Sunday 19 JUne Air Britain Fly-in
Sunday’s weather was much better and we got some interesting historic visitors – one of the featured Navions from Earls Colne, the Duxford Rapide and the Miles Whitney Straight from Turweston.
The Vampire T11 and Jet Provost G=PROV went off to Wellesbourne for their wings & Wheels event.
The Hangar 11 Mustang also returned in the afternoon.
Saturday 18 June Air Britain Fly-in
Air Britain held their annual fly-in over the weekend. Poor weather on Saturday morning meant that many potential visitors cancelled. The Shipping & Airlines Collection from Biggin Hill did manage to bring in several of their ircraft, including the Dragonfly and Chipminuk, which went out for several formation flights together.
The Hangar 11 Mustang went off to display at Weston Super Mare, and one of the BBMF Hurrcanes gave us three separate flybys on route to displays.
Wednesday 8 June and Thursday 9 June
On Wednesday, members of 56 Squadron celebrated their centenary year with a special service in St Andrew’s Church followed by a reception in the Hurricane Room of the Control Tower. Current members of the Squadron and veterans also posed for a group photograph in front of the Gate Guardian Hurricane, which represents an aircraft flown by the Squadron in the Battle of Britain.
On Thursday, the Metropolitan Police EC145 helicopter G-MPSC, callsign Police 251, came in to the Airfield for some armed response team fast roping exercises. Groups of five officers first exited the helicopter from the low hover and then used a long rope to descend from a greater height while carrying their weapons. The helicopter was also operating at low level around the area to carry out stealthy approaches as part of this exercise.
Saturday 4 June – a Red Tail Mustang at North Weald
The Hangar 11 Collection unveiled the new scheme for its P-51D Mustang this afternoon. It is ‘Tall in the Saddle’ as flown by George Hardy of the 332nd Fighter Group – the Tuskegee Airmen. George is still alive, aged 90, and took a great interest in the project. The aircraft will be displaying at Biggin Hill later this month.
Thursday 26 May and Friday 27 May
On Thursday the Meeson Dragon Rapide came in from Old Warden for a couple of circuits, one on the tarmac and the other on the grass.
On Friday the Royal Chipmunk from Henlow diverted in to us because of bad weather south of the Thames. The was the aircraft that Prince Charles learned to fly in.
Thursday 12 May and Friday 13 May
Army Air 311, an Apache from Wattisham, came in for some general handling on Thursday.
On Friday the red and white Gnat, G-RORI, went out for a couple of air rests/currency flights.
Sunday 8 May
Lulu Belle went off to Old Warden. Because of a drag racing event we were using Runway 12. It returned late afternoon on Runway 20 after we had done a FOD check after the event and established a displaced threshold.
The 72 Squadron Association held their annual reunion at North Weald over the weekend. We were due to have two Tucanos fly in for the event, but they were cancelled after the tragic accident involving two of the Squadron’s student pilots the previous week. However, the Squadron performed a memorial missing man flypast at nearby Loughton, and the four Tucanos held in the vicinity of the Airfield before running in for their flypast.
Saturday 7 May
The Hangar 11 Mustang went off to Biggin Hill to be repainted in a Red Tails scheme.
Our Stearman was out a couple of times too.
The Vampire T11 WZ507 is for sale, so it was nice to see it flying as well.
Saturday 23 April and Wednesday 27 April
Last Saturday the Hangar 11 Collection’s P-40 Kittyhawk Lulu Belle went off to Wellesbourne, returning mid afternoon.
On Wednesday we had a visit by a nice little Chipmunk from Oaksey Park –*WK577 / G-BCYM
The Huey UH-1 was also out on a couple of flight tests
North Weald Hostelries
I did an article in the North Weald Airfield newsletter this time last year along these lines. It’s reproduced here:
The King’s Head in North Weald has parts of its structure dating back nearly 450 years. The main building is of half wood construction which dates back to the 17th century, and was originally built using old ships’ timbers. When the Airfield opened in 1916, the King’s Head was used as a mess until other buildings were erected. The closest hostelry to RAF North Weald’s main gate, it was a favourite destination for thirsty airmen and officers alike over the years that the RAF base was open.
Ye Olde King’s Head in Chigwell village was built during the 17th century and used as a coaching inn. It was made famous by Charles Dickens in Barnaby Rudge, where it figures as the Maypole. From 1713 it was used for meetings of the Court of Attachments of Waltham Forest. In the 1850s it was used by public authorities who banqueted at the public expense, and was famous for its pigeon pie. The main part of the building is of three stories with attics and cellars and exposed timber framing. Each upper story overhangs and there are four gables. The Chester Room on the first floor has 17th century panelling. The inn was a popular haunt of fighter pilots from Hornchurch and North Weald during World War 2, and was a special favourite of the American Eagle Squadrons. It currently is the location of Sir Alan Sugar’s Turkish restaurant Sheesh.
The Thatched House Hotel on Epping High Street was frequented by pilots from North Weald and became the preferred destination for the Norwegians from 331 and 332 Squadrons during their time at the Airfield from 1942 to 1944. It is now a Grade II listed building. The building is of two storeys with a roughcast front. It has irregular sash windows and three sided bays. The tile and slate roofs date from the 18th century and earlier. There is a gabled 19th century porch. The left hand three-window block dates from the late 18th century or early 19th, and has a taller, slate hipped roof.
The Rainbow & Dove in Hastingwood near Harlow dates back several centuries. Originally a farm, it was already in use as an inn when Oliver Cromwell’s troops stopped there in 1645 during the English Civil War. It later housed teams of replacement horses for the stagecoaches travelling between London and Cambridge. The hostelry was named after the first known owners, a farming family called the Rainbows. The hedge was subsequently trimmed into the shape of a Dove, and so the name of the inn was changed. It was a discreet destination for personnel from the Airfield during World War 2. The barn was also used for dances during the 1940s.
The White Hart Inn at Moreton was popular with both the RAF and USAAF, being close to the airfields at North Weald, Willingale, Matching Green, Fairlop and Hornchurch. The oldest mullions are known to predate 1460, and there is a record of the various landlords dating back to 1649, when Henry Pinder held the licence. At its east end the first floor oversails and is supported on curved brackets. It has been altered at various times over the years. The stabling still exists too. Up until its major renovation in 2000 it was split into sections consisting of a parlour, small private rooms and a public bar. The bar had privacy doors, and customers would open a slot on the door to make their order.
The Eagle on Woodford Road, Snaresbrook was an important 18th century coaching inn on the route from London to Newmarket routing through Epping, and was originally called the Spread Eagle. It is Wanstead’s oldest surviving public house, and still features its decorative cast iron work around the balcony. It is opposite a small stretch of water called the Eagle Pond. Inns have stood on the site since the 17th century. Pictures survive showing 249 Squadron pilots drinking there during the Battle of Britain in 1940. It is now a Toby Carvery.
Wednesday 15 April
The spring Formation School was held through the week. The historic element consisted of several Stearmans, Yak 52s and a Nanchang.
The oil filler cap came away on take off and the blue machine made a tight circuit back in
The Yak contingent
Sunday 10 April
Apologies for lack of posts so far this year. This has been down to a combination of poor weather, staff shortages and using up leave. This was the first opportunity to get out and photograph things for many weeks.
The South Arabian Federation Jet Provost/Strikemaster G-PROV, call sign Swords 17, was out for a local flight. Gazelle G-CBSI came in from Cromer for fuel.
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