Looking for the aircraft dump Phillip are you?

Cheers

Cees

No, just the contents of RAF Lissett – dumped in a hole when the base closed or when No.158 Squadron moved out in 1945. All I know is that the incident was seen from a public road. If I find out where the RAF secured sand for their sandbags, then this might prove a possible location.

Apologies for not finishing the above message. I was called away. The buildings are located at Driffield. I have checked with the RAF Museum, but they don’t hold any drawings relating to these buildings. I have also checked with defence estates. The PSA no longer exist in England, but they do exist in Northern Ireland.

Best Wishes

Phil Rhodes

The problem is that the new owners have a mind-set to clear and build hundreds of houses, even though local planning guidelines…

…tell you what, I emailed the following to The Driffield Times:

Dear Editor

Like many, I was rather taken aback by proposals to build 500 new houses on the former RAF camp.

As some of your readers maybe aware, my desire is to see the historic site retained, while providing new opportunities in residential, social and economic redevelopment. Accordingly, through your newspaper, I would like to remind those council officials, who are meeting Strawsons Property, that current planning guidelines, which they themselves drew up, prohibit the building of 500 houses on the site, in the first place.

While the planning authorities are open to “mix use” of the site, Strawsons are deluded if they think that 500 plus houses and a few shops construed “mix use”. Talking to the ERYC, they consider mix use to include industry and leisure. While it goes without saying that good public transport access and appropriate amenities are a necessity, again these also do not construed mix-use.

As with all planning authorities, there exists within the county a series of complex guidelines that largely dictate what can be built and where. Talking to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council in 2004, it was clear that building hundreds of houses on the site wasn’t going to be allowed under any circumstance. it was also made clear to me that both current and future guidelines, then being drawn up, prohibit the building of large volume of houses in the general locale, and that such large developments would be consigned in the Hull area.

According to council literature, “The Local Plan” identifies Alamein Barracks as an “exceptional opportunity” and sets out a series of policies, to “assist in enabling development to come forward in a comprehensive and co-ordinated manner. It states there are major constraints to development of the entire site as a single comprehensive scheme”, such as housing. It also: “allows for the conversion of barrack blocks for residential or office use”, and “the reuse of existing housing along Lumsden Close”. The “conversion of the former Officer’s Mess for reuse as tourist accommodation, public house, private club or a medical care facility” is also allowed.

The former RAF camp also falls within the “Northern Sub Region” of the “Joint Structure Plan” (JSP) for Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire. Accordingly, the site is classed as an area of restraint. Driffield itself is categorised as a town, where new housing and employment development, to meet essentially local needs, is to be concentrated. Even then, only limited new [housing] allocations are likely to be required during the plan period to 2026.

What surprises me, is the matter-of-fact way in which some local councillors have always pointed towards the inevitability that the site would end up as one giant housing estate, despite their own powers to block such a proposal, using the aforementioned guidelines, that prohibit such a development in the first place.

What must be of concern to many in Driffield, is the fate of the 68 former Married Quarters, which another bidder for the site, had planned to refurbish and sell to local, first-time buyers – those starting at the bottom of the property ladder. In early 2007, I was asked to show a team of developers around the site. The team included a finance director, project manager and local surveyor. All were experience in redeveloping sites like RAF Driffield. Despite being vacant for around 20 years, these experts were convinced that the married quarters could be reused.

What Adrian Sail failed to mention, was the attempt made by Strawsons Property to move the Army Cadet Force out of its cherished enclave. This part of the former RAF base is well preserved, and is a credit to those who maintain a military presence on the site. I understand that the developers are prepared to finance the relocation of the Army Cadet Force, in return for securing the enclave for redevelopment. Why? Because the more land Strawsons can acquire, the more houses they can build, and the more money they will make. The Army Cadet Force has confirmed that they are in talks with Strawsons, but refuse to elaborate on the issue.

I’m well aware of the apathetic nature shown by some. If you agree or disagree with my views, then write to the Driffield Times. Just don’t sit on the fence. This is your town and your heritage.

Phillip Rhodes

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The problem isn’t the condition of the site. The problem is apathy (as in local) and the general mindset of Strawsons Property (as in have a look at RAF Swinderby). Just written to the editor of every newspaper in Australia. Simply because the Australians care more about RAF Driffield than the locals ever will.

The images attached were created by Pete West, who soon after starting work moved to NZ. My concern is obviously the drop tanks, which I created myself. Oh, I forgot to engage the layer on Contrary Mary, hence the lack of tail markings.

The captions for each aircraft will read thus:

P-51D Mustang s/n 44-14450 B6-S Old Crow flown by Capt. Clarence E “Bud” Anderson Jnr.
363rd Fighter Squadron / 357th Fighter Group

P-51D Mustang s/n 44-72216 HO-M Miss Helen flown by Capt. Raymond H Littge
487th Fighter Squadron / 352nd Fighter Group

P-51D Mustang s/n 44-14251 WZ-I Contrary Mary flown by Lt.Col. Roy B Caviness
84th Fighter Squadron / 78th Fighter Group

P-51D Mustang s/n 44-13410 E2-C Lou IV flown by Lt.Col. Thomas J J Jnr. Christian
375th Fighter Squadron – The 361st Fighter Group

Finding a date for each aircraft would also be helpful.

Also, am I right in saying that the aircraft were based:

Old Crow Leiston
Miss Helen Bodney
Lou IV Bottisham
Contrary Mary Duxford

Trying to figure out the actual dates. The profiles had already been used in a publication, and Pete added additional detail and weathering.

Project almost completed. I just don’t want to make any major mistakes, like using the wrong drop tanks or information on the legend.

Oh, her’s something spooky. A few years ago I visited Cosford, where I photographed the Belfast being repainted. On the return trip home, I bought a copy of Flypast in W H Smith. Inside was a photograph of the same Belfast being repainted. Yesterday I returned to Cosford, where I photographed the Britannia being refurbished. On my return trip home, I bought a copy of Flypast at Derby railway station, and guess what: inside was a photograph of the very same Britannia being refurbished.

HAPPY NEW EVERY ONE