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By: - 10th November 2005 at 15:12 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
What year are we saying here? Mid 1950's?
Mark
By: - 10th November 2005 at 15:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Barry Clay said he was at the particular air race I recently posted photos on. If indeed this is the same day, we should get a date. Or just contact the 3Rs a the RAeC?
'58 or '59?
Interesting to see the state of the runway, I thought Baginton was grass, then had a proper tarmac job laid in the 60s?
By: - 10th November 2005 at 15:39 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Looks like the runway is still under construction? When did AW build the runway at Baginton?
By: - 10th November 2005 at 16:00 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The reason I enquired of the date...
...there was a public display at Baginton on 19 June 1954 at which the familiar Spitfire and Hurricane from Vickers and Hawkers respectively attended and also an RAF Spitfire - TE357. The latter must be one of the very last flying UK based RAF Spitfires to fall under the axe. The record card is 'missing presumed dead' but the Spitfire was probably from a Station flight.
This is just before my time but over the years I have amassed half a dozen photographs of it at Baginton.
I am keen to know any history of this machine and its final fate.
Mark
By: - 10th November 2005 at 16:47 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Fascinating photo - I can't really add any more info as I'm also a relative newcomer to the airfield but thanks for sharing.
By: - 10th November 2005 at 17:02 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The entrance road to the right of the pub has not been built yet, the runway is under construction and you can see the concrete bases have been laid for the three T2 hangars which were erected behind the four shown in the shot. These 3 were inhabited by the like of Ace Freighters (Connies & C-54s) and Executive Aviation (Herons & Doves) in the mid-1960s.
The ex-TCA Canadair C4's have yet to arrive (and rot away gently).
I would assume that it was taken at the same time as the air racing shots in the other thread, in which case I would say it was the 1960 Kings Cup held at Baginton on 8-9 July.
By: - 10th November 2005 at 17:29 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
mmmm...a lake, and conveniently near to the aerodrome boundary.
Has there been much scrapping at Baginton over the years? ;)
By: - 10th November 2005 at 19:52 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
The pub G-ORDY refers to is the building on the extreme left about a third up the page and is The Baginton Oak or The Oak (the ancient tree it is named after is just out of shot) and was used as a mess by the RAF during WW2.
The old control tower is almost slap-bang in the centre.
The "X" on the end of the runway and the lighter colour at the far end suggest it is still under construction - this is the end of a runway that appears in one of the pics on the other thread.
The two linked nissen huts just to the right of the pub are the postwar home of Coventry Aeroplane Club.
The "lake" is what we referred to as The Sandpits and as a boy I used to fish there. It was later closed and became a council rubbish tip to fill it in and is now "dead" land.
Just above the sandpits, going left to right and slightly up is Rowley Road. This road was built in the 1930s to replace the road that ran through the land that became the airport. Notice it converges on the runway but it stops where it meets the A45 (London - Birmingham trunk road). The constant problem with air displays at Coventry is that the far end of Rowley Road offered a good vantage point without paying to go in and hundreds used to line the fence there!
Just above the three hangar bases/to the right of the sandpit is the old scrapping area. Many is the aircraft that met it's end there including Ace Freighter Connies.
Above that the white roof was part of the sewage system at Baginton. That building was by the above ground holding tanks and to the right of the far end of the runway (seen in one of the other photos) were the circular filter beds - the "cleansed" sewage exiting into the River Avon that runs very closeby.
The Midland Air Museum is now just beyond that white roofed building.
Roger Smith.
By: - 10th November 2005 at 23:03 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Looks like the runway is still under construction? When did AW build the runway at Baginton?
The runway opened in the autumn of 1960
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By: BlueRobin - 10th November 2005 at 14:58
Just run this through the scanner. Presumably this was taken during the air race event (photos posted on my other recent thread). You can just about make out the pylon in the NE corner.
Can anyone describe, to a young 'un only familiar with modern Baginton, what we are seeing here?
Photo (c) RBI Ltd, Flight Collection http://www.theflightcollection.com :)