Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show

So, back to Duxford today for their Battle of Britain Air Show, possibly my last show this year but another meet up with Gaz which is always a bonus.

A mixed bag weather wise, starting off a bit gloomy, brightening up with an odd light shower and then a heavy cloud burst at the end part way through the massed Spitfire and Hurricane flypast finale. Also a few aircraft that didn't show including the Navy Wings Swordfish, Seafire, a Beech 18 a couple of Mustangs and the BBMF Spitfire and Hurricane which was due to the RAF honoring the sad passing of the Queen this week.

However, overall it was a good show with some nice flying displays especially the Czech Mil helicopters which was a first for Duxford, a pair of Lysanders flying with the Blenheim for the first time in years and a pair of Staggerwings together. However, I will start with some shots on the flight line.

Bristol Bombay

The latest project off the hobby bench is this Valom 1/72 scale Bristol Bombay. This was a troop transport in the early part of WWII particularly in North Africa. There are no survivors unfortunately so a kit is the best option to see one.

Cornwall Aviation Heritage Museum

Bad news here sadly as it seems that the local council want to evict the museum from its current airport site despite it being a valuable tourist attraction for the area and being up to date with rent. Presumably the site is wanted for development but no alternative is being offered. The museum is therefore likely to close for good next month and has to vacate by next March. There is a good chance that exhibits may be scrapped. A petition is on line to oppose.

https://www.change.org/p/save-cornwall-aviation-heritage-centre

Stonehaven

Along the East coast of Scotland, a little south of Aberdeen, is the fishing village of Stonehaven. A pleasant coastal town with a nice harbour and a boardwalk along the seafront which has a number of stainless steel 'sculptures, mainly of fishing vessels from the area but also a lighthouse and a viking ship all built by a local artist. Among the sculptures was a Norwegian biplane marking the occasion in April 1940 when a Norwegian Type MF11 escaping the German military alighted in Stonehaven Bay. It moved on the next day but the story has clearly left an impression.

Sikorsky S-92A Helibus

Spotted in the distance over Stonehaven today was this CHC Helicopters chopper out of Aberdeen.

Seaplane memorial, Dundee

The record distance flight for a seaplane took place on 6th October 1938 when a composite aircraft, which was one mounted atop another, took off from the Tay estuary at Dundee. The smaller top aircraft then separated before flying over 6,000 miles to South West Africa. A memorial to this is on the bank of the river in Dundee.

Diamond DA42 Twin Star

A new one to me, spotted over Dundee yesterday was the Austrian built Diamond DA42 Twin Star which has been in production since 2002.

Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre

Montrose airfield was the first operational airfield in the UK of which more in another post. Flying had ceased by 1952 and some 40 years later it reopened as a Heritage Centre which has gone on to win many awards. Based around some original buildings the centre tells the story of the airfield and holds a few airframes, some of which are replicas and only recently took delivery of a Tornado which is displayed in an original hangar.

The centre is fairly small but staff are friendly, the exhibits interesting, including a poppy memorial area to which we contributed, and it is worth visiting.

RAF Milltown

Milltown, a short way from Elgin in Scotland started life as a decoy for nearby Lossiemouth. However the decoy site ceased to be used in October 1941 and construction began on a real airfield which opened in June 1943. Initially used by Bomber Command the airfield soon passed to Coastal Command although it was a base for 617 Squadron in 1944 for their missions to sink the Tirpitz which ultimately succeeded in November of that year.

Following the end of hostilities the airfield transferred to the Fleet Air Arm in 1946 as a training base and remained in use until it reverted to RAF control in 1972. Apart from deployment exercises no further aircraft were based at the field and flying ceased completely in 1977.

The field was then used by the RAF as a signals station until 2003 before being sold off 10 years later.

I went for a look a few days ago and most of the runways and one original hangar remain. There are few buildings and the site is used for sheep and cattle grazing as well as an HGV school and skid pan training. Although there was no sign of it plans are afoot for a solar panel farm.