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UK Flying - Summer 2004 |
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Summer destinations included Velcourt, Shobden, Wellsbourne, Elstree, Hucknall, Stoke Golding, Claybrooke Farm, Rougham, and Little Staughton. So here are a few more photos from around the home counties and throughout the midlands.
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.1 Traveling West with rain showers evident on the horizon. In the foreground is the M40 with Gaydon as back drop. Once a V-base the runway is now used as a test track for Rover Cars. June 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.2 An attempt at an atmospheric shot of Victor Kilo parked at Velcourt with Fergie in foreground. Original plan was to fly on from here to Cardiff but decided to head north to Shobden instead. June 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.3 Departing Velcourt with view out towards Welsh foothills June 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.4 Short Finals for 27 at Shobden. New tarmac overlay sits neatly in expanse of old runway which was mainly used for training purposes during the war years. June 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.5 Victor Kilo parked at Shobden for the obligatory afternoon tea break June 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.6 Routing from Sywell to Elstree. View over Salcey Forest which lies adjacent to the M1 just north of Newport Pagnell July 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.7 In bound to Elstree passing the old Rolls Royce engine plant and aerodrome at Leavesden. It is now a film studio and was used in parts by the producers of the Bond films to recreate the St. Petersburg street scenes in the film Goldeneye. Although closed as an active airfield for many years part of the main runway still exists. July 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.8 Oscar Fox at Elstree. July 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.9 Oscar Fox alongside the resident Yak at Stoke Golding in Leicestershire. September 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.10 Departure to the south from Stoke Golding. If you follow the straight road from the wing tip, the airstrip is just visible beyond the farm surrounded by recently harvested fields. Its the green field to the right of the road with the white dot in it, which is the camper on the previous photo. September 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.11 Next stop from Stoke Golding was a quick touchdown at another Leicestershire airstrip at Claybrooke Farm. This particular view looking out to the west was taken on a previous trip back in 1991. Today the 600m airstrip is used more by helicopters than fixed wing but remains relatively unchanged.
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.12 Enroute Sywell to Rougham with Kimbolton behind the trailing edge. This was the former home to the most successful Eighth Air Force bomber group, the 379th . The dark green strip identifies the extension to the main runway which was lengthened to accommodate fully laden B17 aircraft. Adjacent to this one of the original lollipop dispersals remains intact. Like many old airfields the original building complexes become home to industrial units and workshops. September 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.13 Passing over Graveley to the East of St Neots. Very little remains of this WWII airfield other than a near complete peri-track and the ghostly image of its standard A-class layout. Sepember 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.14 Newmarket Racecourse was both a First and Second World War airfield. Only one remaining hangar is any clue to the past. Today the A14 passes directly through the area where the peri-track and dispersals once stood. The tags on this picture identify where the main areas once stood. The grandstand was used as an accommodation facility in the early days of WWII. The racecourse is still open to aviation with two separate landings sites at the Rowley Mile and July courses. September 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.15 Short finals for Rougham. Located east of Bury St Edmunds this is the former home to B17's of the 94th Bomb Group. This approach to the old main runway is in an easterly direction. September 2004
© Andy Clarke Photo. 7.16 Returning to Sywell the weather closes in and forces an unscheduled stop at Little Staughton. Oscar Fox parked next to the old tower with Denny Dobson's Extra being checked and refueled in preparation for a local display. September 2004
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