RAF Wethersfield 20th TFW 1950-70

Yes I do, right up at the east end where the lane that used to go north was cut off by the airfield. Park the car at the end of the lane by the fire dump and walk into the field to the right.

Thats nice Steve. Out of interest do you remember where you were standing at the time?

Rob

Just joining in with a shot I took there in 1965.[ATTACH=CONFIG]233989[/ATTACH]

I will see what I can find out Buccman

Col Toliver and his famous Triple Zilch, I hope to put a model of 000 in the museum. And display a drop tank from an F100.

anyone have details of a F100 landing or crashing at Rivenhall disused airfield essex ? was possibly 1959. any facts or photos would be interesting to learn.

Smashing, thanks – I’ll show Dad over Christmas.

Adrian

Will try and find a clearer sharper version, it was Mrs Finbow who let me copy the original when she came to one of my talks on the History of the Base.

Adrian as requested I think the names are still posted above.[ATTACH=CONFIG]233952[/ATTACH]

Ah yes, Tom, very highly regarded at the museum by the chairman and volunteers alike who often speak of his qualities, but his presence there was before my time!

Rob

It was in Toms Office on a conference call i gave a presentation to JPAC at the Pentagon, and the official start of Project-9699 began. He is back in the USA but i believe he was a volunteer at your museum.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]233848[/ATTACH]Wyverfan found 56-2970 :-). May find 71 yet there are many of the Wethersfield Sabres on the Facebook page and more on the web page.

Bassingbourn !!! Do you know Mr Tom Gill?

That’s a start at least.

I haven’t met Tom personally but his name certainly sounds familiar.

Rob

I think 992 and 883 were F100F’s.

not sure how many of those in the photo are still alive.

I can tell you that Steve Blomer and Harold Blewitt are no more. Harold’s son still farms the same farm (and was contracting Blomer’s land while his widow was still alive – don’t know the current situation as my brother no longer works for him.

Adrian

NickB some Sabre’s were 2 seaters , see the post on the f100 crash, i don’t know if 999 was, the story of the flight has been passed on over 55yrs and it possible they were taken up in another Aircraft. most of these farmers families are the same that still own the surrounding farms not sure how many of those in the photo are still alive. If I can I will try and find out what actually happened that day from one of the people in the photo. I have a feeling David Grimwood is still around and a neighbour to another forum member.

Some of these local farmers were lucky enough to have a flight in 999, a PR event to stop protests about the noise and scaring cattle. There is news cutting of the first sonic boom at the base and how the Lord lt at Spain’s Hall summoned the CO after some very old expensive windows were broken, and the take off flight path was changed as a result.[ATTACH=CONFIG]233824[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]233825[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]233826[/ATTACH]

It might be my eyesight, but surely ‘999’ is a single seater, therefore how on earth would these farmers have had a flight? Or was there a T’bird ‘999’ as well?

I had a visit from some very suspicious Air Force police waving the weaponry about as was their customHappy days

.

Define “waving around”
Holding a rifle?

In 20 years I never saw a Security Police member “waving around” a weapon.
Especially at Bentwaters. They were specially trained in the UK to avoid such a perception since we knew UK residents were/are nervous about such things.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]233848[/ATTACH]Wyverfan found 56-2970 :-). May find 71 yet there are many of the Wethersfield Sabres on the Facebook page and more on the web page.

Bassingbourn !!! Do you know Mr Tom Gill?

Great idea to have a Wethersfield F-100 thread.
Don’t suppose you have any photos regarding the following incident in Sawston near Cambridge do you? My brother who would of been around six years old at the time remembers our father taking him to have a look at the crash site on the Babraham Road;
North American F-100D-65-NA Super Sabre 56-2971 c/n 235-69 (20th TFW/77th TFS) Crashed 2.5 miles north-east of Duxford, England Jun 19, 1961 following in-flight fire after takeoff from Wethersfield AB. Pilot ejected safely.

Rob

In the early ’60s I worked for a road surfacing contractor and did several minor jobs for Walter Lawrence Ltd who were the base maintenance contractors. We also worked on most bases in East Anglia and I had a permanent pass to 81st TFW on the twin bases of Woodbridge and Bentwaters.
Wethersfield was a most relaxed place compared to them, and I well remember having driven up to the dead runway which was used as a dispersal for the F100s, to do some measuring up of work we had done. After a while I had a visit from some very suspicious Air Force police waving the weaponry about as was their custom. Just waving my 81st TFW pass at them had “Yes Sir No Sir” all round and ” carry on Sir” and they left me in peace.
Happy days

Carpetbagger the 614th still fly they are most likely closed for Christmas Break.

Adrian the main gate when the 20th was there was further up Sculpins Lane and the f100 could be seen from the road 🙂