I would like to add my thanks to all those who have contributed to this thread.
Until a couple of years ago I hadn’t visited Duxford for a long time even though it isn’t too far away. It was largely the postings on this thread that made me realise just what I was missing out on and I have visited at least 6 times in the past 2-3 years. Without this thread I doubt that I would have found the time or money to make those visits so the thread has had a positive effect on the takings at Duxford and I am sure there are others here who have been similarly inspired by this thread.
I am really looking forward to the new year and hope that the regular postings covering all the news at Duxford will continue.

I’ll second that! I have made a handfull of visits each year for the past 5 years and taken photos, but it’s always great to catch up with all the in between activities. This thread is evidence that Duxford is an ever changing place with something new every month at least.

Martin

An identity change is the only way me thinks.
The current green scheme can be kept, the memorial engine chequers can be kept, but the rest can be changed on a periodical basis.
The number of “pin up girl” artworks are endless to chose from, which can be changed every 2 or 3 years maybe.

My idea is that the whole organisation should change name to “The Sally B 8th Airforce Foundation”. Dedicate the aircraft to different historic airframes periodically, do this in conjunction with various Bomb Groups, Thorpe Abbotts, Bury St Edmunds and their respective museums, etc etc

Imagine the excitement & speculation, whenever they announce a new identity, much like when we were kept guessing how the P47 was going to look. What a show stopper that was!

I love Sally B to bits, but I don’t point the camera at her as much as I used to, maybe because she looks so familiar to me.

Things do need to change

No need to strip all the paint off.

I will be donating as soon as Christmas is over

Martin

RAF Museum doesn’t think like that, they’re attitude is we have a Hunter already, don’t need another 1. Look at the Lightning they had, that P1.B should’ve gone to Cosford but no, it wasn’t a genuine RAF Lightning so they binned it for an F6. You wait & see what happens to the E101 prototype when a Merlin becomes available. & I bet the P-40 will go once the genuine wreck in the desert is recovered.

So what will happen to P1.B XA847 then? Is it still on a farm near Stowmarket? If it is, then it hasn’t got very far to travel in order to be looked after by better means. I was rather shocked to discover that instead of being put with the other test airframes at Cosford, it went to somebody that didn’t have the means to present it in a decent manner. Doesn’t the RAF Museum have any process of making sure items go to a respectful owner?

Hope to get to see the collection at Wattisham one day.

I’m glad I took some 35mm photos of them back when I had a chance in 2000. The grass back then was nicely mown and there were a couple of Hunters there. I was also there putting up banners for the Drag strip in 1999 and remember seeing a nice black AN-2. Wonder what happened to that? Here’s mine but with a bit more paint on it.

I believe that since they had a few big music festivals there, these airframes became vandalised as a result, marauding ravers. I was one once upon a time, but I always had some respect for aviation.

It is sad to see these in this fashion, but at least the metal could be put to good use instead of rotting away. I would prefer the scrap going to a sculptor that has a penchant for aviation, than pots & pans. Used wisely the art work could end up being worth something? Maybe?

Mart

It was another superb day at Brunty! Managed to bring mother along to show her why it’s good to be obsessed with aviation. Some excellent photos here! Very nice!
Martin

The Vulcan was there, and I got some shots, but I hope to do some more at Little Gransden tomorrow. I was in the centre of the flight line, so good views either way.

The Hawk arrived unexpectedly at 4pm, the radio announcers were telling us that the Vulcan was about to appear!

Steven

Hope you get some great photographic conditions, and look forward to seeing your pics of XH558. I’ll be at Bruntingthorpe, sadly she’s not scheduled to do a flypast there. Looking forward to seeing her again at Duxford!
Martin