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| With her wings adrift, and a crane to lift... |
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| ...Old P-40 "284", lies helpless on the floor, Back into the box, soon she'll go, Ne'er more to display at a Duxford air show... |
And at long last….
19/03/2014
Duxford :: 19/3/14
Took the opportunity, on the way in today, to grab a couple of photos of the P-40 before it was finally boxed up and sent on its way, back the good 'ol US of A!!!
And at long last….
And at long last….
12/03/2014
Duxford :: 12/3/14 (Soon be Christmas…)
Popped in to renew my DAS membership and managed a quick photo tour of the hangar on the way out…
BBD looking a damn sight less beautiful - must be a bit hard to slap paint stripper onto a perfectly good paint scheme…
BBD looking a damn sight less beautiful - must be a bit hard to slap paint stripper onto a perfectly good paint scheme…
The F-15 was getting the "pink treatment" too….
Meanwhile the "Shacklefax" is coming on nicely…
…or is it a "Halifleton"?
Trying out the 9-18mm lens in The Bacofoil Building Airspace…
Lancaster, TSR2 and Vulcan...
05/03/2014
Duxford :: 5/3/14
As I missed out on the "local flypast" by SM845, thought I'd double up on the silverware!
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| Airspace - VN485 |
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| "Area 51" - SM845 |
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| Meanwhile, repairs to the roof of Airspace continue... |
04/03/2014
What was that? :: 4/3/14
So I'm sat in my living room, just after noon, and hear the sound of an aircraft approaching overhead. Not the usual signature roar of a Merlin or other recognisable warbirdy piston, so no rush out the door to catch a glimpse.
So imagine my disappointment when I did finally get off my arse and look outside, to catch a sight of what I assume was a silver Spitfire at a fairly low level.
The dog and neighbours were probably wondering why I was shouting about oar fixings…
Was it SM845?...
So imagine my disappointment when I did finally get off my arse and look outside, to catch a sight of what I assume was a silver Spitfire at a fairly low level.
The dog and neighbours were probably wondering why I was shouting about oar fixings…
Was it SM845?...
26/02/2014
Duxford :: 26/2/14
First real chance I have had to have a wander around post storm closures, and self imposed exile from "The Mess" (also known as taking in my own nosebag!), due to the current serving system of order then wait 10 to 15 minutes for your meal to be made...
Site now back open again since the second bout of Airspace roof peeling - I didn't venture into AS but stuck my head into H3 & H5 for a quick look.
(Images shot on Olympus OM-D EM-5 with Olympus Zuiko 9-18 f4.0 lens)
Site now back open again since the second bout of Airspace roof peeling - I didn't venture into AS but stuck my head into H3 & H5 for a quick look.
(Images shot on Olympus OM-D EM-5 with Olympus Zuiko 9-18 f4.0 lens)
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| H5 - BBD being stripped back to bare metal. Seems a shame after the work done previously... |
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| H5 - A Cold War warrior in from the cold? |
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| H5 - engine seized? Chop the props then... |
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| H5 - parts of the Shack are spread around the site like the 'foil' from the roof of Airspace... |
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| VC10 |
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| Bldg 66 - tail of AB910 progressing slowly - soon to be mated to the rest of the fuselage. See 15/11/13 post re this aircraft. |
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| H3 - "Ferocious Frankie" |
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| H3 - Good 'ol Buccaneer... |
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| H3 - Once proud bird of the Royal Navy, Hunting subs in the deep blue sea.... |
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| H3 - lots of pics of this when it was 'revealed' - sadly I was busy in Bldg 4... |
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| H3 - trying out low angle with the wide angle... |
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| A rather sad sight - slowly being stripped down for "storage" in H5, but exiled to the jet pan to make room for the quilt show... Ah hem.... |
01/01/2014
2014 :: DX Lockdown....
Seeing as IWM Duxford is in "Damage/Litigation Control Mode" after a section of the roof of Airspace got peeled back like the top of a tin of Spam, here are a few (hopefully) unpublished photos, in no particular order, from my perambulations around during 2013...
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| Salamander... |
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| Must to due a relief soon... |
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| Bit spooky seeing the smoke rising from the pipe. |
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| Someone "famous/wealthy" getting a jolly... ...again. |
25/12/2013
11/12/2013
Duxford :: 11/12/13
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| The other P-40... |
Meanwhile outside...
