North Weald

At North Weald – though I don’t think many of these types flew from there……

Blenheim Way
York Road
Hurricane Way
Hampden Close
Wellington Road
Lancaster Road
Merlin Way
Beaufort Close
Tempest Mead

and Pike Way (after Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Thomas Pike)

North Weald 1 Hunsdon 0

That’s great news that North Weald will be saved,like any WW2 airfield it’s part of our heritage.Unfortunately it means that there’s an even bigger possibility that former RAF Hunsdon will be wiped off the map.
Ruth Kelly has decided to ignore the recommendations of the panel of inspectors (appointed by the government itself!) and wants 10-20,000 homes built north of Harlow.There’s a big campaign going on against Harlow North,but you just can’t help thinking that the powers that be always get what they want eventually.

Let’s hope that the memorial we built on the airfield in 2005 won’t be bulldozed to make way for a skateboard park or a McDonalds.

http://hunsdonmemorial.tripod.com

http://www.stopharlownorth.com/

There are so many great stories out there,but whether they would transfer well to movies is another matter….

Personal favourites of mine include
‘Fly for your life’ (about Bob Stanford Tuck),
‘Night Fighter’ (written by Jimmy Rawnsley about himself and John Cunningham)
‘Lancaster target’ (Jack Currie)

The story of Operation Jericho is another great one of course,although I suppose ‘Mosquito Squadron’ was loosely based on the mission.I think it has been noted here before that the acting was more wooden than the Mossies! 😀

Bob Stanford Tuck

Like Denis,I met Bob Stanford Tuck and Adolph Galland at North Weald in 1984.He signed a book for me and I also shook his hand.After reading his excellent biography ‘Fly For Your Life’ by Larry Forrester I couldn’t miss the chance of shaking hands with a living legend! He was very charming,it was a great honour to meet him.
I have a copy of the original hardback book,which has more details of his pre-war days than the later paperback version.
One thing I remember about Galland was his piercing eyes,even though he must have been in his seventies by then.

I recall there being a replica Hurricane from the ‘Battle of Britain’ film in the old museum at North Weald ran by Bill Miles about 20 years ago.No idea what happened to it though.Anyone else remember seeing it? I suppose a lot of the stuff they had there went to the current museum.
The original museum was situated in a few huts near the station entrance which were swept away a few years ago.Yet more of our heritage destroyed in the name of ‘progress’