Pete TrumanThere was/is something similar near where i used to live in Northern Ireland …only unfortunately outside storage only..
An ole boy used to buy a car drive it until the MOT expired or it stopped then park it in a field and leave it there…He wouldn’t let anyone near them but i remember 50’s Rovers ,Zodiacs, Anglia’s, Austin A35s etc etc etc…
From what i heard he and they were still there 5/6 years ago!!
There is somewhere similar at Steeple Bumpstead, it’s in an orchard and still there, hundreds of 1960’s cars, mainly Hillmans, possibly all sorts of other treasures too, quite clearly visible from the lane as well as Google Earth, I know the owner doesn’t like people sniffing about, but he’s getting on so what will happen to them all when he passes on is anyones guess. Pity he hadn’t got hold of the Syrian Spitfires, or did he?
Pete TrumanIf it’s the “wing commander” (remember, a position in the USAF, not a rank) it might happen pending approval of USAFE HQ.
If it’s the “base commander” (a commonbly used term for the support group commander) that’s a different situation.
Why?
I’ve just watched the programme, she, Colonel Eden J Murrie, a nav on KC-135’s as well, ( it showed her specially painted 50’s built a/c being overhauled in the hangar), intends bringing back Air Fete if security issues can be overcome, and that’s the big problem for them isn’t it.
Pete TrumanI woke up this morning hoping it was all a bad dream, but it wasn’t, I notice in the Sunday Times this morning that the headlines have switched to Colin McCrae, understandable as he had a higher public profile, and my condolences go to his family too, very sad that young children were involved as well.
I also notice that footage is already on Youtube, sick………
Pete TrumanThis might be a dumb colonial question…
Are there no more Battle of Britain parades?
Tonight I sit here writing the final parade schedule, parade order and annouced guest list for our Battle of Britain Parade tommorow (Sunday September 16th) and I guess this is a piece of history we are forgetting about as we chase the technology of the day.
The Battle of Britain involved pilots from every allied nation including the USA, who had not officially become involved yet.
Possibly the greatest air battle the world will ever see and a most decisive one as if the Luftwaffe had succeeded Britain would have surely fallen.
The notes read like a movie script….700 young pilots standing against an invincilbe force and holding back an army of 250,000.
Reads like the next Star Wars episode…but has fallen from the free worlds mind…kind of sad.
But I will be on parade tommorow, along with several hundred others here in Edmonton.
Tom H
Tom H
It’s not a dumb question at all, I reckon that probably 90% of the population hadn’t a clue what day it was yesterday, or probably cared.
I was born 10 years after the event and grew up in an era where everyones dad had fought in the war in some capacity or other, when every RAF base put on a scintillating display and the Wings Appeal people stood on every street corner selling little badges.
All this has gone now, not even some sort of tribute programme, film or mention of the event on the multitude of TV channels that we have now, even some people I know, who should know better, hadn’t a clue what this weekend represented.
In some respects, the terrible loss of the pilot and Hurricane yesterday brought home what a sacrifice those pilots made 67 years ago, no sensational headlines for them, their losses weren’t ‘appropriate newsworthy events’, not good for morale or the war effort.
What did I do yesterday, I had to replace a kitchen window that I broke during the week, I couldn’t leave a gaping hole in the house. In some way I felt ashamed that I did nothing else, on the other hand smoothing over putty gives you time for thinking, remembering and quiet retrospection, suddenly being jolted back into reality by the news of the accident yesterday afternoon, which quite frankly was very difficult for me to take in.
Perhaps it will make people remember today and be thankfull for how the ‘Few’ sacrificed themselves for the nation and the free world.
Pete TrumanJust on BBC 24, it happened during a dogfight, Spits, Hurricanes and Messerschmidts, not Bf 109 as has since been seen, thought to be a Hurricane. Pilot definately killed, whoever it is, God rest his soul.
I gather the BBMF did a missing man formation afterwards, according to the BBC.
Edited to remove speculation over cause. As a mark of respect to a pilot that many on this board may know (I dont know who it is yet myself), please avoid speculation at this point. Bruce
Pete TrumanOh no, it must be the one I’ve been reporting regularly on ‘Spotted’, I only saw it last wednesday flying over the house, if it is the one, and flying from Andrewsfield makes it seem probable, then it’s G-ALIW.
Glad the pilots survived, though a broken leg ain’t much fun.
Just looked at the Shoreham airshow list and a Moth was due to take part on sunday, wasn’t the one was it?
Pete TrumanSo where will they put the Airborne Forces Hall, in the gap left by the detonated hangar or between the American Museum and the LWH, which seems the logical place to put it, though it will take away a lot of airshow car parking.