06/12/2013
Crate for #284....
Yet another shipping container looks likely to be parked outside Hangar 2 at Duxford...
"Robert Collings, executive director of the Stow, Mass.-based Collings Foundation, said that the purchase of the Curtiss P-40B Warhawk from an aviation museum in England was completed this week. The plane will be disassembled and shipped to the United States, where it eventually will fly over Buffalo and other cities, with plans to participate in the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack in 2016, he said."
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2013/12/06/rare-pearl-harbor-warplane-returning/qhgv60p7HIOSfRIRDDrVVM/story.html
Maybe a rebranding to "The Container Collection" is imminent?...
04/12/2013
Duxford :: 4/12/13
Quiet day on the airfield as I pottered around after a bite to eat.
A brief look at the exposed girders in H2(N)...
A brief look at the exposed girders in H2(N)...
15/11/2013
Duxford :: 15/11/13
Bit of a wander timed just right....
And had the chance to see the current state of AB910 and report back to the son of John Niven - not likely to be flying soon!...
And had the chance to see the current state of AB910 and report back to the son of John Niven - not likely to be flying soon!...
Meanwhile, over in Airspace...
14/11/2013
13/11/13 :: A day well spent...
Months ago, at Flying Legends, I'd spotted a full size replica Spitfire on display on the hangar base outside Wing Co Joe's. There was a crowd around the aircraft and I didn't have the time to stop and chat with the 'crew', so headed out to do my duty on the flightline.
On getting home I Googled the replica and discovered it was a wonderful piece of work built by Terry Arlow - http://www.simplyspitfire.com/
One thing led to another and I discovered that I had viewed the gun camera film of the pilot of MK805, F/Lt Tony Cooper of 64 Sqdn.
So, today I had the pleasure of spending a few hours in the company of a real gentleman and handing over a DVD 'compilation' of his gun camera footage from May through to August 1944.
I was able to look at his Log Books, and in what can only be described as an extraordinary coincidence, I looked at a photograph of F/Lt Cooper, sat in front of a Spitfire, with several other pilots at 53 OTU Kirton-in-Lindsay in February 1945. Sat next to Tony was a S/Ldr Niven (OC) - I peered at the photograph and recognised the face. A quick check of the Log Book of John Niven on my laptop, revealed it was indeed the one and the same.
To be able to sit down and actually talk with one of the pilots, whose footage was some of that which I have been watching over the last seven years, was a real privilege and honour.
I hope to be able to spend some more time with Tony and maybe even find yet more footage of his time in action...
On getting home I Googled the replica and discovered it was a wonderful piece of work built by Terry Arlow - http://www.simplyspitfire.com/
One thing led to another and I discovered that I had viewed the gun camera film of the pilot of MK805, F/Lt Tony Cooper of 64 Sqdn.
So, today I had the pleasure of spending a few hours in the company of a real gentleman and handing over a DVD 'compilation' of his gun camera footage from May through to August 1944.
I was able to look at his Log Books, and in what can only be described as an extraordinary coincidence, I looked at a photograph of F/Lt Cooper, sat in front of a Spitfire, with several other pilots at 53 OTU Kirton-in-Lindsay in February 1945. Sat next to Tony was a S/Ldr Niven (OC) - I peered at the photograph and recognised the face. A quick check of the Log Book of John Niven on my laptop, revealed it was indeed the one and the same.
To be able to sit down and actually talk with one of the pilots, whose footage was some of that which I have been watching over the last seven years, was a real privilege and honour.
I hope to be able to spend some more time with Tony and maybe even find yet more footage of his time in action...
09/11/2013
Research :: John Niven DFC*
I have now, kindly, been sent digital copies of the Flying Log Books of John, along with some photos, and hope to do some matching up of the film footage I have viewed with the actual entries in his Log Books.
As a slight aside, a thread over on Flypast Historic Aviation forum regarding "Falkland Islands Spitfires", mentioned one of the ten paid for by the Falkland Islanders, being allocated to 602 Squadron.
A quick check of the Log Book for 1941 revealed that John flew X4615 during April, May and June of 1941.
