North Weald Diary 2014

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

On Saturday the 72 Squadron Association came to North Weald for their annual reunion. Among the visitors we welcomed one of their former Spitfire pilots from the Mediterranean as well as the current Squadron Boss W/Cdr 'Baz' Dale, who first of all spent some time in the Tower.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfirePIlot-1000_zpse131c695.jpg

They then had a tour of the restoration projects and our classic jets in Hangar 4, where they posed for a group shot by the Vampire T11. They included some of our National Service veterans who served with the Squadron at North Weald.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/VampireGroup-1000_zpsb867ce57.jpg

The weather was very windu=y over the weekend, but the Hangar 11 Mustang, 'Jumpin' Jacques', went out for a display.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangTakeOff1-1000_zpsf8b14634.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangTakeOff2-1000_zps72b96704.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangRunandBreak-1000_zpsca96a4c1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangLand-1000_zpsbb220fb5.jpg

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17 years 10 months

Posts: 3,778

Thank you for the update, great to know NW is alive and well still.

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11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

Terrific pics and updates - many thanks.! Love those of the Hunter especially....

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

I've now got permission to post pictures of our latest arrival – Hawker Tempest II, MW763. This arrived on 14 May from Wickenby. There is another thread about it on the forum, but these shots are included in the general diary for completeness. The aircraft will be ready, when its ready! Another nice project for the Airfield.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Tempest1-1000_zps624dee9d.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/EngineRight-1000_zps4cd21a37.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Tempest2-1000_zpsea8d2d61.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Tempest3-1000_zps5315c9f5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Tempest4-1000_zpsa1047c30.jpg

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13 years 6 months

Posts: 26

Great pictures Trevor. Weald Aviation need to get bigger hangars!

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

The Hangar 11 Spitfire PRXI was out yesterday doing a display at Chelmsford.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfireLineUp-1000_zps163d1459.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitrfireTakeOff-1000_zps82d485d2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfirePass-1000_zpsda8f6591.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfirePass2-1000_zpsecbafddb.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfireLand1-1000_zps8e2dd483.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfireLand2-1000_zpscc784110.jpg

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

The Mustang went out later on an air-to-air photo shoot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangTaxi1-1000_zps9b91ca80.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangTaxi2-1000_zps3307ce0e.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangTakeOff1-1000_zps083c9ceb.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangTakeOff2-1000_zps17bfdf73.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangPass-1000_zps18472157.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangLand1-1000_zps12a3410a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/MustangLand2-1000_zpsc301f106.jpg

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

Some jet action as well. The Vampire was outside yesterday (Friday) for a photo shoot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/VampireApron-1000_zpsd023dfce.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/VampireApron1-1000_zps81310fc9.jpg

It went to Sleap today, returning late afternoon.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Vampire1-1000_zps5f964e6c.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Vampire2-1000_zpsf9a6165b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Vampire3-1000_zps8fb7e63d.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Vampire4-1000_zps1e4dfa42.jpg

Another classic silver jet outside was a Jet Provost Mark 4, which is at North Weald for maintenance.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/JetProvost3-1000_zps11025c5c.jpg

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20 years

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Another set of superb photos YR :) many thanks for sharing.

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

On Whit Sunday it was jet action all day. The Jet Provost Mark 3, G-BKOU, went to Bruntingthrope, returning in the afternoon.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/G-BKOU1-1000_zps1585c095.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/G-BKOU2-1000_zps38c4b7e5.jpg

The Jet Provost Mark 52, G-PROV went out on a couple of local sorties.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/G-PROV1-1000_zpsb9eed019.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/G-PROV2-1000_zps8ed91748.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/G-PROV3-1000_zpsbdf50c2f.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/G-PROV4-1000_zps848f6864.jpg

The Vampire also went out again on a local sortie.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Vampire1-1000_zpsaf35b0a5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Vampire2-1000_zpse4ed6406.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Vampire3-1000_zpse02d283e.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Vampire4-1000_zps94644bb6.jpg

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20 years 6 months

Posts: 7,017

:applause: Superb ,Thank you

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11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

Another superb collection of photos!;)

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14 years

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Nice pictures. We saw one of the Provosts flying in a westerly direction, near Osea Island at around 1:30pm

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

Some action from last Saturday (31 May). The Jet Provost Mark 4, XR673, returned to Linton on Ouse

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/JP4Taxi-1000_zpsef1f46b9.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/JP4TakeOff1-1000_zps12de7b2f.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/JP4TakeOff2-1000_zps061d49f3.jpg

One of our home based Jet Provost Mark 5s, G-BWOF, was out on a local flight, returning to take part in the spot landing competition. It came second, which was a great achievement!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/G-BWOF-1000_zps60f6628a.jpg

The Spitfire PRXI went out to display near Gloucester..

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfireTakeOff1-1000_zpscf4d2de6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfireTakeOff2-1000_zpsfa2178cb.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfirePass-1000_zps682e7478.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/SpitfireLand-1000_zps80e84bea.jpg

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17 years 10 months

Posts: 3,778

Great pics again.
New hangar going up on the dead side?

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16 years 5 months

Posts: 5,998

Great photos of the jets. Have to say my favourites are the Vampire and the silverJP Mk.4. Thank God for those who are prepared to put their hand in their pockets to keep these old jets flying.!

Rob

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,652

The Spitfire PRXI went out to display near Gloucester..

It flew over my house - and I saw it doing aeros over Charlton Park (where A Piece of Cake was filmed).

I also saw a Su-29/31(??) - and 3 larger aerobatic types in close formation - flying over towards the estate.

There was some sort of private air display there - anyone know anything about it??

I photographed the PRXI with the wheels down - so it obviously landed and refueled??

Ken

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 933

Remembering D-Day

Last Saturday we were also able to carry out a photo shoot of US Airborne re-enactors using the recently arrived Dakota from Shawbury and the C-54 as backdrops. The Band of Brothers was filmed at North Weald, so with the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings and the paratroopers' involvement in that historic battle being celebrated this week, it is nice to be able to recognise this.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/Re-enactorsTrio-1000_zps52fda8be.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/DC4-800_zps91c319a5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/DC54Talk-800_zpsc7a5a199.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/DakDoor1-1000_zps7a492852.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/DakDoor2-800_zps48fca28d.jpg

Some shots were also taken in the nearby sandbagged area (used for barbecues), converted to black and white and made grainy. A German views of a 101st Airborne paratrooper's rifle!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/RifleGrey-1000_zps4c368692.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v165/YakRider/RifleGrey2-1000_zpsc3262eb6.jpg

The new structure is a logistics warehouse extension for Kings Transport, which is based at Hangar 5. This hangar was relocated from the Gloster factory at Brockworth.

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14 years 6 months

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What are the Paratrooper Cocoran boots like to wear? I've always fancied treating myself to a pair.

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24 years 2 months

Posts: 8,464

Thread cleaned up. Whilst the subject of gun laws in different countries is a worthy discussion item, it is not relevant to this topic. I was going to move those replies into a thread of their own, but it didn't make any sense once I had done that, and I do recall a lengthy discussion on the subject in GD in any case.

Now, the subject is 'North Weald'

Bruce