small boy who lived nearby and would wander up to a favourite goofing spot as shown! The Wyvern was known by my mother as the ‘Willie Wyvern’ for some odd reason.

At one stage both a Welkin and Hamilcar X were parked near Westlands hangar, but I don’t remember seeing them as I was too small at the time.

Merryfield was a wonderful place to explore – and there was even more excitement when the Fleet Air Arm came back with Sea Venoms in later years whilst Yeovilton was being prepared for the Sea Vixen.

Very nice. You don’t need sun… the b&w’s are definitely my favourites.
Thanks.

Unsure Rob, my guess is that there would have only been some kind of preparation hangar, to prepare aircraft for flight test and delivery after the short ride from Yeovil.

Only just been able to view the pics here, fantastic shots Seamus!

Hi Rob, there is a thread on Merryfield at AIX here, http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?98-Merryfield.
I can’t view pics at the mo so not sure how useful it is.

Thanks James. Don’t want to hijack the thread but looking at that aerial view of Merryfield do you know where the Westland works was located on the airfield as regards flight testing?

Excellent chopper shots, especially the Linx dive duo.

Lovely shots.

Thanks very much chaps 😎

Wyvernfan, I’m afraid I don’t have any airfield shots, I was solely shooting the helos.

Here’s a handful more- I really struggled in the conditions to achieve a high enough F-stop, so most of the shots have had to be binned due to the extremities of the helos being soft :wat:

Merryfield_2011_27 by Seamus_85, on Flickr

Merryfield_2011_26 by Seamus_85, on Flickr

Merryfield_2011_25 by Seamus_85, on Flickr

Merryfield_2011_24 by Seamus_85, on Flickr

Merryfield_2011_23 by Seamus_85, on Flickr

Thanks again,

Shaun 🙂

Hi

Great pics: thanks for sharing

Roger

Hi Rob, there is a thread on Merryfield at AIX here, http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?98-Merryfield.
I can’t view pics at the mo so not sure how useful it is.

Nice photos. Merryfield is an interesting airfield from my perspective, as it was from there that most production Westland Wyverns first took to the air, having been towed there by road from Yeovil.
Do you have any pics of the actual airfield site?

Nice to see a quiet often overlooked airfield is still holding displays, but oh for the golden days of the fast jets.

Seems as good a place as any to post it so here’s the schedule for the Merryfield open day 1959, I can’t help but wonder what the ‘crazy flying’ involved!

Nice shots.