Its true but not too sure about the amount of water, there is some video footage of the aircraft diving over the fire and some where I have a news paper cutting showing a picture of it doing its stuff.

I’ll try and dig it out if anyone wants to see it.

The Belfast is XR363 (G-OHCA) which was scrapped at Southend in February 1994 still in her RAF Transport Command Scheme with the name “Goliath” still on show.

The Viscount Cabin Trainer G-AOHL was scrapped some years back, The brink plinth that it sits on is still there but in a poor state whilst the foot paths have all but been taken over by nature.

Carvair is Big John plan was to move the Beverley next to it and have a mini museum sadly the plan fell through and the Carvair was scrapped in 1982ish

Very nice joe very very nice.

Intresting to see the Widgon G-ANLW behind the Skeeter (anyone have a photo of it?) the scheme it is is is a “WW2” camo for use in the film Eye of the Needle if anyone has a copy of it please get in touch been looking for it for ages…

even if it is just to see a WW2 Widgeon!

Is this the Ex-Southend (non-museum) machine?

I thought it went to Canterbury

A picture I was sent.

The Thunderstreak (now Cosford) is missing from the photo it sat behind the CASA 2.111.

I’d love to see them slides of the Museum and pier if you still have them,

I am slowly very slowly building a web site all about the museum and Southend its all in HTML so takes ages to do even one page, my big stumbling block is lack of photos of the aircraft.

Finding the money to get it up on web is also a problem was going to use my brothers free space with his server but he cant rember the password.

A few people have said see if I can get comercial sponsorship and permit advertising on the site, yes I really want to get it on line but I dont want to loose any control on how the site is developed.

Thursday 29th July 1976: Fire destroys the Pier head 50,000 gallons of water was pumped on to the fire by two fire tugs, these were later joined by five more, Ladi Mormol dive bombed the pier with his crop sprayer dumping 400 gallons of water at a time swooping down to 100ft, the flames were at time leaping 100+ foot into the air, 500people had to be rescued by the pier trains just two were injured.

The Kings Cup National Air Races were held at Southend Airport on the 20th June 1953.

The Flying programme begain at 2:30pm:

Event One: Grosvenor Challenge Cup Air Race:
Chilton DW1 G-AESZ
Taylorcraft Plus D G-AHGZ
Taylorcraft Plus D G-AHGW
DH Moth Minor G-AFPN
DH Tiger Moth G-ADHE
Auster Autocar G-AMFP
Auster Autocar G-AYJJ
Hawker Tom-Tit G-AFTA
Miles Messenger 4a G-ALBE
Miles Messenger 4a G-AKZX
DH Leopard Moth LN-TVT

Event Two: Landings.

Event Three: The Norton-Griffiths Challenge Trophy Air Race:
Miles Hawk Trainer G-AIYD
Miles Messenger 2a G-AJYZ
Miles Messenger 2a G-AJFH
Miles Hawk Trainer 3 G-AKPE
Miles Whitney Straight G-AEUJ
Miles Hawk Major G-ACYO
DH Leopard Moth G-ACMA
DH Chipmunk G-AKDN
Miles Hawk Trainer 3 G-AKRV
Percival Proctor 5 G-AHWU
Percival Proctor 5 G-AHWR
Perciavl Proctor 5 G-AMTJ

Event Four:
Landings.

Event Five: The Kemsley Challenge Trophy Air Race:
Miles Falcon-six G-ADTD
Percival Proctor 3 G-AIKJ
Percival Proctor 1 G-AVHG
Percival Proctor 1 G-AHGA
Percival Proctor 1 G-AHNA
Percival Proctor 3 G-AKWV
Hawker Hart G-ABMR
Miles Nighthawk G-AGWT
Miles Gemini 1a G-AKKB
Miles Falcon-six G-AECC
Miles Hawk Speed Six G-ADGP
Percival Mew Gull 2 G-AEXF

Event Six:
Landings.

Event Seven:
Solo display of aerobatics by a Gloster Meteor T7 of the Central Flying School of the RAF Little Rissington.

Event Eight:
Four RAF English Electric Canberra B2’s of 101Sqn.

Event Nine:
Solo display of aerobatics by a North American Sabre if the Royal Canadian Air Force Fighter Wing North Luffenham.

Event Ten:
Four RCAF North American Sabres perform team aerobatics from North Luffenham.

Event Eleven:
Winching demonstration by a Royal Navy Westlands-Sikorsky Dragonfly HR3 of 705Sqn.

Event Twelve: The Kings Cup Air Race.
All British First Four highest placed in the first three races.

Event Thirteen:
Landings

Event Fourteen:
Patrouille D’Etampes Display of aerobatics by the French Aerobatic Squadron, Nord SV4C Stample’s

Event Fifteen:
Joy Flights & departure of visiting aircraft

The circuit extended beyond the boundary of the airport,

Something I was sent ages ago in reguard to aircraft combat losses in and arroung the Thames Estuary.

13th or 14th June 1941: Havoc 1 (DB7) AX848 ‘K’ Sgt T Berkeley, Sgt R Carr both killed after being shot down whilst attacking He111’s over the Thames Estuary aircraft impacted the water and sunk without trace, it was not deemed recoverable.