Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Hurricane taxies off for Duxford Saturday morning ...
... which spends quite a long time stooging around before landing and taking off again. This photo is at the right orientation, it really did bank over that hard at one point.
... taxies off also for Duxford ...
... and we nip over to the mound at the end of the runway ...
... in time to see it pass overhead
Sunday on the run and first stop at the site of RAF Kelstern and the memorial to 625 Squadron
WW2 radar tower at Stenigot, now a listed building ...
... and the obsolete 'Cold War' early-warning radar dishes nearby
Lunch-stop at RAF Wickenby, now an airfield for a flying club but with memorabilia and photographs in the control tower ...
... and the memorial to 626 Squadron. Rather disturbingly depicts what appears to be a skeletal screaming man falling to earth (Icarus). It's one thing not to glamorise war, but this perhaps goes a bit too far in reminding us how so many aircrew died, 1080 of whom were based here. Icarus, remember, fell to earth because he tried to fly too high ignoring his Father's warnings. These airmen were volunteers to a man doing the bidding of others under unimaginably stressful conditions knowing there was a death rate of 1 in 2. Many completed one tour and volunteered for a 2nd. Some completed two tours and volunteered for a 3rd. Almost no-one survived a 3rd tour. Unlike the other services there is still no national memorial to the bomber crews, although there is one to Battle of Britain fighter pilots.
RAF Fiskerton memorial, with a very peaceful atmosphere. Moving poems on the two plaques at ground level, the text of which can be found here.
RAF Bardney memorial in the centre of the village, a Lancaster propeller
Impressive memorial to 617 Squadron - the Dam Busters - in the centre of Woodhall Spa
Finish at Thorpe Camp, near Woodhall Spa
Large Vulcan model, but one of the real thing has flown again
Model of Lancaster with examples of the various bombs it carried, including the dam buster (cylinder on the left) and 'Tall Boy' (just going out of picture right).
Back at Coningsby, just get caught by lights moving round to the North end as the first Hurricane comes in.
Memorial pair make a pass over the hanger and crowds at the other side
Memorial Hurricane landing, just three of us this end
Lancaster makes its pass over the hanger ...
... yes, it was that close ...
Dakota on final approach. Just after this the rear door came in to view, open, with a crew member in view who waved to us - lovely touch. The Dakota must feel a bit like the poor relation against all the others, but I'm glad we stayed to see it come in even though we probably missed the Lancaster taxiing up to the hanger as a result. Another time, hopefully.
Spitfire being refuelled, as were all the single-seaters
Hurricane being wheeled back in
Ditto the Spitfire. The chap on the wing was saying something about an MGB and looking in Bee's direction who was the only one there ...
... still looking, must have one or have some interest in them.
Lancaster being pushed back in
