Foynes Flying Boat Museum

Foynes, on the Shannon estuary in Ireland, was a flying boat base that opened in the mid 1930s. At that time land based planes did not have the range to cross the Atlantic but large seaplanes could and by 1942 the first non-stop transatlantic flight took place. The advent of WWII restricted passenger flights and the opening of Shannon airport in 1942provided competition and Foynes closed in 1946. In 1989 an Aviation and Maritime museum opened in the od passenger terminus and incorporates the old control tower. The highlight of the museum is a full scale replica of the fuselage of a Boeing 314 Clipper, fully fitted out and incorporating a small section of the port wing up to and including the inner engine. here are some images from an interesting visit.

Filton Airfield

The original airfield at Filton, Bristol dates back to 1910 when aircraft manufacture first commenced on site with the forerunner of Bristol Aircraft. Manufacturing inreased dramatically in WWI, particularly with the Bristol Fighter, and a small hamlet was demolished to enable the airfiled to be enlarged. It was known as RFC Filton and then RAF Filton. In the early 1940s the runways were upgraded to concrete and the manufacture of aero engines and aircraft, including the Blenheim and Beaugfighter continued. After WWII the runway was lengthened for the Bristol Brabazon and although this huge passenger aircraft did not go in to production a further runway extension made it ideal for the first flight of prototype Concorde 002 in 1969. Aircraft and aircraft component manufacture continued but, ultimately a housing development was approved for the site and operations ceased in 2012. Today some original hangars survive, as does the control tower and a museum dedicted to Aerospace Bristol opened in 2017. The main attraction is perhaps Concorde G-BOAF which made the last ever Concorde flight when it flew in to Filton in 2003.

Bristol Aerospace Museum

The museum is located on the former Filton airfield in Bristol and is dedicated to the history of Bristol, mainly aircraft but includes motor vehicles, aero engines and other technology as well. We were passing on the M4 with a limited amount of free time so stopped in for a quick look around. There area couple of impressive reproduction aircraft in the shape of a Briston Scout and F2b, a couple of helicopters and some aircraft sections amongst other exhibits. The star of the museum is probably Concorde G-BOAF which flew in to Filton 20 years ago and was the last ever Concorde to fly. As we were limited for time we didn't look inside as we have been in other Concordes in the past. The most interesting element of the visit was a guided tour of the restoration hanagr where there is a complete fuselage of a Bristol Freighter, recovered from New Zealand, and a Bristol Bollingbroke. This was the Canadian version of the Bristol Blenheim light bomber of early WWII. It was recovered from a Canadian farm and is gradually being restored and should be on full display in a couple of years time.

Membury Airfield

Membury in Wiltshire opened in 1942 and was initailly handed to the USAAF including fighter groups and troop carrier units.In July 1945 the airfield returned to RAF use with Dakotas of 52 Squadron but it closed the following October. The airfield remained in general use in to the 1960s but the M4 motorway was then built through the middle of the main runway. Never the less a small airfiled remains in use to this day and a memorial is in a motorwat service area built on the old airfield, albeit the plaque appears to have been stolen.

Virginia Beach news

It's a few years now since we visited the Military Aviation Museum at Virginia Beach for their Warbirds Over the Beach airshow. One of the highlights at the time was C46 Tinker bell belonging to the City of Monroe. As of today the aircraft has been acquired by the museum and has flown in to it's new home. Here it is when we saw it

Bristol Blenheim V5851

A poignant memorial to the crew of this Blenheim that crashed near Stow Bedon in 1942

Overhead!

Passing over my campsite a week ago

TFC P40C Warhawk

Practice display at Duxford.