RAF MERRYFIELD “AT HOME” 18 SEP 1954

Some items from the 1954 “At Home” day – part of the RAFA Battle of Britain Week for that year:

Flying Programme

It is hoped that the Flying Display will include the following:-

Air Sea Rescue demonstration by a Helicopter

Formation aerobatics by Meteors from the Royal Air Force Station at Weston Zoyland and Vampires from Merryfield.

Demonstration flying by a Wyvern and a Helicopter, by courtesy of Westland Aircraft, Limited.

Solo aerobatics by Chipmunk, Meteor, Balliol, Provost and Vampire aircraft.

Height and speed judging contest.

Breaking the sound barrier by a Sabre of Fighter Command.

Mock attack by Vampires on a position defended by guns manned by the Royal Air Force Regiment.

During the afteroon formations of aircraft will be flying over the airfield.

At the end of the Display visiting aircraft from the Static Park will take-off and fly past before returning to their bases.

Two civilian aircraft will be operating from the airfield throughout the period giving pleasure flights to the public at moderate charges.

The Static Aircraft Display was expected to include:

Vampire 5
Vampire T11
Venom
Prentice
Meteor T7
Lincoln
Canberra
Varsity
Provost
Harvard
Balliol
Chipmunk
Anson
Auster
Tempest
Sabre
Wyvern
S51
Meteor NF11

This was just ONE ‘At Home Day’ held at a relatively small aerodrome in Somerset. The Station opened at 1.30 pm and closed at 5.30 pm. The Flying Display was from 2.35 pm until 5 pm, with a ‘Tea interval’ from 4 pm – 4.30 pm!

There was an address by The Lord Hylton, Lord Lieutenant of the County of Somerset at 2.30 pm and the Station Band from Royal Air Force, Boscombe Down played selections during the afternoon (By kind permission of Air Commodore A. H. Wheeler, OBE).

What people would give to see something like that today!

1959 Air Show

inkworm, I well remember the 1959 Air Show! It was a wonderfully hot summer’s day and there was a lot of flying. We’d also had a private viewing of the Bleriot IX and Bristol Fighter which had been hangared overnight.

The ‘crazy flying’ involved a bright yellow Tiger Moth which had been ‘stolen’ by someone who ‘couldn’t fly’. It jinked about at low level and at one stage was flown directly towards the crowd before pulling up. It looked a bit silly, to be honest.

The Jet Provost display was quite noisy, but impressive. Though not half as impressive as the low level Vulcan flypast!

Later on, the wind was suitable, so the Bleriot IX and Bristol Fighter both flew. The Bleriot simply flew from one end of the short RW to the other and was then wheeled back to the hangar.

At a previous Open Day, the programme had featured ‘Breaking the Sound Barrier by a Sabre of Fighter Command’! I’d love to see that today – rather more impressive than the clattering helicopters.