Hunter XL563

I last saw this Hunter at the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust a few years ago when is was wearing a 'raspberry ripple' scheme and looking a bit tired. However it has recently had a repaint in to a scheme it wore in the early years after first flying in 1957 where the second picture dates from.

North Pickenham

We had a little drive out on Boxing Day from where we were staying in Thetford to take in the Desert Rats Trail on the road to Swaffham. A bit further up the road is the former North Pickenham airfield, another Liberator base in WWII. Home initially to the 492nd Bombardment Group but later the 491st after the former had suffered heavy losses. Post war uses included testing of the Hawker P1127 (which ultimately became the Harrier) and as a Thor missile site. However the airfield finally closed in 1967 and turkey sheds have now been erected along the lines of the runways. This does make the lines of the runways easy to see, or would have if it hadn't been so foggy, but access is limited.

There is a memorial to the airfield on what was the mess site during the war.

Swiftly to Wales

This Supermarine Swift, one of only two FR5 variants to survive, is being transferred from where I last saw it at Newark in 2016 to the growing South Wales Aviation Museum.

Moonbeam McSwine

I last saw this P51 around 7 years ago. At the time it was based in France but came over for Flying Legends where this shot was taken. Subsequently it was sold to U.S. owners but it was announced last month that Warbird Experiences at Biggin Hill have now acquired the aircraft and it will therefore be returning to the UK.

Duxford today

As mentioned in the post below I called in at Duxford today for a look at their Scramble exhibition but I did of course also have a wander around the rest of the museum as well

Duxford 'Scramble' exhibition

As has been the case for the last three years or so Duxford have a winter exhibition in the front space of the super hangar. As in the past this is really just an excuse to re-position a handful of airframes in to a themed exhibition, this time being the summer of 1940 so the fall of France and the start of the Battle of Britain and title Scramble. It started today. In all honesty it probably isn't worth a special trip if you have done airshows and/or the museum previously but I was heading home from Norfolk today so this was a good excuse for a small diversion and a wander around for a couple of hours.

Anyway, here are some shots from the exhibition.

Old Buckenham

Old Buckenham in Norfolk is still an active airstrip albeit a lot quiter than it was from 1943 to 1945 when it was home to the USAAF 453rd Bombardment Group and their Consolidated Liberators. There is a museum to the group on the airfield but is is open seasonally which does not include winter time so yesterday, as I knew in advance, I was out of luck. However, there is a nice memorial on the airfield which is easy to access along with a mural in a bus shelter in the village.

Hethel

Hethel Airfield in Norfolk was home to the Liberators of the 389th Bombardment Group. The airfield had other uses post WWII and from 1966 has been home to Lotus cars but a memorial to the war time activity can be found in the grounds of the nearby All Saints church.

6 Group Royal Observer Corps

Spotted this in Wymondham Abbey today

Harrier GR7

An old Airfix kit. Went together ok but a bit of silvering on the decals unfortunately.