Ludham Airfield memorial

I visited Ludham airfield five years ago and there are some pictures here. However, since my visit, in fact within the last year, a memorial has been erected down the way a little in Ludham village, as I saw today.

Return of Fighter Meet

Many years ago there used to be a good airshow at North Weald that went by the name of 'Fighter Meet' and I went a few times back in the early 90's. The content was good and North Weald is only an hour and 15 minutes from me but it went by the way and the slot was effectively filled by Flying Legennds at Duxford. As noted earlier, Legends is mean to be returning this year and a good friend has pointed out today that Fighter Meet will also be returning. Given that Legends, assuming that it does happen, is a very long drive I shall be keeping tabs on Fighter Meet as it sounds quite promising.

Duxford 10.3.23

 We headed off to Norfolk today for a bit of a break after a hectic start to the year and with a little time on our hands we popped in to Duxford marking the start of actively pursuing my hobby this year. Quite a chilly day with snow showers from time to time so everything was tucked up in the hangars.

I did come across the second airworthy UK Wildcat although, unfortunately it's not currently in a position to get great pictures, especially with a Buchon parked in front of it!

Unfortunately the Conservation Hangar was closed so the newly arrived Victor and Valiant nose sections were off limit so we had a bite to eat and a wander around looking at the usual suspects. Winter maintenance was much in evidence and nothing much out of to ordinary to report although the Avenger was being dismanteled for its pending move but here are a few snaps.

Flying Fortress

 I must have had this B17 in the cupboard for around 20 and have just got used to seeing it there! Rather than start yet another more recently acquired kit I pulled it from its resting place and put it together at long last. It is a Hasegawa kit.

Flying Legends returns

An announcement today confirms that the Flying Legends air show will be returning this year over the weekend of 15/16 July. Good that they have found a venue after a short hiatus but as the venue is Church Fenton, better known as Leeds East airport, it will need something really special on offer before I even look in to any options for trekking that far north. 

One for us?

A few years ago I went to Virginia Beach especially to see this airworthy Mosquito. Others now also fly but they are all overseas. However the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar today announced an agreement for a Mosquito to be built by Avspecs in New Zealand that will join their collection and should be flying in the UK by 2026. Fingers crossed! 

Saab Viggen

An old Airfix kit of the Swedish jet fighter acquired cheap as it had no instructions. Not too demanding to build although quality was of the era it was produced! Also had some areas of paint reaction which was annoying.

Hornby Visitor Centre

After many years of talking about it we finally popped in to the Hornby Visitor Centre yesterday. More or less on my doorstep yet it is something that I have never managed previously. There is only a small charge and you get to see a lot of historic model stuff charting the history of Triang, Hornby, Scalextric and various other names that form part of the empire. There are model railway layaouts, aircraft dioramas and numerous display cases full of stuff to remind to you of your childhood. Certainly worth an hour to go and have a look.

North Witham

 North witham is in the southe of Lincolnshire. It opened in 1943 and was used by the USAAF for their Troop Carrier Command, distributing transport aircraft and the means to maintain them. The filed was handed to the RAF in June 1945 but had limited use and closed in 1956. It was then acquired by the Forestry Commission and has been planted with significant areas of woodland although runways, perimeter tracks and other tracks can all be found.

New for Midlands Air Museum

In another move from Cosford this Auster has gone to the Midlands Air Museum which I visited for the first time last summer. Midlands Air Museum report here and this is the Auster in its old Cosford home.

Off to Hawkinge

The former Cosford museum Casa 352 has been dismantled and moved to the Kent Battle of Britain museum at Hawkinge. The 352 was a Spanish licence built version of the famous Junkers 52 and the museum plan to repaint the aircraft in Luftwaffe markings to represent a WWII aircraft. Presumably it will now be outside like the recently acquired He111, which seems a shame.

At Cosford, as seen below, the aircraft was parked up close to a wall making it difficult to get a decent picture but as Hawkinge have a weird policy of no photography at all I guess it will be even more difficult to snap it in future which is a pity and means I probably won't go and look at it.

Back soon

The Canadian Warplane Heritage Dakota 'Cannucks Unlimited' has been off line of late awaiting refurbished engines. These are now in the process of being fitted and the Dak should be back in the air next year.

Seen here at Hamilton back in 2012 when we visited for the air show.

East Kirkby engine starts

Always love the sound of merlins coming to life and running up prior to taxi. Here are Lancaster Just Jane and the Mosquito doing just that at East Kirkby earlier this month.

Handley Page Jetstream

The Jet stream was the last Handley Page design and this particular aircraft was registered in 1968 and first flew the following year. She last flew in the late 1990s but was then used for ground instructional purposes.

The aircraft moved to Sywell in March last year and is seen here last summer. It is currently under restoration.

Another move

 A further acquisition by LAHC at East Kirkby is the former Raf Museum B-25 Mitchell. It was dismantled at Hendon a little while ago but it was destination unknown at the time but it has had a free transfer (transport costs aside) to Lincolnshire. It will be reassembled in the main hangar and the longer term plan is to have the engines running and the aircraft doing taxi rides. Sounds good to me.