Wednesday9 May – 1
The prototype Jet Provost Mark 5, G-VIVM, had its first flight since being repainted in a new all black scheme. It also did some circuits.
Sunday 6 May
The Spitfire PRXI went off to Abingdon for its first display of the season, returning from White Waltham just before 17.00
Wednesday 25 April and Thursday 26 April
On Wednesday the Jet Provost Mark 3, G-BKOU/XN637, did a circuit detail and later went off to Duxford.
On Thursday afternoon the Aces High C-47 departed back to Dunsfold after its Annual
Wednesday 25 April
Army Air 062 – an Apache from Wattisham – came in for some general handling including a series of high-speed passes and wing-overs at each end of the runway.
Saturday 21 April and Sunday 22 April
A very busy weekend for us with nearly 230 movements on Saturday and 250 movements on Sunday. It was the first time this year that anything significant has happened while i was on duty. I spent most of the weekend in the Tower, but did manage to get out on Saturday to photograph the Spitfire PRXI and the Gnats.
G-MOUR went out first but had a generator problem
G-RORI was serviceable and went out three times, doing missed approaches on return.
On Sunday we had a visit by the 1944 DH89B Queen Bee G-BLUZ/ LF858 from RAF Henlow
North Weald orientation
The first four pictures from North Weald are on the Hangar 2 Apron facing south or west.
The next picture is taken from the area by Hangar 4A (Gnats) looking across towards the Squadron. The revetment is just visible on the left of the shot. The silo at Weald Hall Farm is visible on aerial views we have from the 1970s. The three storey structure on the right was later demolished. There is a view of it on a picture of Norwegian armourers working on a Spitfire IX.
The last picture is taken facing north and shows the corner of the taxiway. It is facing roughly where Hangar 11 now stands. The hedge was not a high as it is now.
21 December Wasps and Scout
Two Wasps also flew in from Thruxton in formation on Thursday afternoon, arriving just after the Sea Fury. G-BYCX is ex-22 Squadron SAAF, and G-KAXT/XT787 is the former Kennet Wasp that served with the RN and RNZN. This was in for maintenance.
The Wasp Charlie X-Ray made a spirited departure back to Thruxton with John Beattie ans Chris Gotke on board!
This was followed by Westland Scout G-BXRS/XW613, which was being ferried back to Thruxton after maintenance.
Many thanks to everyone who has taken the time to follow this thread. It is a privilege to work at North Weald and be tasked with recording what goes on, so positive feedback is always appreciated!
Thursday 21 December Sea Fury & Gnat
After waiting several days for a break in the weather, the Royal Navy Historic Flight’s Sea Fury T20 arrived during the afternoon for winter maintenance.
G-NATY was being prepared for its first engine run.
The latest issue of the Airfield newsletter is now available. If anyone wants a copy PM me and I can either send you a pdf or mail a hard copy after Christmas
Tuesday 12 December
Another Gnat – G-NATY / XR537 – arrived by road today from Hurn, and was soon back on its wheels with the Gnat Team – certainly a welcome new resident I’m on leave at the moment so the shots are courtesy of Ops Officer James McDowall.
Tuesday 28 November 2017
The Aces High C-47 N147DC arrived on Tuesday morning from Dunsfold for maintenance, which will be carried out over the winter months. It is nice to have this aircraft back at North Weald again after a long absence.
This aircraft is a sister ship to another frequent visitor C-47 Drag-Em-Oot from East Kirkby. They were next but one on the production line and carried consecutive RAF serials. They were reunited after 60 years on 13 November 2005, when Drag-Em-Oot flew in to North Weald following a poppy drop in Liverpool. It had just been ferried across the Atlantic and was in a bare metal finish. It would be nice to see them back together at the Airfield again! It was also the time that the B-25 ‘Grumpy’ was at North Weald.
Friday 24 November
An Army Air Corps Apache ZJ225, callsign Gunship 1, called i for some circuits yesterday on its way back from Salisbury Plain to Wattisham.
Westland Scout G-BXRS/XW613 came in from Thruxton for maintenance and Westland Wasp G-CBUI/XT420 departed back to Thruxton after maintenance.
The Gnats were also out. G-RORI did a singleton sortie in the morning and the pair went out for a local flight in the afternoon.
University College London engineering students’ projects
4th Year engineering students from University College London were back at the Airfield on 10 November to begin testing their hydrogen-powered entry for the Shell 2018 Eco Marathon competition, which attracts an international entry. Last year’s project team were in line to come third at the Olympic Park when they suffered a puncture on the last lap! The driver lies on his back and steers by means of a control lever on each side.
A second project team of engineering students from University College London visited North Weald on Friday 24 November to begin testing the entry for the Formula Student competition next July. After some initial delays caused by a kinked Bowden cable for the throttle, the three drivers drove round a complex caused laid out with cones. Formula Student is organised in the UK by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. and challenges student engineers to design, build and compete with a single-seat racing car at Silverstone, the home of UK racing.
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