Pete TrumanThe Cat just came over heading SW, Biggin? He must like Braintree, we see it nearly every weekend it seems.
Pete TrumanDenis
Thanks for that,I could see the buildings but I thought they were modern, I thought the tower had gone, it must have been the heat affecting me. I’m only a couple of miles down the road so I’ll have to go back. I was interested to see the remains of the engine, I’m surprised it’s still there, any more info on it.
Just up the road from me are the remains of the German POW camp at High Garrett, the water tower and one are 2 buildings are still left abandoned in a field, that could be my next port of call during my saturday bike ride.
Moggy
Thanks for the info on the MH-53’s, I’m kicking myself for not going to Mildenhall first and videoing them all flying around, I saw them lined up on the apron later on.
Incidentally, the warden at the reserve is a bit of a keen type isn’t he, got so carried away with talking about his feathered charges that I thought they would have all migrated by the time I got out there, actually, I think they had.
Pete TrumanI started off by going to Ridgewell, it was there that I realised that any bomb dumps in woods would be so overgrown at this time of the year that it would be a waste of time looking.
Turning off the Halstead to Haverhill road, just past the memorial, the collection of former airfield buildings on the left seemed to have a sign up advertising military clothing, looked a bit of a strange place to me, so I didn’t go up there, they had a modern looking army vehicle parked outside, but I was astonished to see parked against a barn at the farm opposite, a 6 wheeled, faded Soviet army truck.
I stopped down the road and tried to fight my way through the undergrowth to the repair building and mess, but it was difficult, but at least they are still there.
All traces of the hangar have been erased apart from a pile of masonary in the middle of a ploughed field, the gliders were flying about, quite a lot in their shoe boxes lining the field, but I couldn’t find the steel tracking.
Then I thought sod it, called in at Clare for some snap from the Co-op and went up to Lakenheath, passing Stradishall and noticing that the wierd straight tree with no branches was still there ( ever noticed that) but the intact DF mast had been replaced by one of those mobile phone excrescences.
Shall I go to Lakenheath first or the Hall, when I got to Lakenheath I could clearly see a line of 5 CH-53’s flying round the Hall, sod it.
Some enterprising lady had set up a snack bar next to the viewing area, which was packed and spilling out on to the road, I watched a few landings and bumps with the F-15’s, best one came over the top of us, got bored and went off to my latest discovery, the new RSPB reserve at Lakenheath, first left past the station on the way to Feltwell. Brilliant place, didn’t see much though but good visitor centre and nice walks, plenty of trains passing on the Norwich line next to the reserve and F-15’s coming over in full reheat, how the birds stand it is beyond me, but peaceful it was in between bouts of ultra noise, a reccomended place. You also got a good view of the pre war hangars and Golf Balls at Feltwell from there, I was surprised that so many of the old hangars remain, what do the Yanks keep in them I wonder
Next to the Hall which had 2 rarities, a Galaxy and an EC-135, didn’t hang around long, but 2 tankers were doing circuits and bumps.
While travelling back along the A-11, I decided to carry on and come back via West Wickham. While travelling round Newmarket I could see what I took to be a tanker flying along going the other way, but on closer examination, it looked like it was marked up in US Presidential colours with a blue nose, you can’t afford to stare upwards when you’re on the A-14, so I’m not sure, but fairly certain, Bush wasn’t paying Moggy a visit was he?
I took a wrong turning at Balsham and missed the airfield at Wickham completely, I always have trouble finding it.
Then on to Gosfield, lots of runway left but little else, strangely enough, a little semi on the left just past the village had another frigging great Soviet Army truck parked on the front, this looked like a radio truck, they couldn’t have had much daylight in their living room.
I then got home, tried to see if the ladder would reach the TV aerial but managed to put it through the kitchen window instead, I had to watch the match in disgrace.
Good day though and very hot for a change.
Sorry Bedford boys, sounded tempting, but it’s a bit too far from here, the Lake and the Hall are an easy option for me and a pleasant drive through the countryside.
Pete TrumanNo help whatsoever, but XL231 was the lead aircraft in the Vic that overflew the disbandment ceremony of 55sqn at marham.
Wasn’t that the last time that any of them flew, I can’t remember the date though. I was able to get down the field at the end of the runway and video the whole event, it was quite an experience to be behind a Victor on take off. A good take off sequence too, the first took off, turned, then flew back over the other as it took off, etc. Unfortunately all three flew across at right angles to the runway, I don’t recall them overhead, then they landed in the opposite direction. Sorry can’t replay the tape on my new camera to check the date.
