The Wings Over New Zealand Show 296 is online – Wings Over Britain: IWM Duxford. In this episode I visited the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, in Cambridgeshire, and caught up with Rebecca Greenwood Harding, the Head of Technological Objects for the collection there. Following a tour of the museum with Rebecca and mutual friend Mike Shreeve, including some areas that the public does not normally see, I sat down with Rebecca to record this interview.
Duxford is one of the most famous airfields in the world, and the Imperial War Museum’s collection, and the various collections of the IWM’s partners at Duxford, are incredibly impressive. Rebecca talks about her role and how she got into the job there in 2001. She describes the exhibits in the various hangars, and different events that are held at Duxford each year. And she talks about the restoration projects in Hangar 5 at the time, as well as revealing her favourite aircraft in the collection, and her favourite Spitfire.
If nothing else, check out the hundreds of photos. Here is the show page:
https://cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2024/02/wonz-296-iwm-duxford/
WONZ 295 – Wings Over Britain: Hornchurch is now online. In this episode Dave Homewood visits the RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre, on the site of the former RAF Station Hornchurch, and he talks with the museum’s chairman Anthony Philpot.
RAF Hornchurch is synonymous with the Battle of Britain, as one of the most famous and important fighter bases that existed in the defence of London. It was here that some of the Royal Air Force’s best pilots were based, and this included New Zealanders such as Alan Deere and Colin Gray in 1940. Another Kiwi connection is with No. 485 (New Zealand) Squadron, whose Spitfires were based at Hornchurch for two different stints in 1943 and 1944.
Hornchurch was also the site of a New Zealand Army hospital and convalescence centre in the First World War. And there are other Kiwi connections with the hallowed area too.
Steeped with RAF history, the station no longer exists, but on the 19th of September 2021 the new RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre was officially opened by Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon GCB CBE.
The centre is packed with really interesting artefacts, displays and memories of RAF Hornchurch’s amazing history. Close to Romford, Essex, just east of London, the centre is well worth a visit. The volunteer staff on the day that Dave visited, Tony, Paul and Jim, were fantastic fun too with lots of great banter, but also a true dedication to preserving and sharing the history of their now paved over and built on aerodrome. Highly recommended.
https://cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2024/01/wonz-295-wings-over-britain-hornchurch/
I just realised I missed posting here about Episode 294 – Wings Over Britain: Steve Bridgewater
In this episode Dave Homewood talks with well known aviation journalist Steve Bridgewater about his career and his passion for aviation. Steve is a multiple award winning aviation author, journalist and photographer with more than two decades experience in editing aviation and aerospace magazines .
His passions include vintage aeroplanes, warbirds and airshows. He spent many years with Air Atlantique, working with the DC-3’s and other old aeroplanes in that now defunct collection. He is also a Liveryman of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots, and he explains what this means.
His current role, and dream job, is as Deputy Editor of AEROSPACE Magazine at the Royal Aeronautical Society. His office is at No. 4 Hamilton Place, London, overlooking Hyde Park, and right near the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park, and the RAF Club. He and the AEROSPACE team also produce a monthly podcast called AEROSPACE NOTAM.
Here is the link:
https://cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2023/12/wonz-294-wings-over-b…
WONZ 292 – Wings Over Britain: Andy Saunders is now online. In this episode Dave Homewood caught up with author, journalist and historian Andy Saunders in his ‘War Office’ writing room in Eton, under the flightpath to Heathrow. Andy talks about his childhood discovery of a downed B-25 bomber while on a fishing trip that really sparked his interest in wartime aviation. He talks about finding wrecks of downed aeroplanes, and how he got into the historical research.
He has spent years tracking down and interviewing pilots and aircrew, initially for his own interest, but it eventually led to writing magazine articles and then books. These days he is editor of Iron Cross magazine, and regularly writes articles for various newspapers and magazines.
Andy was also a co-founder of the Tangmere Aviation Museum. And Dave and Andy discuss New Zealanders in the Battle of Britain, and their visit earlier in the day to the Runnymede Memorial.
LINK: https://cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2023/12/wonz-292-wings-over-b…
I hope people are still finding these shows of interest…
WONZ 291 – Wings Over Britain: RAF Museum Midlands.
In this episode Dave Homewood visited the terrific Royal Air Force Museum Midlands, at RAF Cosford, with friend Nigel Hitchman, and he met the Manager of the RAF Museum’s Conservation Centre, Darren Priday.
Darren talks about the museum at Cosford, recent restorations such as the Vickers Wellington now on display at Cosford and the Handley Page Hampden that he is still working on and was about to head soon to display at Hendon.
He covers the recovery of the Dornier 17 ten years before, and how they have been conserving it and preparing it for display. And he talks about the techniques they have used and developed to preserve aircraft recovered from the sea. He gives a teaser for another sea recovery project that does not involve the RAF Museum, but he is advising on.
He addresses the problem of having several aircraft outside in the weather, and plans for a new building in the future. And gives a good general overview of the museum.
https://cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZShow/2023/11/wonz-291-wings-over-b…
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