John also flew for a time with 485 (NZ) Squadron and there are a few photos from his time with them. I had hoped to add another element to the story in finding ML407 as one of the Spitfires he flew. Not found it yet, but other Spitfires in the "ML" series crop up. While a few photos feature Spitfires with the "OU" squadron code, ML407 OU-V is absent (or is maybe just hidden behind a group of very young men)...
UPDATE: Found the following entry in his Log Book serving as OC 485 (NZ) Sqdn -
Aug 3 1944 Spitfire IXB ML407 Target Support Cover - 20000' Lille Ostend area covering 300 Halifaxes on Noball at Foret Le Nieppe. Very hazy. Bad for strafing. Little flak from St.Omer & Hesdin.
He also flew one of the BBMF Spitfires during his service -
Feb 19 1945 Spitfire VB AB910 Weather Test (15 mins) Operating from Hibaldstow
Stay tuned!...
As a slight aside, a thread over on Flypast Historic Aviation forum regarding "Falkland Islands Spitfires", mentioned one of the ten paid for by the Falkland Islanders, being allocated to 602 Squadron.
A quick check of the Log Book for 1941 revealed that John flew X4615 during April, May and June of 1941.
John also flew for a time with 485 (NZ) Squadron and there are a few photos from his time with them. I had hoped to add another element to the story in finding ML407 as one of the Spitfires he flew. Not found it yet, but other Spitfires in the "ML" series crop up. While a few photos feature Spitfires with the "OU" squadron code, ML407 OU-V is absent (or is maybe just hidden behind a group of very young men)...
 |
| Image Courtesy Roger Niven |
 |
| ML407 - "The Grace Spitfire" |
UPDATE: Found the following entry in his Log Book serving as OC 485 (NZ) Sqdn -
Aug 3 1944 Spitfire IXB ML407 Target Support Cover - 20000' Lille Ostend area covering 300 Halifaxes on Noball at Foret Le Nieppe. Very hazy. Bad for strafing. Little flak from St.Omer & Hesdin.
He also flew one of the BBMF Spitfires during his service -
Feb 19 1945 Spitfire VB AB910 Weather Test (15 mins) Operating from Hibaldstow
Stay tuned!...
18/10/2013
Gun Camera footage - some further 'matches'...
As a result of the RAF gun camera film I have been cataloguing for the IWM, I have had a couple of more 'results'.
I am in touch with a former RAF pilot via a third party and hope to "reunite" him shortly with the footage he shot during his time flying Spitfires. More info on this once I have arranged the viewing of the film. I am excited about this opportunity and I understand the pilot had no idea of the existence of this film.
~~~~~~~~
On another front, it transpires that the father of an old friend of one of my brothers, flew Spitfires during WWII and I have identified several clips of film that he was responsible for.
The pilot in question was John Niven (DFC & bar) and he had distinguished service in the RAF, flying spitfires in the UK, Indian and Japan. He was Squadron Leader in the 602 City of Glasgow Squadron and 485 New Zealand Squadron. He also flew with 322 Dutch Squadron.
He was interviewed by Moray Firth Radio in 1986 and the ten part interview archive is available online -
MFR: Memories of a Spitfire Pilot
Sadly John died in 1986 but his wife is still alive and the Log Books are in the possession of the family and hopefully will provide the link to the footage.
I am equally excited about this discovery as it has such a close link via a very long standing family friendship.
I am in touch with a former RAF pilot via a third party and hope to "reunite" him shortly with the footage he shot during his time flying Spitfires. More info on this once I have arranged the viewing of the film. I am excited about this opportunity and I understand the pilot had no idea of the existence of this film.
~~~~~~~~
On another front, it transpires that the father of an old friend of one of my brothers, flew Spitfires during WWII and I have identified several clips of film that he was responsible for.
The pilot in question was John Niven (DFC & bar) and he had distinguished service in the RAF, flying spitfires in the UK, Indian and Japan. He was Squadron Leader in the 602 City of Glasgow Squadron and 485 New Zealand Squadron. He also flew with 322 Dutch Squadron.
 |
| Image Courtesy Roger Niven |
He was interviewed by Moray Firth Radio in 1986 and the ten part interview archive is available online -
MFR: Memories of a Spitfire Pilot
Sadly John died in 1986 but his wife is still alive and the Log Books are in the possession of the family and hopefully will provide the link to the footage.
I am equally excited about this discovery as it has such a close link via a very long standing family friendship.
15/10/2013
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