Pete TrumanI’ve noticed regular, ie at least once a day, overflights by a Tiger Moth recently. Yesterday I was driving through Rayne and saw it heading for Andrewsfield, its blue with a silver cowling and tail, anyone have any info.
Pete TrumanIncidentally, nice view of NX611 on Google Earth, but I can’t work out how it gets to the runway from the ariel picture, badly phrased, from the hangar to the runway.
Pete TrumanHeads-up……..
Fingers on the record button……..
Dave (sorry,David) Gilmour-ex Pink Floyd-is on BBC 1 Saturday the 8th of September at 11pm for 60 minutes.They’re gonna show a short version of the eagerly awaited DVD “Remember That Night”,which is released in the UK on Monday the 17th of September and on the 18th in North America 🙂 .
What did you think then, thought it was superb, my only grouse was that it was on too late and I couldn’t wind up the volume, I had to lie on the floor between the speakers.
I thought the band were brilliant, Richard Wright of course knows everything inside out and was leading well from the back, Phil Manzanera was brilliant as backing guitar and the choice of Crosby and Nash as backing singers was inspirational.
I was impressed when Bowie came on to sing ‘Arnold Lane’, only he could have pulled that one off, what with Wrights perfect rendition of the middle eight I thought Syd Barrett would have been quite proud of it.
Gilmour can certainly still play a bit, how he can bend those notes on the Les Paul without putting it out of tune is beyond me, if I tried it on my Strat I’d have no chance.
What made me laugh is how old some of these boys look and considering what horrible substances they’ve poured into themselves over the years, they can still do it. Mind you, when Bowie appears, well, he still looks like Mr Suave and about 30 years younger than the rest, he is some cool dude.
I bought my Strat several years ago, hoping my son would give it a go, not.
I picked it up from the shop with the associated items and took it back to the office. The usual caustic comments, ‘Can you play it then, Give us a tune’ etc etc. So I plugged in, tuned up, fiddled about and started the intro to ‘Shine on you Crazy Diamond’, very loud. I could hear chairs scraping back in the other rooms, so I carried on, got carried away, getting as far as I could manage, but no one produced a saxophone for the end. I looked up to see the room packed solid, I didn’t have the **** taken out of me after that.
Could I do it now, noooooooo, wouldn’t have a clue where to start, the Strat is sitting behind me abandoned in it’s case, along with the rest of the guitars, banjo and keyboards, what a waste, this has made me think again, I might get out the 12 string this afternoon and see if I can remember ‘Wish you were Here’, that would be a start.
Pete TrumanHeads-up……..
Fingers on the record button……..
Dave (sorry,David) Gilmour-ex Pink Floyd-is on BBC 1 Saturday the 8th of September at 11pm for 60 minutes.They’re gonna show a short version of the eagerly awaited DVD “Remember That Night”,which is released in the UK on Monday the 17th of September and on the 18th in North America 🙂 .
What did you think then, thought it was superb, my only grouse was that it was on too late and I couldn’t wind up the volume, I had to lie on the floor between the speakers.
I thought the band were brilliant, Richard Wright of course knows everything inside out and was leading well from the back, Phil Manzanera was brilliant as backing guitar and the choice of Crosby and Nash as backing singers was inspirational.
I was impressed when Bowie came on to sing ‘Arnold Lane’, only he could have pulled that one off, what with Wrights perfect rendition of the middle eight I thought Syd Barrett would have been quite proud of it.
Gilmour can certainly still play a bit, how he can bend those notes on the Les Paul without putting it out of tune is beyond me, if I tried it on my Strat I’d have no chance.
What made me laugh is how old some of these boys look and considering what horrible substances they’ve poured into themselves over the years, they can still do it. Mind you, when Bowie appears, well, he still looks like Mr Suave and about 30 years younger than the rest, he is some cool dude.
I bought my Strat several years ago, hoping my son would give it a go, not.
I picked it up from the shop with the associated items and took it back to the office. The usual caustic comments, ‘Can you play it then, Give us a tune’ etc etc. So I plugged in, tuned up, fiddled about and started the intro to ‘Shine on you Crazy Diamond’, very loud. I could hear chairs scraping back in the other rooms, so I carried on, got carried away, getting as far as I could manage, but no one produced a saxophone for the end. I looked up to see the room packed solid, I didn’t have the **** taken out of me after that.
Could I do it now, noooooooo, wouldn’t have a clue where to start, the Strat is sitting behind me abandoned in it’s case, along with the rest of the guitars, banjo and keyboards, what a waste, this has made me think again, I might get out the 12 string this afternoon and see if I can remember ‘Wish you were Here’, that would be a start.
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