Metheringham Visitor Centre

We visited Metheringham airfield in 2019 as seen here. At the time it was off season for the Metheringham Visitor Centre but we were in the area again last week when the centre was open so we went for a look. The centre is based around the original WWII gymnasium building and includes displays relating to WWII operations as well as a little tea room. A bomb shelter also survives and a separate building houses further diplays relating to WWII. The newest building on site is a hangar which is dedicated to displaying a Douglas C47 or Dakota which has been splendibly restored and is open for tours.

RAF Swinderby

Swinderby is in Lincolnshire just off the A46 between Newark and Lincoln. It opened in 1940 and was a bomber command field mainly for 300 and 301 Polish Bomber Squadrons although when they left it was occupied by 455 Squadron RAAF until early 1942. For the remainder of the war it was a heavy conversion unit. Post war, into the 1960s, it was used by no. 8 Flying Training School before switching to recruit training in 1964. The final passing out parade in this respect was in July 1993 and the station closed at the end of the year. It was put up for sale in 1995. A main runway still exists but most buildings have been demolished amidst ongoing development including a new village on the old domestic site. This village does include a couple of memorials to the airfield which we went to look at. There is also a large information board detailing the airfield history which surprisingly contains a host of grammatical errors and several spelling errors - referring to Dublin in Poland instead of Dubin and a couple of references to Awro Lancasters as opposed to Avro, for example. I gather the board has been there for over 10 years so it is a surprise it has not been corrected. Anyway, a few pictures:

RAF Balderton

Balderton airfield is a little south of Newark and opened in 1941. It was primarily used as a troop carrier transport airfield including by the USAAF from January 1944 until September 1944 during which time it supported Operation Market Garden. It was returned to RAF use after this, being home to Avro Lancasters of 227 Squadron until April 1945. After this it saw little use apart from bomb storage and was eventually sold at auction in 1959.

Today nothing really remains of the airfield with the modern day A1 having been re-routed through  it and open pit gypsum mining having destroyed most of the rest. However, a memorial stone has been erected at the original site of the main entrance.

On Freedom's Wings

On Freedom's Wings is a life size sculpture of a Lancaster bomber off the A46 near Newark just over the Notts border in Lincolnshire. It was erected by the Bomber County Gateway Trust as "a beacon of remembrance, a symbol of sacrifice, and a celebration of heritage". It was effectively unveiled last September but the official opening ceremony is next month. I was passing yesterday so grabbed a couple of shoots from the viewing point in Folly Lane.

Duxford visit

Called in at Duxford today for an hour or so to see what has been happening since my last visit in September 2025.There is still a lot of change underway which will ultimately lead to a new mainly Cold War related display in the main hangar come next year and the promise of a WWII display in hangar 3 come 2028. Since my last visit a Phantom has moved to the main hangar and the front of the main hangar was open again and the Lancaster was still here along with the Javelin. One of the Tornados was in this space as well along with a number of trucks which will be moved in time.

I do actually feel sorry for anyone visiting for the first time as some of the display areas are not currently great. A couple of former resident aircraft moved last year and a couple of new residents such as P-51 Tall in the Saddle were elsewhere today and the Mosquito was tucked away so that it could barely be seen as were the Swordfish and Lysander.

The new Locker Room and Briefing Room displays were open, the latter including a regular film show which is worth a look and since my last visit the American Air Museum now has a 'shield' over the whole of the glass frontage meaning that you can no longer see in from the outside although it was lighter inside than I expected. This new innovation is designed to keep harsh light off the exhibits and also cool the museum on hotter days.

Elsewhere, work continues on the Shackleton and the Heinkel Salamander fuselage has received some initial paint. I'm wondering if the wing is going to be left displaying the RAF roundels which came to light as part of the restoration process.

Out on loan

Seen here on display at Cosford is former THUM flight Spitfire XIX which is going on a 5 year loan to the Hooton Park Hangars Museum where it should be on display towards the end of this month. The THUM flight originally formed at Hooton Park although Woodvale was to become its home soon after. Hooton Park has a growing collection of aircraft and transport related displays based in original WWI era Belfast Truss hangars. Somewhere thta I should add to my 'to do' list.

Oops

Seems that this P40 had a runway excursion at Scone, Australia at the weekend on landing at the end of a show.The pilot recovered the situation well and, although the aircraft tipped on to its port wingtip, the damage fortunately appears minimal.

Lightning stuff

Although not a Lightning the Short SB.5 which was used in the Lightning test program became another Cosford departure at the end of last year when it moved to the Ulster Aviation Society in N. Ireland. Seen below at Cosford.

Meanwhile the Lightning prototype P1.B, which was almost scrapped a few years ago, has arrived at Manston for restoration. The plan is to be able to exhibit at Goodwood in September.